The bill limiting the number of new licenses for liquor stores, though not for restaurants, was requested by the county's Licensed Beverage Association, whose members are always worried about close competition. A recently approved license for a new store in a shopping center on U.S. 40 near St. John's Lane drew protests from residents and nearby store owners, though the license was granted.
Del. Warren E. Miller, a Republican, and house delegation chairman Guy Guzzone, a Democrat, are sponsoring the bill, but both said they wanted to spark a public discussion and haven't settled on exact provisions.
"It's mostly to give the association the chance to make a case," Guzzone said. Miller said he's had complaints about some areas where there is "an overwhelming number of licenses, one on top of another."
Angela Beltram, a former County Council member who protested the St. John's liquor store, said there are seven other stores within two miles of the new one. She said the proposed law might be a good idea, though she hasn't studied it. "Somebody has to set a limit," she said.
This is a classic example of "do gooders" aligning with business interests to maximize business profits under the guise of saving society from some "evil" product. Another coalition of Bootleggers and Baptists.
3 comments:
90% are working hard for special interests, and that does not include citizen activists who typically have no money.
Speaking of special interests, the Humane Society has been exposed as a Lobby organization who gives <5% of it's revenue to help animals in shelters.
Please do not give to this extremist organization.
Huname Society Exposed
I hate it when organizations screw around with lobbying rather than actually doing something useful. One group that Gail Bates and Warren Miller support wants to ban the DaVinci Code, a known work of fiction. That is pretty pathetic. Don't you agree, Anon 10:47?
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