Monday, February 2, 2009

Liquor Laws--Are they changing?



Gov Huntsman is at it again-
he has been since 2005 and this
time
I am cautiously, not positive
that it won't get shot down
(a major
step up from no hope at all:ever)
This time they are trying to gather info
through an ID scanner--While I couldn't
disagree more with storing info in an
electronic database for any reason, I
applaud state lawmakers for revisiting
the issue.
Gov Huntsman wants to get rid of "private
club rules" that require a bar or club
to charge each person a cover, and have
a membership in order to walk through
the front door(ranging from $4-$12)
depending on the club, time of year and
how busy they are.
This makes it really, really inconvenient
to actually go out.
For example: a few months ago
4 of us wanted to get a few drinks
at a local piano bar that shall remain
unnamed. We paid $8 ea to get in the door
($32 total) and got a table. After an hour
or so it seemed that it wasn't the place to
be that night so we contemplated going somewhere
else--but we had already invested $32 and the
prospect of gambling on another club did
not speak well to our pocketbooks.
So-what happened? Well we paid our waitress
(and told her why were were leaving-again lame)
We decided to just call it a night and go back
and drink at our house.
THIS is not good for nightlife here, it certainly
isn't good for business downtown and REALLY isn't
great for tourism.
In a state who makes Nearly $5 billion direct;
$10 billion direct and indirect on tourism alone
not to mention that 10% of state’s employment

comes from tourism THIS IS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS
TO CHANGE or people might think twice before
holding their convention here or vacationing
in our great city.
Many would argue that the private club laws haven't
really impacted drunk driving as much as a lack of
taxi service and public transportation in the state.
If one wants to bar hop(customary in many other states
and doesn't give bar owners the leverage to overcharge
for drinks just so you can avoid yet another cover charge)
Since Utah's currant liquor laws
do not allow bars or clubs to be close enough to one another
to simply walk back and forth many, unfortunately, choose to drive.

My vote and suggestion for lawmakers?
Take a hard look at what other states
are doing successfully. Push for more
public transportation and awareness
and try to bolster our economy through
travel and tourism by SUPPORTING LOCAL
BUSINESS!!