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The Examiner reports that the D.C. Council is considering a compromise on later bar hours. Previously, Mayor Vince Gray floated a proposal that would allow bars to stay open an hour later. That set off a lot of grousing from Ward 1 Councilmember Jim Graham, who suggested a higher tax on booze instead. Now Council Chairman Kwame Brown has his own idea:
Under the proposalBrown unveiled during a council budget meeting, the city would allow bars to sell alcohol until 4 a.m. on all District and federal holidays.
Brown’s plan would also permit sales to 4 a.m. throughout weekends surrounding New Year’s Eve, Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day. Existing District law allows sales until 3 a.m. on holidays, for a one-hour extension from normal hours. On weekends, alcohol sales regularly run to 3 a.m.
This compromise actually strikes us as practically worthless for the city’s drinkers—though since this is all about tax revenue, then maybe that’s the point.
Photo by Mike Madden