USA Today 11/8/2006

BOSTON (AP) - Massachusetts wine drinkers
will not be able to pick up their favorite bottle of red or white while shopping
for food after voters rejected a ballot initiative that would have allowed sales
in grocery stores.

The battle over wine sales, known as Question 1, was the most
expensive ballot question campaign in state history, with opposing sides
combining to spend more than $11.5 million..

Question 1 opponents, primarily a well-financed coalition of
independent liquor store owners and beer distributors, staged a furious
come-from-behind victory to block the supermarkets from moving in on their
territory. With 99% of precincts reporting, 56% of voters opposed the measure
while 44 supported it.

Polls taken two weeks before the election showed Question 1
favored by a two-to-one margin among those surveyed. The opponents blitzed TV
and radio airwaves with ads portraying the proposal as a public safety issue.
They claimed teenagers would be more likely to obtain alcohol because
convenience stores also could apply for wine licenses if the question were
approved.

"All we did was tell (voters) there was more to this than
convenience," said Question 1 opponents spokesman Doug Bailey. "There is a
social cost and a public safety cost. The only way to find out what that cost is
was to approve the question. And the voters determined that was too much of a
gamble."

Dominic Campochiaro, 68, agreed.

"That's going to give some young kids an opportunity to go in
there and buy (wine). I'm not in favor of that," said Campochiaro, a lifelong
resident of Boston's North End.

Supporters of Question 1 also were well-financed and employed
ads to emphasize consumer convenience and remind voters that most other states
already allow such sales.

Chris Flynn, president of the Massachusetts Food Association,
said voters "were misled by a negative, scare campaign" by his opponents'
emphasis on the fact that the initiative would allow convenience stores, gas
stations and mini-marts - not just supermarkets - to apply for wine
licenses.