Maxwell Wins Fight Over Liquor Stores

When I wrote on January 30 about Supervisor Maxwell’s proposed liquor store regulations, I said “past experience shows that owners will turn out in force to derail this long-overdue legislation". But my prediction appeared to be wrong, as the committee hearing proceeded with little opposition and the legislation quickly moved to the full Board.

But liquor storeowners were out in force yesterday, so that what seemed like a fast unanimous vote in favor of the legislation became an all-out fight for its survival. Fortunately, sponsor Sophie Maxwell was up to the task, and waged a valiant, hour-long effort against an amendment that so watered down the legislation as to render it irrelevant.

Maxwell’s fight to preserve an extremely moderate law that simply facilitates city enforcement against rogue liquor store owners comes as African-American neighborhoods across the Bay Area are demanding an end to the public drunkedness, drug dealing, and violence occurring outside too many liquor stores in their communities.

Oakland has long been ahead of San Francisco in liquor store crackdowns, and Berkeley closed down a problem liquor store just this week.

Only San Francisco has been derelict in its duty to the low-income residents who must deal with problem liquor stores in their neighborhoods. Maxwell’s legislation is a positive step toward addressing this pervasive problem, and it sends an important message particularly to those afflicted by rogue stores in the Tenderloin, Western Addition and Bayview-Hunter’s Point.

Mayor Newsom is expected to sign the legislation.

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