City explores banning gas station liquor sales
GREEN BAY – Hard liquor sales would be banned at convenience stores and city leaders would be given greater authority to revoke liquor licenses under two proposals working their way through the City Council.
Aldermen Randy Scannell and Joe Moore brought the measures forward in response to a movement on the council to block any new licenses from being issued.
Scannell said he doesn’t believe prohibiting convenience stores from selling liquor is actually necessary, but he hopes initiating a policy discussion will put an end to arguments over each new license request. The lack of a city policy has led to a piecemeal approach to granting licenses to sell beer and wine only or beer, wine and liquor has led to inconsistencies, he said.
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Since October, aldermen narrowly denied three requests by convenience store owners to sell liquor, while approving two others.
The owners who did not get licenses said the decisions put them at a competitive disadvantage with their peers.
“They allow my competitors to have it, but not me. We’re not on a level playing field here,” said Terry Cayemberg, owner of Terry’s E-Z Go at 401 Mather St.
The council denied Cayemberg’s request for a license to sell hard liquor on Oct. 4 by a 7-5 vote on the grounds that there are already too many places selling alcohol near neighborhoods.
The council on the same day denied a license request by Ranbir Shergill, owner of Singhs C Store at 952 W. Mason St., for the same reason.
Both businesses have licenses to sell beer and have no history of violations.
“If they’re denying the license to every convenience store, I don’t have a problem. But right now it’s like they just pick and choose,” Shergill said. “Why is that? Why am I denied? Why do they (competitors) have the liquor license and not me when we are meeting all the requirements?”
Alderman Guy Zima is leading the push to limit liquor sales and has promised to vote against any new license requests. He said too many places sell alcohol and that is dragging down the quality of life in city neighborhoods.
“My efforts are to not have any more liquor stores or gas stations or grocery stores that will sell in our neighborhoods,” Zima said. “Now, people can get it one way or another, but the easier you make it, the more problems you’ll have.”
Zima said he’s targeting convenience stores in particular because alcohol sales aren’t their primary means of making money, and, therefore, they have less incentive to crack down on violations, such as selling to minors.
Moore said he believes giving the city more power to suspend or revoke liquor licenses quickly would better address Zima’s concerns. He said blocking any new licenses may hinder reputable businesses and doesn’t do anything about those violating the law.
Scannell said business owners and city staff need to be involved in a broader policy discussion surrounding alcohol consumption.
“I’d like a study done to see what alcohol problems we have in the city and see best ways to address it. If having convenience stores not sell liquor would help, then I’m all for it. But I’m not sure that’s the problem,” Scannell said.
In April, Zima proposed banning the sale of single beer cans and small liquor bottles throughout the city. He said it would reduce litter problems, panhandling and alcohol-related crimes. The idea is to make it harder for alcoholics to buy cheap drinks, such as 40-ounce cans of beer.
The proposal is on hold while Green Bay police complete a six-month trial run at increasing enforcement efforts downtown, where most of the alcohol-related complaints occur. The test period will conclude next month. At that time, the police department is expected to report its findings to the council’s protection and welfare committee.
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