NY Times: Liquor-License Freeze Enacted in N.Y.

According to The New York Times ("Liquor-License Freeze Enacted in N.Y.," September 7, 2006):

The state liquor board yesterday imposed an immediate four-month freeze on approving liquor licenses for areas of New York City that already have three or more license holders within 500 feet of each other.

The unanimous action by the New York State Liquor Authority, which was immediately denounced by a trade group of city nightclubs, follows the deaths this year of two young women. They were killed after drinking heavily at nightspots in SoHo and Chelsea.

This, of course, serves no useful public purpose whatsoever, and in the end hurts what may actually be one of the city's fastest growing economic sectors.

Nevermind that it hurts entrepreneurial individuals as well:

Robert Bookman, a lawyer for the New York Nightlife Association, a trade group of 125 bars and nightclubs, mainly in Manhattan, said the action was unfair. It has “thrown the industry into chaos within the last few hours,” he said.

Mr. Bookman added, “If I have my lifetime savings wrapped up in a place that I’m prepared to open Oct. 1 and now I can’t get a license until January, how am I going to pay $30,000 in monthly rent and not be able to open?”

The New York Times points out that there have been a few shocking murders in Manhattan in the past few months after young women left bars or clubs and got attacked by bouncers. The city, of course, enacted legislation to deal with that problem:

Last month, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg signed legislation that made it easier for the city to shut down establishments that fail to conduct background checks of security workers.

Come to think about it, that sounds like the solution: legislation that attacks the problem.

Imette St. Guillen, killed in February, and Jennifer Moore, who was 18 when she was killed in July, were not killed because liquor licenses were being issued to clubs within 500 feet of each other.

More information: "Liquor Licenses"