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Measure with roots in anti-Irish animus would continue to control liquor licenses in Boston
By adamg on Mon, 12/07/2015 - 5:02pm
The Globe reports Gov. Baker has proposed letting every city and town in the state figure out for themselves how many liquor licenses they should issue - except Boston.
The story claims Boston was excluded not to continue something that started out with bias towards the Irish who ran Boston back in the day - or because current license holders don't want to see the value of their licenses, which can range upwards of $400,000, evaporate - but because the legislature two years ago gave Boston 75 new liquor licenses to dole out.
Left out was the part about how City Councilor Ayanna Pressley, who came up with the idea to increase the number of Boston licenses, wanted to lift Boston's cap as well, as a way to increase the number of restaurants in areas of the city away from downtown and the waterfront.
The measure that gave Boston those new licenses, however, did shift control of the Boston Licensing Board from the governor to the mayor, similar to the way the mayor gained the right to appoint the police commissioner in 1962.
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Comments
I Cast Thee Out
Please, someone get Jane Swift's helicopter to airlift Baker back outside of Boston to where he belongs?
To be fair
She had a bonafide family emergency and it was the State Police who suggested that.
I believe the family
I believe the family emergency was known as Thanksgiving Traffic, although it probable her elderly house-painter hubby hurt himself falling off a bar-stool again.
Her husband was critically ill
Her daughter was also sick. She had to get home quickly, and the MSP arranged it.
That is a family emergency. When you have a family, you might get that.
So if you've a family
So if you've a family emergency and there's traffic, will the MSP arrange this for you?
Do you really think Governor
Do you really think Governor Coakley would have been for liberalizing anything instead of concentrating power in her office?
No
And that's why I voted for Evan Falchuk.
Bullshit
No, that plus the warm feeling of control the Governor has over the largest city is exactly why Boston still needs to beg the state for booze.
The people in favor of flexible licenses are not exactly the most politically connected or wealthy. The businesses with cash and/or a license are fine with the current system.
Sadly, it's unlikely anything will change. The representatives from elsewhere in the state don't care or are under the impression the big bad city isn't deserving anyway so they aren't going to press for changes.
Abolish the ABCC and leave it up to the towns completely
The ABCC is nothing but a revenue generator for the state, filled with hack jobs.
Individual cities and towns should be responsible for their own licenses. Not some unelected, highly paid no-show.
Isn't that what Baker wants
For 350 of the 351 municipalities of Massachusetts.
I have not seen any evidence of that
There is nothing in the linked story indicating that Baker wants to abolish the ABCC completely.
Fair enough
And the proposed legislation does mention the ABCC by name, but the goal is to give more authority to the municipalities. Well, almost all the municipalities.
It's an interesting bill. Lots of stuff Adam didn't mention.
One problem with that
I believe the amendment that abolished prohibition specifically gave the regulatory power to the states.
So what is to stop the states
From giving regulatory power over to the cities and towns that make up the state?
Im not well up on the amendment but I do know a little about the ABCC and how it operates. I will be happy to see it go.
Short answer
Nothing. States have the power to devolve authority to municipalities.
Allowing every other city and town -- but not Boston -- to administer their own licensing program is repugnant.
That the 21st Amendment gives
That the 21st Amendment gives them the power to do so does not mandate that they do... how ever would you come up with that strain of logic?
Chucking Farley strikes again
I thought Republicans were pro-business? Hah!
BYOB
The city council is also considering restaurants in smaller neighborhoods of the city letting patrons BYOB....beer and wine only. Which makes sense for the costumer but restaurants make so much of their profits selling booze not sure they will support it.
BYOB restaurants typically
BYOB restaurants typically charge people a "corkage" fee to bring their own, so they'll still make money.
Why do patrons need to wear costumes in order to BYOB?
Loads of prior art on BYOB
Plenty of Connecticut towns are dry. You bring your beer or wine, hand it to the server or host, and they serve it to you. They also charge you a corkage fee -- like $5 to serve you your own bottle of wine. After all, it is in their glasses, etc.
Good, fuck Boston's rights
If Boston cared about its rights it would have had 15% greater turnout in 2014 when Baker won by a measly 40,000 but lost in Boston 105,000 (66%) to 48,000 (30%). The total votes cast were 42% of the registered voters. To get another 40,000 votes statewide from Boston alone, another 60,000 votes at the same ward percentages would have needed to vote. Those 60,000 votes equate to about 15% of the city's total registered voters. They vote and Baker loses.
In all, 58% of the city that could vote, didn't. That's a majority. The city deserves anything Baker wants to do to it.
here
have a snickers
youre starting to sound like me