The following was sent out on a number of local listservs:
There are forces lining up right now to try and stop the H Street Moratorium on Single Sales. Councilmember Graham's office has scheduled a round table he's scheduled at 2:00 pm today, Thursday, June 28, 2007. Because of the volume of liquor store owners concerned, CM Graham may want to postpone the hearing until after the summer recess (i.e., the Council couldn't vote to put the moratorium into effect until the fall).
Please call CM Graham with your opinion!!! His office needs to be getting phone calls in the next three hours that tell him what the community wants. ANC 6A voted in favor of this and this has gone through a lengthy public process already, and that you want his committee and Council to take action quickly.
You can reach Jim Graham's office at: 202-724-8181. His committee's phone number is 202-724-8195. [All written testimony should be sent to lwillis@dccouncil.us.] See what I sent CM Graham below - which cites the significant relationship between liquor stores and illicit activities; i.e., More liquor stores = more illicit behavior. See research by Dr. Furr-Holden from John Hopkins at http://www.pire.org/topiclist1.asp?id=1
It is very important that CM Graham listen to those of us who live here and not just the businesses!
Stephanie Nixon ANC6A08 Commissioner
PSA 103 Co-Community Coordinator
ANC6A Public Safety Committee Chair
10 comments:
Thanks, Elise. The woman I just spoke to in Graham's office told me all written testimony should be sent to lwillis@dccouncil.us. Could you please update your posting?
I just called as well, and the woman who answered informed me that the hearing is still on for 2PM in Room 123 of the Wilson Building. It is open to the public, so I will be taking time out from work this afternoon to attend.
This is VERY important, and I hope Councilmember Wells' office is planning to continue their advocacy for the moratorium at the hearing today, as well.
And in a case of fortuitous timing, ABRA has begun implementation of the Ward 4 moratorium as of June 14th, following the US District Court's dismissal of the plaintiff's claims in Decatur Liquors v. District of Columbia on May 3.
For the text of the announcement, visit http://newsroom.dc.gov/show.aspx?agency=abra§ion=2&release=11328&year=2007&file=file.aspx%2frelease%2f11328%2fLetter%2520-%2520Ward%25204%2520Moratorium%2520-%2520Single%2520sales.pdf
The circumstances are VERY similar, and this is a powerful argument in favor of the H Street moratorium.
My bad...I linked the press release incorrectly.
It can be found here.
I suggest copying all Councilmembers on any emails you may send on the subject, and specifically state at the end of your email that you want it entered into the record on the matter.
Here are the email addresses for all of the Councilmembers.
vgray@dccouncil.us, schwartzc@dccouncil.us, dcatania@dccouncil.us, pmendelson@dccouncil.us, kbrown@dccouncil.us, jgraham@dccouncil.us, jackevans@dccouncil.us, mcheh@dccouncil.us, hthomas@dccouncil.us, mbarry@dccouncil.us, twells@dccouncil.us
Delay equals KILLING the moratorium, because the Council is required to approve ABRA's proposed rule within 90 days after it is published and forwarded to the Council--otherwise, the Moratorium DIES.
Best,
Alan Kimber
ANC Commissioner, 6C05
Elise,
It was a pleasure to meet you at the hearing today - nice to finally put a face with this phenomenal service you provide to the community.
I'm so glad I heard about this in time - not surprisingly, commentary on the subject was decidedly anti-moratorium at the hearing. Liquor store owners, long-time residents, and the owners' legal counsel offered testimony as to the economic impact on business owners and the dubious effect this will have on issues like loitering, public drunkenness, and litter.
I offered a counter-point based solely on my anecdotal experience with all of the above and the frequency with which I find single beers and half-pint bottles of liquor in close proximity.
I hope this continues to move forward. As was stated by Chuck Burger at the hearing, the benefit of a moratorium is that it is not permanent - it is a chance to examine the impact that the removal of single sales will have on the quality of life along H Street. If it's positive, we'll know we're on the right track. If it's negative, then it's back to the drawing board.
Though I can understand and appreciate the impact this will have on liquor stores along H Street, I can't help but feel that this is going to have a positive impact on a range of problems that are directly contributing to the slow pace of recovery along the H Street corridor.
If the moratorium does go into place, perhaps the grateful neighbors of ANC6A could show their support for the 5 or 6 small businesses that will be affected by patronizing them for our purchases of 6-packs and handles of liquor instead of going to the Safeway, the Giant, or other establishments further from home?
but if we keep singles, then that brings the police on foot patrol, and then we have law enforcement on H street.
so it's good to sell singles.
it brings police.
if they establish a moratorium, the police will go away.
in georgetown, the stores sell singles, and look how safe it is!
we need to abolish this moratorium!
but if we keep singles, then that brings the police on foot patrol, and then we have law enforcement on H street.
so it's good to sell singles.
it brings police.
if they establish a moratorium, the police will go away.
in georgetown, the stores sell singles, and look how safe it is!
we need to abolish this moratorium!
umm. i don't think the moratorium is bad, as long as we can still buy doubles.
my girlfriend and i like to buy a beer for each of us, and so we'll be fine, cuz we're buying doubles.
but just one guy buying a single beer is stupid. cuz, you know you're just gonna come back for more after you find enough cash to buy another one.
and if you don't find that cash, you'll beg or steal to get it.
that's bad.
my girlfriend and i have enough money to buy two at a time, and then hit the atm later on so we can capitalize to the utmost on the interest in our savings, and then buy two more. it's those atm fees that are killing me.
anyway, dudes, i totally support the stoppage of singles. it has benefits, cuz then the guys that are banned from singles will have to look for their soulmate!
maybe we could work on free wifi and computers at local libraries and stuff so that it would be easier for them.
cuz we don't want them to fake it, and buy doubles with a prostitute that isn't really their girlfriend.
that just brings in more trash to the neighborhood.
support the moratorium, and decent couplehood!
Dang I love sitting by the stor with a nice cold 40 chillin. Why you got a problem wit dat. You don't like malt licker. So wat if I pee on the side of yur house you need to talk to someone about getting a public tolet until then I pee on your door if I want.
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