City Council Committee To Discuss Proposed Midnight Cutoff On Alcohol Sales At Stores
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The City Council License Committee on Thursday will discuss a proposal to ban the sale of alcohol at stores after midnight, after Mayor Lori Lightfoot backed off a plan to set the cutoff at 10 p.m. in the face of widespread opposition.
Lightfoot says ending alcohol sales at grocery and liquor stores earlier would help curb violence.
Lightfoot originally proposed a 10 p.m. cutoff last month, arguing at the time it was necessary to address "real quality of life issues that sometimes creep up around these businesses," but her original plan faced immediate backlash from businesses and aldermen.
"We believe a midnight closure is a reasonable compromise that addresses the serious nuisance issues raised by late-night liquor sales without unduly burdening our business community, and I continue to look forward to working with all stakeholders to make our city as safe and vibrant as possible," Lightfoot said in a statement.
Liquor stores and grocery stores faced a 9 p.m. cutoff for alcohol sales during the pandemic until Lightfoot moved back that curfew to 11 p.m. last fall. Previously, stores with packaged goods licenses had been allowed to sell most types of alcohol until 2 or 3 a.m.
The proposed midnight cutoff for alcohol sales is part of a package of measures Lightfoot is pushing to help Chicago restaurants and other businesses as they seek to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as new protections for consumers and workers.
The measures to be considered by the License Committee on Thursday also would reinstate a 15% cap on third-party delivery fees charged by services like GrubHub.
The mayor's proposal also would create $10 million in grants for businesses hurt by the pandemic, and allow shops to advertise on sidewalks using A-frame signs.
The plan also would set up a payment plan for businesses that have city debt to make it easier for them to renew their licenses, and would set up a payment plan for businesses that have city debt to make it easier for them to renew their licenses.