(Columbus) -- Rae Ann Estep, Superintendent of the Ohio Department of Commerce, Division of Liquor Control, announced that the division transferred a total of $102 million in spirituous liquor sales revenue to the state's General Revenue Fund (GRF) in FY 2001.

 

"The division was able to increase its GRF transfer this year thanks to increased dollar sales, improved inventory performance, and reduced operating expenses," Estep stated. This transfer reflected an increase of $7 million over last year's GRF transfer.

 

Liquor revenues are used to help fund a variety of needed state services, which benefit all Ohioans. In addition to the GRF transfer, liquor revenues are also earmarked for a number of other state services. In FY 2001, the division transferred:

 

$15.8 million to the Department of Development for the retirement of economic development bonds used to fund the state's small business loan program

$8.7 million to the Department of Public Safety for state liquor law enforcement

$2.6 million to the Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services to fund alcoholism treatment, education and prevention programs statewide

$865,000 to the Department of Health to fund the Alcohol Testing Program

$570,000 to the Liquor Control Commission to fund its operations

 

Estep also reported that spirituous liquor dollar sales at the state's contract liquor agencies reached a record high in FY 2001. Dollar sales totalled $482.4 million in FY 2001, an increase of $26.5 million, or 5.8 percent, compared to sales in FY 2000. Gallonage sales for FY 2001 totalled 8.57 million gallons, an increase of 84,000 gallons, or 1.0 percent, compared to FY 2000 sales.

 

"Liquor dollar sales continue to benefit as a result of product price increases coupled with an ongoing consumer trend toward the purchase of more premium-priced products, and a slight increase in consumption," Estep concluded.

 

The Division of Liquor Control is responsible for controlling the manufacture, distribution and sale of all alcoholic beverages in the state. The division sells spirituous liquor through nearly 400 private, contract liquor agencies in the state. Liquor sales and tax revenues are returned to the state's General Revenue Fund, and are also earmarked for a number of other state services

including the retirement of economic development bonds and state liquor enforcement. Regulatory functions handled by the division include the issuance of permits to the state's approximately 24,000 privately owned and operated manufacturers, distributors and retailers of alcoholic beverages, and industry compliance of the laws relating to the manufacture, importation and distribution of beer, wine and mixed beverages containing less than 21 percent alcohol by volume in Ohio.

 

As one of the state's chief regulatory agencies, the Department of Commerce is responsible for numerous regulatory functions carried out by its other divisions of Financial Institutions, Securities, Real Estate, Unclaimed Funds, Industrial Compliance, Labor and Worker Safety, and State Fire Marshal. The department's internet address is www.com.state.oh.us