Today Begins the 2011 Utah Legislative Session. And already select lawmakers are set on making your lives more difficult for years to come.A Legislative Audit Committee is proposing a 3 million dollar budget cut for the Department of Alcohol Beverage Control. The DABC, says that if lawmakers approve the cut it will mean the twenty liquor stores that now stay open until 10pm will now close by 7pm. This means no liquor stores in the entire state would stay open beyond 7pm.
If that's not bad enough, in addition to the new hours four or five stores would likely close for good.
Some of the more rational State Lawmakers say that it doesn't make much sense to cut the budget of an agency that generates 290 million dollars a year and pumps 105 million of that back into the State School Lunch Program and the General Fund.
It's time to start rattling the cages of your Senators and Representatives. I've provided links to lawmakers. Don't bitch and moan if this goes into effect and you know you didn't write one single email or make a phone call.
Cheers.
11 comments:
Haaahahahah..all liquor stores closed by 7?...bwahahahahahaahhahaha...riots in the streets
+1
So whats next? shut down pubs close at ten stop serving at nine. this state suffers as is now this.
We can always take our business elsewhere... I spent 25 min in line Saturday just trying to pay for a 6 pack. The drive to Evanston doesn't seem so bad these days.
Your local Brewers with Pack Ag. Lic. can stay open later and sell high point. Epic is open until 9 pm M-Thru and 11 pm F and Sat. Business in the hands of business, support them instead of WY and oil companies.
So they want to put on the drunk rush for the liquor store right around rush hour? That's smart. 25 min line to get a 6-pack in the store? Good call on the Evanston run. Sounds like you'd take in some nice scenery, get cheaper booze and be back in the time it takes to park, get in, buy and get out anyway. I used to do that run all the time when I lived in SLC because I worked graves and nothing was ever open for me.
Amazing they would even think of doing that, why not the opposite? Open more stores for longer hours... that way you could move more product and make more money to push back into the economy, ass backwards thinking if you ask me...
With politics, it is about the question, not the answer. The legislature asks the accountants how they can cut money across all departments. The accountants give them answers. Neither side really takes any time to think about the fact that the liquor stores actually generate money for the state. You make money by spending money, so spending a little more money would mean they would bring in more money. They never see it like that 'cause the gov'ment ain't no biznez. You would think that the legislator that are business men would think of those things.
I agree with DC - just go to the breweries.
In new legislation, the government will be voting to increase the number of liquor licenses available in the state of Utah: http://le.utah.gov/~2011/bills/hbillint/hb0042.pdf
If you read carefully though, this includes a HUGE decrease in the number of beer licenses available. Unbelievable...
Most if the new licenses would come from the pool of unused tavern licenses. With the elimination of the private club system, no one wants them. Except for a few old school taverns.
Most of the new bars opening up say they are making due with a tavern license until the can get their full service license. The owner of the new bar Grafitti said, he has people turning around and leaving because all he has is 3.2 beer. This was at the last Tuesday's DABC meeting.
Those licenses may dwindle, but if their unwanted they should go to restaurants that need them.
The next few years should be interesting, as the Mormon legislature realizes we are no longer living in the 1940's and that Utah's population is becoming more and more diverse.
Thanks for the clarification, and I agree... the times they are a'changin.
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