February 12, 2024:
This is a policy decision we are making today. It should be made based on the merits and rationale of the policy and not based on a single situation or person.
As your city council, our votes should always be in the best interests of the residents of HP. I believe that our existing liquor law helps to ensure that Councilmembers act in the best interests of our residents.
There are conflicts of interest that stem from holding a liquor license and selling, manufacturing and distributing alcohol. One could vote against businesses that might compete with theirs or in favor only if they sell their product.
After our last meeting, where the majority of Councilmembers voted to provide a well-established restaurant group with a sizable grant, residents reached out to me with concern and discomfort about potential conflicts of interest from the council. Residents were concerned that a Councilmember who makes and distributes beer voted to give money to a business that he might sell beer to in the future. On the flip side, suppose a Councilmember didn’t want to award the grant to the restaurant group but would like to do business with them in the future, the Councilmember could feel pressured to vote to award the grant. That presents a conflict of interest.
Businesses who have received or could receive incentives from the City might feel pressure to do business with elected officials because of the influence they hold.
Also at our last meeting, the council voted to ban certain unregulated THC and Kratom products. A Councilmember who sells and profits from these substances could be voting in the interest of their own business rather than in the best interests of residents. In another example, a Councilmember’s business is involved in a lawsuit with another entity in the community. Any participation in policymaking that would impact the other entity is problematic. Yet, at our last meeting, this situation occurred.
While these are examples of things that actually happened at our most recent meeting, they could apply to any liquor license holder in the City serving as an elected official. Our current law helps us to avoid these conflicts of interest. That is why the majority of municipalities in our region prohibit people who hold liquor licenses from holding elected office.
Just because the law was passed years ago doesn’t make it antiquated. I believe that it helps us to serve our residents and I will vote to retain the current law.