Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll's plan to create three new liquor licenses and allow existing seasonal license holders to sell alcohol year-round failed last week to win the support of the City Council subcommittee charged with reviewing it, reports the Salem News.
Driscoll said the proposed changes would encourage new investment in a city already over its state-imposed license limit and provide relief to Salem businesses now prevented from selling alcohol for three months a year. But Councilor-at-large Joan Lovely, chairwoman of the Committee on Ordinances, Licenses and Legal Affairs, couldn't support the three new licenses because they would create a glut in what she said is already a "saturated" market.
Lovely and Councilor Michael Sosnowski voted against the plan. Councilors Joe O'Keefe and Arthur Sargent voted for it. O'Keefe said it would help energize the city's already vibrant downtown.
After a vote in favor of Driscoll's proposal resulted in a tie, the committee opted to put the matter before the full council next week without a recommendation. The mayor needs six votes to send what is a home-rule petition to the state Legislature for its approval.
The petition asks state lawmakers to let Salem convert seven seasonal licenses -- three all-alcohol licenses and four beer and wine licenses -- into annual licenses and establish up to three new all-alcohol annual licenses. Both the converted and new licenses would be subject to fees the city would collect and put into an economic development fund that would support promotions and activities to bring people downtown.
If one of the converted or new licenses were to be no longer in use, for whatever reason, it would be returned to Salem's Licensing Board, which could then grant it to another business.
The city would solicit bids for the three new licenses.
"We want to be open for business, we want to bring people here," Driscoll said. "We can't close our doors and say, 'No more.'"
Daddy Yankee DUI Usher DUI R. Kelly DUI Bow Wow DUI Gwen Stefani DUI
