. HAPPY TO BE FOR THE RECORD. MY NAME IS GABRIELA COLETTA ZAPATA TO SECOND CITY COUNCILOR AND I'M THE CHAIR OF THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS.
TODAY IS SEPTEMBER 22ND, 2025. THE EXACT TIME IS 205. THIS HEARING IS BEING RECORDED. IT IS ALSO BEING LIVESTREAMED AT BOSTON DARK OF FORD SLASH CITY.
DASH COUNCIL DASH TV AND BROADCAST ON XFINITY CHANNEL EIGHT RCN CHANNEL 82 AND FIOS CHANNEL 964. WRITTEN COMMENTS MAY BE SENT TO
THE COMMITTEE EMAIL AT TCC. DIAGEO AT BOSTON TUG OF AND WILL BE MADE PART OF THE RECORD AND AVAILABLE TO ALL COUNCILORS . PUBLIC TESTIMONY WILL BE TAKEN AT THE BEGINNING AND END OF THIS HEARING.
INDIVIDUALS WILL BE CALLED ON IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY ARE SIGNED UP AND WILL HAVE 2 MINUTES TO TESTIFY. IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN TESTIFYING IN PERSON PLEASE BE SURE TO ADD YOUR NAME TO THE SIGN UP SHEET NEAR THE ENTRANCE OF THE CHAMBER.
IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO TESTIFY VIRTUALLY PLEASE EMAIL OUR CENTRAL STAFF LIAISON. MICHELLE GOLDBERG AT MICHELLE
AND ICHELLAG0LDBE. R G. AT BOSTON DOUG LOVE FOR THE LINK IN YOUR NAME WILL BE ADDED TO THE LIST. TODAY'S HEARING IS ON DOCKET 1411.
MESSAGE IN ORDER FOR YOUR APPROVAL IN ORDER TO ADOPT THE LIQUOR LICENSE CONVERSION AS A LOCAL OPTION IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. THANK YOU. THIS MATTER WAS SPONSORED BY
MAYOR MICHELLE WU AND WAS REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE AUGUST 6TH, 2025. TODAY I'M JOINED BY MY COLLEAGUES IN ORDER OF ARRIVAL. I HAVE CITY COUNCIL ED FLYNN DISTRICT TWO AS NUMBER ONE AND
CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT RASSI LOUIJEUNE. I WILL GO TO THEM FOR ANY OPENING REMARKS THAT THEY MAY HAVE. COUNCILOR FLYNN CONFUSION. THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR BEING HERE. I LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING
AND PASSING THIS. I DON'T KNOW IF I'M GOING TO BE HERE FOR THE QUESTIONING PERIOD BUT I JUST TO VOCALIZE MY SUPPORT AND THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING. THANK YOU. OKAY, GO AHEAD, COUNCILOR FLYNN.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I'M GOING TO LISTEN AS CLOSE AS I CAN TO THE TESTIMONY AND LEARN ABOUT THIS AS MUCH AS I CAN BEFORE I MAKE A DECISION.
I WANT TO LEARN THE PROS AND CONS ABOUT THIS. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FLYNN. AND WE DO HAVE A LETTER FROM BRIAN WARREN DAWSON, CITY COUNCILOR FROM DISTRICT FOUR.
DEAR COUNCIL COLLEAGUES I REGRET THAT I WILL BE UNABLE TO ATTEND AFTERNOON'S HEARING DUE TO A PRIOR COMMITMENT. THANK YOU FOR HOSTING AND I LOOK FORWARD TO REVIEWING THE VIDEO FOOTAGE. OKAY BEFORE I PASS IT OVER TO
OUR ADMINISTRATION PANEL. JUST BRIEFLY TALK ABOUT WHAT THIS ORDER SEEKS TO DO.
OKAY. SO UNDER SO THIS DOCKET IT TALKS ABOUT HAVING UNDER NGO CHAPTER 138.
IT WAS A NEW 2024 SPECIAL LAW MUNICIPALITIES THAT ACCEPT A LOCAL OPTION MAY ALLOW A WINE AND MALT LICENSEE TRADE IN THAT LICENSE FOR NONTRANSFERABLE ALL
ALCOHOL LICENSE UNDER THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS THE LOCAL BOARD MUST THE UPGRADED ALL ALCOHOL LICENSE IS NONTRANSFERABLE AND THE UPGRADE
DOES NOT INCREASE THE TOTAL NUMBER OF LICENSES ALLOWED FOR THE CITY UNDER SECTION 17 OR ANY SPECIAL ACT. SO THAT WAS BRIEF. I WAS HOPING TO JUST MAKE IT AS BRIEF AS POSSIBLE BUT NOW I'LL
PASS IT OVER TO CHIEF OF EMPOWERMENT SHAGUN EDUARDO FOR ANY OPENING REMARKS SHE MAY HAVE. GREAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON. THE FIRST ONE I THANK YOU, COUNCILOR CALLENDER FOR HOSTING
THIS HEARING. COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE GREAT TO SEE YOU. AND WHAT I APPRECIATE ALL OF THE COUNCIL FOR THEIR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND INCLUSION AND ALL THE MATTERS THAT WE'VE BEEN
BEFORE THIS BODY. ALSO WANT TO THANK THE MAYOR FOR SPONSORING THIS SOMETHING IN PARTICULAR THE CHAIR OF WAYS AND MEANS OVER IN THE LEGISLATURE REPRESENTATIVE AARON MICHAEL WITZ WHO CAME UP
WITH THIS AND PUSHED IT THROUGH THE LEGISLATURE TO GIVE OPPORTUNITIES TO EVEN MORE SMALL BUSINESSES HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. AND OF COURSE WHEN I THANK THE TEAM THAT'S JOINING MEJIA
TODAY, KATHLEEN JOYCE, DAVID GREENE FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND LICENSING. BUT THE ENTIRE MOKULELE TEAM AND THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS LOCATED UNDER OUR CABINET THAT
ARE DAILY WORKING TO SUPPORT THE 18,000 SMALL BUSINESSES THAT ARE EMPLOYING 125,000 PEOPLE AND GENERATING $28 BILLION EVERY YEAR. JUST VERY QUICKLY TO DATE OUR
CABINET HAS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY OF AWARDING MORE THAN $35 MILLION TO 1500 SMALL BUSINESSES AS ONE OF OUR WAYS TO SUPPORT THESE BUSINESSES. AND SINCE LAST SEPTEMBER WHEN
THE LEGISLATURE APPROVED 225 LICENSES FOR NEW LICENSES FOR SMALL BUSINESSES AND THE TEAM TO MY RIGHT AS WELL AS ALL THOSE THAT WORK IN LOCAL WORKING WITH SMALL BUSINESS
NIGHTLIFE ECONOMY AND OTHERS IN THE COMMUNITY HAVE DONE WAY MORE THAN ADMINISTRATIONS AND PAST HAVE DONE TO IN TERMS OF COMMUNICATION ENGAGEMENT
OF MAKING SURE THAT FOLKS KNOW OF THE OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE, THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT THIS TEAM IS SPENDING TO MAKE THEMSELVES AVAILABLE TO FOLKS WHO HAVE QUESTIONS EITHER ONE ON ONE OR THE COMMUNITY FORUMS THAT WE'RE HOSTING TO GET THE
INFORMATION OUT THERE THAT WAS JUST FOR THE 225 THIS PARTICULAR PIECE OF LEGISLATION BEFORE YOU AS YOU NOTED, COUNCILOR, YOU KNOW IS EXPANDING THE OPPORTUNITY BEYOND THOSE 225 NEW LICENSES
AND FINDING WAYS TO SUPPORT THE 300 PLUS BUSINESSES WHO CURRENTLY HAVE BEER AND WINE BUT ALSO THOSE IN THE FUTURE WHO MAY WIND UP HAVING ONE SO VERY IMPORTANT TOPIC WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT ALWAYS IN THE SPIRIT OF SUPPORTING OUR SMALL BUSINESSES THAT ARE NOT JUST PROVIDING JOBS AND INCOME FOR INDIVIDUALS BUT ARE SUPPORTING
OUR FAMILIES AND OUR COMMUNITIES ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS. SO THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. THANK YOU. AND I'M SORRY THIS IS I TOTALLY JUMPED THE GUN. I TOTALLY FORGOTTEN WHAT I WANTED TO DO HERE. IT'S A LITTLE AWKWARD BUT I APOLOGIZE CHAIRWOMAN AND DANNY,
I'M GOING TO HAVE THE BUSINESS OWNERS COME UP WHO HAVE SIGNED UP ONLY BECAUSE THEY'RE IN BETWEEN LUNCH AND DINNER SERVICE. I KNOW HOW BUSY BUSY THEY ARE AND SO WE'LL HAVE MIMI AND JASON CHAN FROM DYNASTY COME UP AND THEN WE'LL HAVE JEN FROM
THE DISTRICT AND FAVORITE LITTLE SAGE COME UP AS WELL AND WE HAVE SOMEBODY ONLINE SO PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, YOUR AFFILIATION AND YOU HAVE 2 MINUTES TO PROVIDE TESTIMONY.
IT SHOULD COME ON IF IT'S NOT ALREADY OKAY SORRY. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME FOR TODAY'S HEARING. SO WE'RE REPRESENTING DYNASTY
LOCATED AT 14 HUDSON STREET IN CHINATOWN BY THE GATE. WE'VE BEEN OPEN SINCE 2023 AS YOU MENTIONED, THIS IS AN UPGRADE FROM THE BEER AND WINE LIQUOR LICENSE TO CONVERT INTO A AND NONTRANSFERABLE ALCOHOL
LICENSE. SO WE'RE HERE TODAY BECAUSE WE WILL PROVIDE REASONING WHY THIS WAS JUST IT'S GOING TO BE HELPFUL FOR OUR BUSINESS OBTAINING THIS WILL ALLOW US TO
OFFER A MORE AUTHENTIC DINING EXPERIENCE FOR EXAMPLE IN AMERICAN AND ITALIAN FRENCH RESTAURANTS RED WINE PAIRS WITH RED MEAT, WHITE WINE PAIRS OF WHITE MEAT BEFORE THE CHINESE CUISINE IT PAIRS WELL
WITH RICE WINE AND OTHER CHINESE SPIRITS THAT WE DO NOT OFFER TODAY BECAUSE OF THE RESTRICTION OF OUR LICENSE THAT WE HAVE CURRENTLY SO HAVING THIS WILL ENHANCE THE GUEST
EXPERIENCE PARTICULARLY IN CELEBRATION. SO FAMILY STYLE GATHERING IS HUGE IN THE CHINESE COMMUNITY SO IT HELPS REFLECT THE CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE OF TOASTING AND SHARE MEALS IN OUR TRADITION WE ALSO
UNDERSTAND THAT THE RESPONSIBILITY THAT COMES WITH SERVING HARD LIQUOR AND WE ARE COMMITTED TO MAINTAINING A SAFE RESPECT FOR AND FAMILY FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT. OUR STAFF WILL BE PROPERLY
TRAINED AND CERTIFIED AND RESPONSIBLE ALCOHOL SERVICE AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO ENFORCE STRICT I.D. CHECKS AND MONITOR CONSUMPTION CLOSELY. OUR OPERATION HOURS OF OPERATION WILL REMAIN
CONSISTENT WITH THE CURRENT ZONING REGULATIONS AND WE'RE MINDFUL OF MINIMIZING ANY POTENTIAL DISTURBANCES BOTH TO OUR NEIGHBORS AND THE COMMUNITY. ULTIMATELY WE WANT THIS LICENSE
TO HELP US SERVE OUR CUSTOMERS BETTER, SUPPORT LOCAL SUPPLIERS WHEN POSSIBLE AND CONTRIBUTE POSITIVELY TO THE LOCAL DINING SCENE AND ECONOMY WHILE UPHOLDING THE STANDARDS AND
EXPECTATIONS SET BY THE BOARD. THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU SO MUCH MIMI AND JASON. I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE. I THINK YOU OKAY. NEXT UP WE'LL HAVE JENNIFER MADRAZO FROM LITTLE SAGE AND I
BELIEVE WE HAVE H.L. GARCIA FROM ANGELES CAFE ONLINE IF WE CAN KEEP HER UP WELL, JIM MAKES HER WAY TO THE PODIUM. THANK YOU. HI, EVERYONE. THANKS FOR HAVING US.
SO I OWN LITTLE SAGE IN THE NORTH END ON HANOVER STREET. I'M A 40 SEAT RESTAURANT AND I HAVE A TEN SEAT BAR WITH A BEER ,WINE AND CORDIAL LICENSE AND IT WOULD BE AMAZING TO BE ABLE
TO OFFER A I MEAN A FULL LIQUOR LICENSE. I THINK THAT IT WILL HELP THE OVERALL EXPERIENCE OF THE RESTAURANT AND THE REVENUE THAT COMES IN. IT'S ALMOST LIKE THE WAY WE
GIVE OURSELVES A RAISE. I MEAN YOU CAN ONLY CHARGE SO MUCH MONEY FOR THE MEALS AND THIS IS ANOTHER WAY TO BRING THE REVENUE UP IN YOU KNOW, THE
OVERALL GUEST EXPERIENCE. WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT COME FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY AND THEY'LL SIT AT THE BAR AND THEY'LL ASK US ABOUT, YOU KNOW, A MARTINI AND WE'RE LIKE WELL,
WE REALLY CAN'T BECAUSE WE HAVE A CORDIAL LICENSE AND THEY LOOK AT US AND THEY'RE SO CONFUSED AND TRYING TO EXPLAIN IT TO THEM BUT SUGAR CONTENT AND ALL OF THAT THEY'RE JUST BAFFLED BY
THE WHOLE THING. THEY JUST CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHY HOW THAT WORKS. AND WE'VE HAD PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY WILL SAY ALL RIGHT, YOU KNOW WHAT, JUST GIVE ME A SODA THEN WHICH THEN BRINGS
DOWN PER PERSON BECAUSE THEY CAN'T HAVE SAY A MARTINI BECAUSE THEY DON'T REALLY LIKE WINE OR THEY DON'T LIKE BEER. SO I THINK JUST THE OVERALL EXPERIENCE WE CAN GIVE THEM IF
WE WERE ABLE TO OFFER FULL ALCOHOL WOULD JUST MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE WITH A SMALL BUSINESS AND YOU KNOW WHERE I'M 40 SEAT RESTAURANT I CAN'T
PEOPLE IF THEY WANTED TO BUY A FULL LIQUOR LICENSE I MEAN TO BE HONEST IF I HAD THAT KIND OF MONEY TO BUY A FULL LIQUOR LICENSE I MAY NOT BE IN BUSINESS. I MEAN I HAVE TO GIVE MY MONEY AND MOVE TO FLORIDA.
BUT YOU KNOW, SO WE WE ARE AT A DISADVANTAGE TO, YOU KNOW, THE BIGGER RESTAURANTS THAT CAN'T AFFORD THAT. SO I HOPE THAT YOU TAKE THAT
INTO CONSIDERATION AND HOPEFULLY THIS CAN GET PASSED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH, JEN. NEXT WE'LL GO TO H.L. I APOLOGIZE IF I'M SAYING YOUR
NAME WRONG. YOU HAVE 2 MINUTES. JUST BE SURE TO STATE YOUR NAME AND THEN YOUR AFFILIATION. THANKS, I. SO THANK YOU CITY COUNCIL FOR YOUR TIME TODAY.
MY NAME IS XIAO AND I AM REACHING OUT TO YOU ON BEHALF OF ANGELO'S CAFE. I HOPE EVERYONE CAN HEAR ME FINE. YES, I AM PRESENTING OUR TESTIMONY ON THE CONCERNS THAT HAVE COME UP THROUGHOUT THE
PROCESS OF RECEIVING A NEIGHBORHOOD RESTRICTED LIQUOR LICENSE. WE INITIALLY STARTED THIS PROCESS THINKING WE WERE APPLYING FOR A FULL TRANSFERABLE LIQUOR LICENSE. IT WASN'T UNTIL A PUBLIC MEETING HELD BY THE CITY
OF BOSTON AROUND OCTOBER 1ST THAT WE FOUND OUT ABOUT THE RESTRICTED LIQUOR LICENSES. WE ALSO FOUND OUT THAT THOUGH THERE WILL BE 12 NEW UNRESTRICTED ALL ALCOHOL LICENSES AVAILABLE FOR USE
ANYWHERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON, WE UNDERSTAND THE ARGUMENT THAT WE WILL RECOVER OUR LOSSES OVER TIME DESPITE HAVING A RESTRICTED LICENSE. HOWEVER, IN THE CASE OF ANGELO'S CAFE IN MARION
HEIGHTS THERE ARE MANY FACTORS THAT DO NOT GUARANTEE WE WILL MAKE THE MONEY BACK IN TIME ESPECIALLY IN THIS UNPRODUCTIVE BOWL POLITICAL CLIMATE. ONE SUCH ONE SUCH FACTOR IS
THAT WE ARE LEASING OUR LOCATION AND WE DO NOT OWN IT. IN THE CASE WE WOULD HAVE TO MOVE OUT FROM OUR LOCATION AND UNDER THE RESTRICTED REGULATIONS WE WOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO TAKE THE LICENSE
WITH US. ANOTHER FACTOR TO CONSIDER IS THAT THE LICENSE ISN'T TRANSFERABLE BETWEEN FAMILY MEMBERS. LUCKILY WE HAD A YEAR TO CONSIDER THE EFFECT AND DECIDED
TO PUT THE LICENSE UNDER MY NAME. OTHERWISE MY FATHER WHO HAS SPENT HIS WHOLE LIFE WORKING IN THIS INDUSTRY AND HAS DEDICATED ABOUT 20 YEARS TO BUILDING ANGELO'S CAFE WHICH HAS
RECENTLY BEEN AWARDED THE LEGACY AWARD FOR BEING A COMMUNITY STAPLE WOULD BE AT RISK TO LOSING THE LICENSE IF THE BUSINESS WERE TO BE TRANSFERRED TO ME.
ANOTHER CASE TO CONSIDER IS THE RAMIFICATION WITH LENDERS AND THE LICENSE BEING USED AS COLLATERAL AS A VALUABLE ASSET WITH A FLUCTUATING WORTH
BETWEEN 150000 TO 200000. WE HAD WE SPENT AROUND 150,000 AT THE TIME OF PURCHASING LEASE PURCHASING THE LEASE FOR A LOCATION THAT IT CAME WITH THAT
TRANSFERABLE BEER AND WINE LICENSE. WE FEEL LIKE ALL OF THESE RAMIFICATIONS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED WHEN CONVERTING OR SURRENDERING AN UNRESTRICTED BEER AND WINE LICENSE.
WE FEEL MORE THOUGHT PROCESS SHOULD BE PUT INTO THE DEFINITION OF RESTRICTED AND THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN INSTANCES THAT TRANSFERS SHOULD BE ALLOWED. LASTLY, I WOULD LIKE TO STATE THAT WE HAVE REGRETTABLY
DECIDED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE RESTRICTIVE LIQUOR LICENSE AS WE FEEL THAT WE ARE FORCED TO ACT NOW AS EVERY DAY THAT GOES BY WITHOUT A SOLUTION OR RESPONSE COMES AT A COST TO OUR
BUSINESS. WE WOULD APPRECIATE A SOLUTION THAT GETS US ON TRACK TO A FULL VALUE UNRESTRICTED LICENSE OR A TAX BREAK A TAX BREAK TO COMPENSATE FOR THE LOSS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US. JUST DOUBLE CHECKING. WE DON'T HAVE ANYBODY ELSE ONLINE LINE. OKAY. NO ONE IN PERSON. WE WILL. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND
PROVIDING YOUR PERSPECTIVES, EVERYONE. I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. WE'LL CIRCLE BACK TO EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR KATHLEEN JOYCE FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND LICENSING AS WELL AS DANIEL GREEN WHO IS THE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY OF THE
LICENSING BOARD AND THE ORDER THAT YOU PREFER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NO, YOU GOT IT. YEAH, YOU CAN TURN IT OFF. YEAH. OH, YEAH. ALL RIGHT. THERE WE GO.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR INVITING US HERE TO TESTIFY BEFORE YOUR COMMITTEE. WE ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNITY IN BOSTON. AS YOU KNOW THE MOST RECENT LEGISLATION WAS THE BIGGEST
INFLUX OF NEW LIQUOR LICENSES LICENSES IN BOSTON SINCE THE END OF PROHIBITION. THIS WAS HISTORIC AND A REAL BOON TO BUSINESSES THAT WOULD LIKE WOULD LIKE TO EXPAND THEIR
OPTIONS. AS YOU KNOW, WE ARE NOW INTO WE HAVE NOW ONE YEAR INTO THIS NEW LEGISLATION OF THE 225 LICENSES AND THE BOARD HAS HELD TWO
SUCCESSFUL APPLICATION ROUNDS FOR THESE LICENSES BY WAY OF AN UPDATE THE BOARD HAS APPROVED 61 NEW LICENSES IN JUST ABOUT EVERY SINGLE ZIP CODE THAT QUALIFIES.
WE'RE CONTINUING TO RECEIVE APPLICATIONS FOR THESE LICENSES AND HOLDING HEARINGS ON THEM AS THEY COME IN AND IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE ARE GOING TO THE BEST THESE ARE BEING PUT
TO THE BEST USE POSSIBLE. WE'RE CONTINUING TO. WE'RE GOING TO RESTART UP BY WAY OF THE OFFICE HOURS. WE'RE STARTING ANOTHER ROUND OF IN-PERSON INFO SESSIONS AND AS WE MOVE INTO THE FALL WE
WILL CONTINUE TO DO AS MUCH OUTREACH AS POSSIBLE SO THAT EVERY SINGLE RESTAURANT OWNER LICENSE HOLDER OR FUTURE LICENSE HOLDER IS ABLE TO AVAIL THEMSELVES OF THIS OPPORTUNITY
BEFORE THE CITY. THIS NEW LEGISLATION SHOULD IT BE PASSED THAT WE HAVE BEFORE US TODAY THIS CONVERSION LOOK FOR LICENSE CONVERGENCE LEGISLATION IS ANOTHER TOOL FOR THESE BUSINESSES.
DANNY WILL TALK ABOUT THE PROCESS. AS A STAFF WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE IT AS CLEAR AND AS SIMPLE AS POSSIBLE. IT WILL REQUIRE FILLING OUT AN APPLICATION FOR A CHANGE OF CATEGORY.
I DON'T WANT TO STEAL ALL THE TALKING POINTS BUT WE WILL WORK CLOSELY WITH THESE APPLICANTS THAT ARE INTERESTED IN DOING SO SO THAT ONCE WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THIS WE CAN GET THEM UP AND RUNNING AND OPERATING WITH ALL ALCOHOL
LICENSE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. SO DO YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE PROCESS? SURE. THANK YOU AND THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING US HERE THIS AFTERNOON. CHAIR CALLED AS A PART OF YOUR SUMMARY EARLY ON WAS SPOT ON.
I TRIED TO GET A LITTLE MORE INTO THE WEEDS OF WHAT THE PROCESS ACTUALLY WOULD LOOK LIKE FOR AN APPLICANT WHO CURRENTLY HOLDS A BEER AND WINE LICENSE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS UPGRADE SHOULD THIS PASS THE COUNCIL. SO THE GOOD NEWS IS THEY WOULD
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF AN APPLICATION THAT ALREADY EXISTS. IT'S CALLED THE CHANGE OF CATEGORY APPLICATION. IT IS PROBABLY THE SIMPLEST IF NOT ONE OF THE SIMPLEST APPLICATION FORMS THAT EXISTS
REGARDING ALCOHOL. IT IS ABOUT A TWO PAGE FORM WITH THE FORM ITSELF. THEY'RE REQUIRED TO GET CLEARANCES AND CERTIFICATES OF GOOD STANDING FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE AND THE
DEPARTMENT OF UNEMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE AND THEN THEY WOULD COME BEFORE THE LICENSING BOARD FOR A HEARING. THE BOARD WOULD FIND A PUBLIC NEED AND THEN IT WOULD SEND THAT APPLICATION UP TO THE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES CONTROL
COMMISSION. IF THE ABC APPROVES IT COMES BACK TO THE CITY AND THAT BUSINESS WOULD ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO PRETTY QUICKLY TRADE IN THEIR BEER AND WINE LICENSE FOR A NONTRANSFERABLE RESTRICTED ALL ALCOHOL LICENSE.
THAT IS WHAT'S WRITTEN INTO THE STATUTE THAT THIS LICENSES WOULD BE NONTRANSFERABLE. THAT DOES MEAN IF THE BUSINESS WOULD CLOSE AFTER RECEIVING THIS ALCOHOL LICENSE THAT LICENSE WOULD BE CANCELED. IT WOULD RETURN BACK TO THE
CITY TO PUT BACK INTO OUR QUOTA PREVIOUSLY BEFORE NOW AN APPLICATION TO UPGRADE FROM BEER AND WINE TO ALL ALCOHOL WAS PRETTY RARE IN BOSTON BECAUSE AN ALL ALCOHOL LICENSE
HAD TO ACTUALLY BE AVAILABLE IN OUR QUOTA AND AS THIS BODY KNOWS VERY WELL OUR QUOTA HAS BEEN AT CAP FOR A VERY LONG TIME SINCE LAST YEAR'S LEGISLATION AND THE NEED FOR THAT THIS WHAT IS BEFORE THE
COUNCIL TODAY AND WHAT HOPEFULLY WILL BE PASSED REALLY IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THESE FOLKS WHO HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS UPGRADE IN THE PAST BECAUSE THERE DOESN'T NEED TO BE AN ALL ALCOHOL LICENSE AVAILABLE AND THE QUOTA AND LICENSE HOLDER
WHO ALREADY HOLDS A BEER AND WINE WOULD BE ABLE TO TRADE IN THEIR LICENSE AS LONG AS THE BOARD FOUND PUBLIC NEED REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THERE WAS ONE AVAILABLE IN THE QUOTA. SO WE DO THINK THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY. WE DO HOPE THE BOARD PASSES
THIS AND SENDS IT ON TO THE LICENSING BOARD TO FORMALLY ADOPT AND WE'RE HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND I JUST WANT TO CALL OUT THAT WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY COUNCILOR FITZGERALD. I'LL GO TO MY COLLEAGUES IN ORDER OF ARRIVAL FOR ANY
QUESTIONS. WE'LL DO 6 MINUTES. I'LL GO TO COUNCILOR FLYNN FOR THANK YOU. THANK YOU TO THE ADMINISTRATION TEAM THAT IS HERE.
HOW MANY RESTAURANTS CURRENTLY HAVE BEER AND WINE LICENSES? I BELIEVE THAT TOTAL NUMBER IS AROUND 350. I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT NUMBER BUT IT'S RIGHT AROUND 350. AND IS THAT SPREAD OUT
THROUGHOUT THE CITY? IS THERE ANY PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOOD THAT HAS A HIGH CONCENTRATION OF BEER AND WINE LICENSE COMPARED TO THE OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS WOULD HAVE TO GET THAT BACK TO YOU? I DON'T I DON'T KNOW THAT I'VE
TOP MY HEAD. COULD YOU ARE YOU ABLE TO GET THAT TO ME TOMORROW SO I COULD TAKE A LOOK AT IT? SURE. OKAY. WHAT WOULD THE PHOEBE FOR
TURNING YOU'LL LICENSE BEER AND WINE LICENSE IN TO GET A FULL FULL LIQUOR LICENSE. THE UPFRONT FEE ITSELF WOULD BE OUR STANDARD APPLICATION FEE. SO THE UPFRONT COST IS $470.
THAT'S BROKEN DOWN. THAT'S A $200 APPLICATION FEE THAT GOES TO THE ABC. THAT'S $100 HEARING FEE THAT COMES TO THE CITY AND THAT'S $170 THAT GOES TO THE BOSTON HERALD LEGALLY THESE NEED TO BE ADVERTISED IN THE NEWSPAPER.
THAT'S THE UPFRONT COST ON THE BACK END. IT'S JUST THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THEIR ANNUAL RENEWAL NOW AND AN ANNUAL RENEWAL OF AN ALL ALCOHOL LICENSE. THE DIFFERENCE IS A $1,000
ANNUALLY IF THEY HAVE A BEER AND WINE LICENSE IT'S $700 ANNUALLY IF THEY HAVE A CORDIALS LICENSE. SO SO WHEN YOU HEAR OWNERS OF BARS AND RESTAURANTS TALKING
ABOUT IT COSTING $700,000, $800,000 FOR A LICENSE, THOSE CONVERSATIONS WOULD PRETTY MUCH THAT SCENARIO WOULD BE OVER BASICALLY. IS THAT RIGHT?
THIS WOULD BE $1,470 MAX. OKAY. I THINK WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO GET AT IS THAT IS WHAT THE COST SOME OF THESE PRIVATE SALES. YEAH. AND WE CAN'T REALLY PREDICT
WHAT THE ECONOMIC OUTCOME WILL BE OF THIS LEGISLATION. OKAY. SO IF YOU BOUGHT THE CALCULATOR SAY IF YOU BOUGHT A LICENSE FOR
NOT FROM THE CITY BUT YOU BOUGHT IT PRIVATELY FOR $800,000 AND YOU HAVE A ALL ALCOHOL LICENSE AND SO YOU
WOULD STILL YOU'RE STILL ON THE HOOK FOR THAT $800,000 BECAUSE YOU BOUGHT IT PRIVATELY EVEN THOUGH SOMEONE NEXT TO YOU GOT A LICENSE FOR A THOUSAND BUCKS
POTENTIALLY IF THIS PASSES. BUT DOES THAT DOES THAT HAVE ANY IMPACT ON THE PERSON THAT BOUGHT A LICENSE FOR $800,000?
DOES IT CREATE ANY TYPE OF UNFAIR ECONOMIC CHALLENGE FOR THE PERSON THAT IS PAYING IN THE 800,000 TO A DOLLAR BASICALLY MORTGAGE ON THAT
LICENSE? I CAN'T ANSWER THAT QUESTION DIRECTLY. BUT WHAT I CAN SAY IS THE PERSON WHO BOUGHT THEIR LICENSE PRIVATELY IS ABLE TO THEN GO AND PLEDGE THAT LICENSE TO A
BANK A PLEDGE CAN BE USED TO UPGRADE THEIR INTERIOR. THE PLEDGE COULD BE USED TO FINANCE THE ACTUAL PURCHASE OF THE LICENSE WHEREAS ONE OF THESE LICENSES THAT YOU'RE GETTING FROM THE CITY THAT HAS
NO VALUE CANNOT BE USED AS A PLEDGE TO A BANK SO THAT IT'S ONE CAN BE USED TO FINANCE BUSINESS AND ONE CANNOT. SO THERE IS SOME VALUE I WOULD
IMAGINE AS A BUSINESS PERSON. BUT THAT AGAIN IS A BUSINESS QUESTION. YEAH, I MEAN THERE. SORRY TO INTERJECT COUNCILOR BUT CAPTAIN'S CORRECT. SO THE IF YOU'RE PAYING $100,000 YOU'RE REALLY BUYING
AN ASSET TO USE IN WHATEVER WAY AND WHEN WE CAME BEFORE YOU FOR THE FOR APPROVING THE HOME RULE PETITION TO SEND TO THE LEGISLATURE FOR THE 225. ONE OF THE ARGUMENTS OR ONE
OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAD SHARED WAS THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE FOLKS THAT ARE USING THESE LICENSES TO BUY THEIR PROPERTY, FOR INSTANCE, WHICH IS GREAT AND WE WANT MORE OF THAT OWNERSHIP OF PROPERTY BY LOCAL
ENTREPRENEURS. I JUST WANT TO PUT TO THE SIDE THOUGH YOU KNOW, THERE HAS BEEN AN ARGUMENT MADE IN THE PAST WHICH YOU KNOW, WE FIND A BIT FALLACIOUS AT LEAST FOR THIS
PARTICULAR POLICY THAT DOING THIS WILL DEVALUE SOMEONE WHO OWNS THE LICENSE OF SOMEONE WHO SPENT THAT THAT MONEY. IF ANYTHING, THIS IS CREATING THIS LEVELING THE PLAYING FIELD
FOR SO MANY BUSINESSES WHO DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THAT FINANCING TO TO SPEND FOUR OR FIVE OR 600,000 AND WHO MAKES THE DECISION WHO MAKES THE
FINAL DECISION ABOUT WHO RECEIVES APPROVAL OR NOT FROM TO GET ONE OF THESE LICENSE? WHO'S THE DECISION MAKER? THE LICENSING BOARD WOULD VOTE
AND WE WOULD TAKE A LOOK AT THE APPLICATION AND DETERMINE WHAT WHICH LICENSE WHETHER IT'S A ZIP CODE RESTRICTED 26 LICENSE,
WHETHER IT'S A 2014 LICENSE WHERE THESE LICENSES WOULD BE PUT TO THE BEST USE. AND IS THAT IS THAT INPUT ALSO FROM ELECTED OFFICIALS?
DO THEY STILL HAVE THE ABILITY TO WEIGH IN? YES. IN THE PUBLIC ALSO. YES. OKAY. SO WHAT IS THE WHAT IS THE PUBLIC'S ROLE IN TERMS OF THEIR
VOICE AND WHEN WHEN THIS IS GOING BEFORE THE BOARD? WHAT DOES THE PUBLIC WHAT ARE THEIR OPTIONS IN TERMS OF WEIGHING IN ON WHETHER OR NOT THEY SUPPORTED OR AGAINST IT?
THEIR OPTIONS WOULD BE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE COMMUNITY MEETING AND TO RAISE OR SUPPORT OR THEIR CONCERNS WITH THE APPLICANT AND THEN TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PUBLIC
HEARING PROCESS AND TO ALSO SUBMIT WRITTEN TESTIMONY. WE'VE HAD MANY WE'VE HAD LOTS OF APPLICATIONS WHERE THE NEIGHBORS LINE UP AND WRITE
LETTERS OF SUPPORT, SEND US EMAILS AND TESTIFY IN PERSON. AGAIN, WE WANT TO MAKE THIS PROCESS FAIR BECAUSE SOME NEIGHBORHOODS ARE ARE IN A BETTER POSITION WHERE THE NEIGHBORS KNOW HOW TO
PARTICIPATE IN THE PROCESS BETTER. BUT WE ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE PEOPLE MAY NOT HAVE HAD ACCESS TO PARTICIPATION BEFORE ARE ABLE TO TAKE PART IN THE PROCESS THIS TIME AROUND.
SO WE DEFINITELY TAKE A LOOK AT SUPPORT AND IT'S GOOD FOR THE NEIGHBORS TO BE ABLE TO ASK THE APPLICANT DIRECTLY QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW THEY'RE GOING TO PUT THIS LICENSE TO USE. WE THINK THAT COMMUNICATION IS
KEY TO RUNNING A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS. WE HAVE RESIDENTS AND WE HAVE COMMERCIAL QUARTERS RIGHT NEXT TO EACH OTHER. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN LIVE IN HARMONY AND AGAIN WE TAKE A LOOK AT ALL THINGS
THAT COME UNDER THE DEFINITION OF PUBLIC NEED. AND MY FINAL QUESTION DOES THE LICENSE STAY WITH THE PHYSICAL ADDRESS OR CAN THE LICENSE MOVE
FROM THAT PHYSICAL ADDRESS TO ANOTHER ANOTHER ADDRESS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OR OUTSIDE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD? THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION AND SO ON. IT KIND OF DEPENDS ON THE TYPE
OF LICENSE, RIGHT? THERE ARE SOME LICENSES THAT ARE NEIGHBORHOOD RESTRICTED THAT HAVE TO STAY WITHIN A NEIGHBORHOOD. THERE'S A NEW CATEGORY OF LICENSES THAT ARE ZIP CODE RESTRICTED THAT HAVE TO STAY WITHIN A CERTAIN ZIP CODE. THESE LICENSES, THIS UPGRADE
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY, I THINK IT WOULD ALSO DEPEND ON WHAT THE ORIGINAL BEER AND WINE LICENSE WAS IF IT WAS A ZIP CODE, RESTRICTED BEER AND WINE LICENSE. IT WOULD PROBABLY STILL HAVE TO STAY IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD IF THEY UPGRADED IF IT WAS AN UNRESTRICTED BEER AND WINE
LICENSE THEY COULD POTENTIALLY MOVE THAT ALL ALCOHOL LICENSE ELSEWHERE AS LONG AS THEY DIDN'T TRANSFER IT TO ANOTHER BUSINESS OR ENTITY. OKAY. SO IF YOU HAD A BEER AND WINE
LICENSE AND YOU GOT PERMISSION, YOU WERE UNRESTRICTED, YOU COULD MOVE AROUND AND THEN YOU GOT PERMISSION FOR AN ALL ALCOHOL LICENSE, YOU YOU COULD POTENTIALLY MOVE THAT TO ANOTHER NEIGHBORHOOD.
YOU WOULD STILL NEED TO RECEIVE PERMISSION FROM THE LICENSING BOARD. YOU WOULD PROBABLY NEED TO HOLD A COMMUNITY MEETING. YOU WOULD NEED TO GET PERMISSION FROM THE ABC. SO IT'S NOT YOU JUST PICK IT UP AND MOVE IT. BUT I HAVE THAT. BUT YES, I DO THINK YOU'D BE
ABLE TO DO THAT BY COUNCILOR IF IF THERE IS A I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS WHERE YOU WERE GOING BUT I KNOW SOME PEOPLE WHEN AGAIN WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS BEFORE BUT THE 225 WERE CONCERNED THAT PEOPLE MIGHT TAKE THE LICENSE AND MOVE
SOMEWHERE ELSE OUT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD. YOU KNOW, THE LICENSING BOARD THERE IS A HISTORY OF ASKING A BUNCH OF QUESTIONS WHEN FOLKS ARE BEFORE THEM AND SO HAPPY TO MAKE SURE THAT A QUESTION LIKE THAT YOU KNOW, DO YOU PLAN TO
STAY IN THE COMMUNITY? THINGS LIKE THAT ARE ASKED EITHER BY BOARD MEMBERS OR BY OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS TO AT LEAST HAVE ON THE RECORD YOU KNOW WHAT THAT BUSINESS PLANS ON DOING WITH THE LICENSE? OKAY.
I UNDERSTAND. MY MY ONLY CONCERN IS I DO HAVE FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS AND I'D LIKE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS BEFORE BEFORE I VOTE
ON IT. DO WE KNOW WHEN WE'RE VOTING ON THIS? I DON'T I DON'T HAVE A TIMELINE FOR YOU BUT WE CAN DO A SECOND ROUND IF YOU'D LIKE BUT NOT AT LEAST RIGHT HERE. BUT I DON'T HAVE A LONGER NOT THIS WEDNESDAY THOUGH, RIGHT?
I DON'T KNOW. YEAH, I'D HAVE TO. THIS IS WHY WE'RE HAVING THESE HEARINGS TO GET PEOPLE'S THOUGHTS AND SUGGESTIONS AND INPUT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR PRESIDENT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCILOR. MADAM CHAIR. AND I WANT TO THANK THE RESTAURATEURS WHO ARE HERE AND WHO TESTIFIED IN SUPPORT. DYNASTY IN CHINATOWN. GOOD SEEING YOU AGAIN UNDER THE
SIEGE THAT I'M HOPING TO TRY SOON. AND ANGELA'S THAT WAS HERE ON ZOOM. AS I SAID EARLIER, I'M IN SUPPORT OF THIS LEGISLATION. I THINK IT'S ACTUALLY GREAT THAT THE CONVERSION IT'S AN IT'S A YOU KNOW, IT'S THE COST
ESSENTIALLY THAT THEY'RE PAYING AS A COST OF RENEWAL THAT THEY WOULD BE PAYING ANYWAYS. WE ALSO WE KNOW THAT THE PROFIT MARGINS ARE INCREDIBLY THIN IN THIS BUSINESS AND WHETHER IT'S
TO INCREASE PROFIT MARGINS OR TO PROVIDE RICE WINE AS IS WHAT PEOPLE WANT IN THE CHINESE TRADITION, I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT.
I AM A BIT LIKE UPSET BY WHAT I HEARD FROM ANGELA AND I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THAT SITUATION A BIT MORE. THEY SOUNDS LIKE THEY PAID FOR A A WINE AND A BEER AND WINE
LICENSE PROBABLY RUNNING AT THE MARKET PROBABLY AROUND 160 150,000. DID THEY APPLY? I MEAN THIS IS I KNOW THE CHAIR IT'S IN YOUR DISTRICT. DID THEY APPLY AT A MOMENT WHEN
THESE RESTRICTED A LICENSE HAD BECOME OF IT? DID THEY PURCHASE THEIR LICENSE AT A TIME WHEN THESE RESTRICTED LICENSES WERE AVAILABLE OR DID THEY PURCHASE IT PRIOR YEARS AGO? THEY'VE OC THEY PURCHASED IT YEARS AGO AND AT AT THE MOMENT
THEY ARE NOW APPLYING FOR AN ALCOHOL RESTRICTED LICENSE. UNDERSTOOD. I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS LOCAL OPTION CONVERSION AND THINGS OF THE STATE HOUSE I WANT MORE LOCAL OPTIONS TO COME DOES HERE
IN THE CITY OF BOSTON ABOUT LIQUOR SALES AND MANY OTHER THINGS BUT I'M WONDERING WHETHER THIS APPLIES TO THOSE WHO HAVE UNRESTRICTED AND RESTRICTED LICENSES.
YES, THEY'LL BE ABLE TO DO THE CONVERSION IF YOU HAVE AN UNRESTRICTED UNRESTRICTED LIQUOR, BEER AND WINE LICENSE THAT YOU PURCHASED AT MARKET AND YOU WANT TO DO THE CONVERSION UNDER THIS
LEGISLATION IS IT WILL BE THE SIMILAR ANGELA SIGAL SITUATION IF THAT'S WHAT YOU DECIDE YOU END UP NO LONGER HAVING THE VALUE OF THE BEER AND WINE LICENSE BUT THE TRADEOFF IS YOU
GET THIS ALL ALCOHOL LICENSE AND YOU'RE ABLE TO INCREASE YOUR PROFIT MARGINS. THAT'S CORRECT. THIS WOULD BE A BUSINESS DECISION FOR THE RESTAURATEURS TO MAKE. AWESOME. THANK YOU. I SUPPORT THIS LEGISLATION. THINK OF THAT FLAHERTY.
IT CLEARS UP MY MIND. I HEAR WHAT ANGEL RESTAURANT IS TRYING TO SAY THEIR PREDICAMENT AND I'M HAPPY TO WORK WITH YOU, MADAM CHAIR, BECAUSE I KNOW WHAT YOUR IN YOUR DISTRICT. IS THERE ANY WAYS THAT WE CAN HELP THE RESTAURANT THINK ABOUT BUT I DO THINK IT'S A FINANCIAL
DECISION THAT SOME BUSINESSES WILL MAKE AND THAT WILL PROBABLY WORK TO THEIR BENEFIT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND JUST A QUICK NOTE. I DO APPRECIATE HOW RESPONSIVE AND ACCESSIBLE BOTH YOUR
CABINET HAS BEEN AND ALSO THE LICENSING BOARD REGARDING ANGELA'S CAFES ISSUE. I KNOW THAT WE HAD THAT MEETING AND THERE'S BEEN SOME BRAINSTORMING ABOUT WHAT TO DO AND SO I DO APPRECIATE YOUR WORK ON THIS.
IT IS A EXTRANEOUS CIRCUMSTANCE AND I'M HOPEFUL THAT WE CAN ALSO COME UP WITH SOMETHING BOLD AND CREATIVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE SURE THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY THEY ARE GETTING THEIR RETURNS BACK AND THEY'RE
ABLE TO STAY IN BOSTON. WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY COUNCILOR BEN WEBER BUT WE'LL GO TO COUNCILOR FITZGERALD FOR ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. GREAT QUESTIONS FROM MY COLLEAGUES THAT PRETTY MUCH SET
THE TONE FOR THE END OF THE BASIC UNDERSTANDINGS OF WHAT HAVE TO OCCUR AFTER THIS ONE QUESTION CAN YOU TRANSFER A NEW ALL ALCOHOL LICENSE TO ANOTHER
ENTITY IF IT IS UNDER THE SAME OWNER LIKE FOR INSTANCE, I CAN UNDERSTAND IF SAID RESTAURANT GAY SAID SOMEONE APPLIES FOR
THE NEW ALL ALCOHOL IT SAYS THERE'S NO RESTRICTIONS ON IT BUT IT CAN GO EITHER IT PUT IT IN MY I'M OPENING A DIFFERENT RESTAURANT OR ANOTHER RESTAURANT BUT IT'S UNDER MY UMBRELLA BECAUSE USUALLY RESTAURANTEURS YOU KNOW THEY
TEND TO GROW AND THEY CAN OWN SEVERAL. IS IT TRANSFERABLE TO UNDER THAT? IF IT'S A NON RESTRICT SORRY IF IT IS A NONTRANSFERABLE RESTRICTED LICENSE THAT WOULD BE A TRANSFER THAT WOULD
VIOLATE THAT. SO THEY COULD APPLY FOR A NEW LICENSE AT THE SAME LOCATION AND WE HAVE WORKED WITH APPLICANTS BEFORE TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT CAN WORK TIMING IN SOME SITUATIONS BUT IT WOULD BE
A TRANSFER WHICH IF IT'S A NONTRANSFERABLE LICENSE THEY COULDN'T DO. GOTCHA. IT'S FAIR TO SAY THAT WITH THE 225 THAT WE'VE GOT FROM THE
STATE AND THERE ARE 375 BEER AND WINE LICENSES CURRENTLY HELD BY RESTAURANTS SO WE'RE LOOKING AT POTENTIALLY ADDING A 600 ALL ALCOHOL RATE FROM DOING
THE 375 AND 225. THE 225 WEREN'T ALL ALL ALCOHOL. THE 225 ARE BROKEN DOWN. SOME OF THOSE ARE BEER AND WINE, SOME OF THOSE ARE ALCOHOL. OH, I THOUGHT THEY WERE OKAY I GOT YOU. I GET YOU BUT SOME ARE
RESTRICTED, SOME ARE NOT, SOME ARE EXEMPT RESTRICTED ALL THAT OKAY. ALL RIGHT. UNDERSTOOD. NO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I APPRECIATE IT. I'M REALLY GOING TO MAKE FOR THE QUESTIONS. THANKS, GUYS. THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNSELOR
WEBER. AND WE'VE ALSO BEEN JOINED BY COUNCILOR DURKIN. OKAY. THANK YOU, CHAIR. I GUESS YOU KNOW, THERE'S AN
ARTICLE I THINK WB YOU ARE HAD ON HOW THE LICENSES THAT WE'VE HAD ESPECIALLY IN MY DISTRICT I REPRESENT DISTRICT SIX JAMAICA PLAIN, WEST ROXBURY ONLY ABOUT
HALF OF THE LICENSES HAVE BEEN EVEN APPLIED FOR OR GIVEN OUT AND THEN WEST AND JP IN WEST ROXBURY IT'S LIKE ONE APPLICATION I GUESS SO JUST A BROADER QUESTION LIKE WHAT WHAT
DO YOU READ INTO THAT AND THEN AH YOU KNOW, DO WE WANT MORE APPLICATIONS OR ARE WE TRYING TO GET MORE APPLICATIONS? HOW HOW'S THAT COMING OR IS THIS IS THIS A A A POSITIVE
SIGN? I DON'T KNOW HOW TO INTERPRET THAT DATA. SURE. WELL AND THERE WAS A WEIRD ARTICLE I MEAN I APPRECIATE THAT JOURNALIST WHO WHO WROTE IT AND WHO SPOKE TO EVERYONE BUT WAS LIKE YOU KNOW THE
HEADLINE SAID ONE THING AND BUT THEN THE ARTICLE WAS ACTUALLY WAY MORE POSITIVE THAN WHAT THE WHAT THE HEADLINE SAID. SO I MEAN THE SHORT ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTIONS HONESTLY IS YES, ALL OF THEM YES, WE WANT MORE
APPLICATIONS. YES, WE WANT MORE ACTIVITY IN WEST ROXBURY WOULD LOVE THE SUPPORT OF YOUR OFFICE AND ANY OTHERS IN THE COMMUNITY TO GET THE WORD OUT THERE. I KNOW THAT TO DATE SINCE LAST
SEPTEMBER THE LICENSING TEAM IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE OFFICE OF SMALL BUSINESS, THE OFFICE OF NIGHTLIFE ECONOMY AND MANY OTHER COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS HAVE HAD A LARGE NUMBER OF COMMUNITY GATHERINGS.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE MADE IT TO WEST ROXBURY YET SO MAYBE WE NEED TO TALK AFTER THIS TO SET SOMETHING UP. BUT YOU KNOW WE HAVE SEVERAL IT'S FIVE PER OF THE YEAR. THERE MIGHT BE MAYBE EIGHT OR
NINE LEFT FOR OR THE POTENTIAL FOR EIGHT OR NINE LEFT AFTER ANOTHER FIVE COME ONLINE NEXT YEAR FOR WEST ROXBURY THAT WE NEED TO START IDENTIFYING SPACES SO WE LOOK AT IT AS AN OPPORTUNITY.
THE TIMELINE IS NOT OVER YET SO WE HAVE NOW POTENTIALLY UNTIL THE END OF NEXT DECEMBER TO IDENTIFY LOCATIONS TO TO AWARD THESE LICENSES TO. OKAY. AND THEN CAN YOU JUST ADD MAYBE
YOU COVERED THIS ALREADY. I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT BEING AT THE BEGINNING SO TO TRY TO GO THROUGH THIS TRANSFORMATION OF YOUR YOUR LICENSE, YOU KNOW,
WHAT IS THAT GOING TO COST TO WHAT ROLE DOES THE CITY PLAY? WHAT ARE WE DOING TO MINIMIZE COSTS FOR BUSINESSES IN THE CITY AND NO PROBLEM.
SO THE UPFRONT COSTS ARE RELATIVELY MINIMAL. IT'S A TOTAL OF 400 $470 AS LIKE THE IN THE DOOR APPLICATION COST THAT INCLUDES YOUR FEE TO THE ABC, YOUR FEE TO THE CITY AND YOUR
ADVERTISING BECAUSE IT HAS TO BE ADVERTISED IN HERALD THE ROLE FOR THE CITY IS THE APPLICANT WOULD NEED TO APPLY TO THE LICENSING BOARD TO UPGRADE THEIR LICENSE. THIS WOULD INVOLVE A HEARING
BEFORE THE BOARD WHERE THE BOARD WOULD DETERMINE PUBLIC NEED AND THEN ULTIMATELY ISSUE THAT LICENSE CAN BE FOUND IN THE ABC APPROVES. OKAY. DO THEY NEED LEGAL COUNCILOR FOR THE HEARING?
NO, NO, NO. THEY USUALLY DON'T HAVE IT. IT'S ABOUT HALF AND HALF. IT'S THAT'S REALLY AT THEIR DISCRETION. PEOPLE ASK US THIS A LOT. WE SAY ARE YOU COMFORTABLE SPEAKING IN FRONT OF US? ARE YOU COMFORTABLE FILLING OUT THIS FORM? IF SO YOU PROBABLY DON'T NEED
ATTORNEYS BUT THAT'S REALLY UP TO YOU. OKAY. JUST BASICALLY MY LAST QUESTION AND WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO END UP IF THEY GO THROUGH THIS AS A NONTRANSFERABLE ALL LIQUOR
LICENSE IF I'M SORRY IF I'M BUTCHERING THIS BUT SO BEFORE IT'S NONTRANSFERABLE THE JUST THE BEER AND WINE IS NONTRANSFERABLE ALSO. IS THAT SO WE'RE GOING FROM AN
ENTRANCE THEY'RE NOT GIVING UP THEIR ABILITY TO TRANSFER THE THE LICENSE WHERE ARE THEY ARE THEY IF THEY HAVE IF THEY CURRENTLY SO YOU KNOW RIGHT NOW THERE ARE SOME RESTAURANTS THAT
CAN ONLY SERVE SAM ADAMS AND THEY ALL WANT TO BE ABLE TO SELL COCKTAILS AND SOME RESTAURANTS AS DANNY WAS WAS LAYING OUT EARLIER HAVE THE RESTRICTED LICENSES WHERE YOU
KNOW THEY CAN ONLY SERVE IN WEST ROXBURY. THEY CAN'T MOVE IT TO SEAPORT. THERE ARE OTHERS THOUGH THAT MIGHT HAVE A LICENSE THAT YOU CAN MOVE ANYWHERE AND CURRENTLY COULD THAT UNRESTRICTED BEER AND WINE WHEREVER THEY WANT TO.
BUT IF THEY WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROGRAM THEY WOULD BE HANDING OVER THAT TRANSFERABLE LICENSE FOR SOMETHING THAT'S RESTRICTED. OKAY. YEAH. I MEAN TO CORRECT ME IF I'M
WRONG I MEAN I I'M ALL FOR THE FREE MARKET BUT YOU KNOW, WE DON'T LIKE SEEING OUR LICENSES JUST MIGRATE, YOU KNOW, FROM OUTLYING NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE THE
ONES I REPRESENT TO THE SEAPORT NOT TO DEMONIZE THE SEAPORT BUT IT'S THIS SEEMS TO BE WHERE THEY END UP. SO AM I FROM A THE CITY ECONOMIC HEALTH PERSPECTIVE IS
THAT. WELL, I CERTAINLY I WOULD SAY THAT WE WANT A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD FOR ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND YOU KNOW, SO YOU KNOW, OF COURSE WE WANT TO SEE CONTINUED GROWTH IN
ACTIVITY FOR SEAPORT DOWNTOWN, BACK BAY, ETC. BUT IT ALSO STANDS TO BENEFIT THE CITY'S ECONOMY IF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS ARE THRIVING AS WELL WHICH AT THE MOMENT THEY ARE THE LOWEST RETAIL VACANCIES IN THE COUNTRY.
A LOT OF THAT IN PART TO OUR RESTAURANTS AND AS WELL AS THE JUST THE VIBRANCY OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. AT THE SAME TIME THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY RESTRICTED
LICENSES ARE IN OR HOW MANY BEER AND WINE ARE IN SEAPORT DOWNTOWN BACK BAY, OTHER PARTS YOU KNOW, COMMERCIAL CORNERS OF THE CITY. BUT THEY WOULD ALSO BE ELIGIBLE FOR FOR UPGRADING THEIR LICENSES WHICH I THINK WOULD BE
IMPORTANT FOR THEIR FOR THEIR BOTTOM LINE IN THE CITY'S ECONOMY. OKAY. OKAY. WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CHAIR I APPRECIATE THE TIME. THANK YOU.
VICE-CHAIR COUNCILOR DURKIN. THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIR CALATA ZAPATA. I'M REALLY EXCITED TO BE HERE MOSTLY BECAUSE MY DISTRICT HAS THE MOST LIQUOR LICENSES AND I
WANT THERE TO BE ECONOMIC VIBRANCY EVERYWHERE. I THINK I TESTIFIED AS ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I DID AS A AS A CITY COUNCILOR IN SUPPORT OF THE BILL THAT MADE THIS POSSIBLE.
AND I THINK IT'S JUST IMPORTANT THAT WHEN YOU GO TO ANY NEIGHBORHOOD THERE IS SOMEWHERE YOU CAN EAT THERE, SOMEWHERE YOU CAN DRINK AND THERE'S SOMEWHERE YOU CAN DO SOMETHING FUN AND I THINK ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE THAT BUT WE
NEED MORE OF THAT EVERYWHERE AND I THINK I LIKE TO TRAVEL TO NEIGHBORHOODS OUTSIDE OF MY DISTRICT. YOU MIGHT NOT SEE IT ON MY INSTAGRAM STORIES. I'M ALL AROUND TOWN AND I THINK
IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT EVERY SINGLE NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESS FEEL ACCESS TO THE SAME OPPORTUNITIES. SO I'M JUST CURIOUS WHAT
MEASURES HAVE BEEN TAKEN TO MAKE THAT THE BIG THE BIG COMPANIES ARE NOT GETTING ACCESS TO THESE VERY PRECIOUS
PERMITS? WELL, I WOULD SAY WELL THERE WAS LIKE A STORY ABOUT LIKE YOU KNOW, SOMEWHAT LIKE SOME OF THE SORT OF PEOPLE THAT WE DIDN'T
THINK LIKE, YOU KNOW, IN CERTAIN NEIGHBORHOODS THERE WERE SORT OF LIKE BIGGER ENTITIES GOING FOR SOME OF THESE LICENSES. I WAS JUST CURIOUS HOW WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS REALLY
FOR LIKE LOCAL. WELL, I THINK I THINK THE SO FAR THE LICENSING BOARD AND THE LOCAL TEAM HAVE DONE A GOOD JOB OF, YOU KNOW, ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS DURING THE MEETINGS
TO UNDERSTAND WHO IS GOING TO BENEFIT AND YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THAT LOCAL OPERATORS ARE GOING TO GET THE SUPPORT THAT THEY NEED FOR THESE LICENSES. BUT NOT TO SAY THAT WE DON'T
WANT LARGER OPERATORS IN SOME OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS BECAUSE YOU KNOW, THEY'RE THEIR FINANCIALS WILL ALLOW THEM TO KIND OF WITHSTAND MARKET DOWNTURNS AND BE KIND OF AN
ANCHOR FOR THE COMMUNITY. THAT SAID, I DON'T OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD SO MY TEAM WILL CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG HERE BUT WE HAVEN'T SEEN A LOT OF THE LARGE OPERATORS GOING AFTER THE NEW BATCH OF TO 25.
WELL, I WOULD SAY TO 13 BECAUSE THE 12 TRANSFERABLE LICENSES OF COURSE EVERYBODY HAS PUT IN AN APPLICATION FOR THOSE. BUT YOU KNOW, THE MAYOR AS YOU KNOW, SUGGESTED THAT TIME BE
TAKEN, YOU KNOW, ON THE PART OF THE LICENSING BOARD TO UNDERSTAND THE FULL BROAD SPECTRUM OF WHO IS APPLYING SO THAT DECISIONS CAN BE MADE THAT WILL ENSURE THAT THEY DON'T GO TO THE FOLKS WHO WERE READY
FIRST UP BUT RATHER THAT, YOU KNOW, EVERYONE HAS A FAIR SHOT AT THOSE LICENSES. THAT'S REALLY HELPFUL. AND I JUST WANT TO SAY KATHLEEN AND DANIELLE, IT'S VERY NICE TO SEE YOU GUYS OUTSIDE OF A ZOOM
SCREEN USUALLY I'M WATCHING. THAT WAS ONE OF MY REASONS FOR COMING TODAY TO. WELL, BECAUSE THIS ISN'T SUPER RELATED TO MY DISTRICT.
I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING ON THIS BECAUSE EVERY EVERY DISTRICT I MEAN AND EVERY EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD DESERVES A MEAN STREETS AND DESERVES TO HAVE THAT ECONOMIC VIBRANCY.
AND I THINK THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN PUTTING IN IS GOING TO MAKE ALL OF THAT POSSIBLE. SO AND AND I KNOW YOU ALL JUST WHILE I HAVE THE CHANCE. CHAIR JOYCE, THANK YOU FOR ALL
THE DILIGENCE THAT YOU PROVIDE TO THE CITY. I THINK THE TIMES THAT I'VE COME MYSELF OR HAD MY TEAM COME I THEY ALWAYS RECOGNIZE THAT THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS YOU
HAVE TO WEIGH IN THE JOBS THAT YOU AND THE ROLES THAT YOU PLAY AND I THINK YOU GUYS DO A GREAT JOB OF MAKING SURE THAT YOU WERE REPRESENTING ECONOMIC VIBRANCY AND BUSINESSES AND BUT
ALSO THE COMMUNITY AND ALL OF THESE DECISIONS. SO AND YOU KNOW, WE'RE I WAS FINALLY IN SUPPORT OF ALL CAFES GETTING THEIR 3 A.M. SO THAT
WAS A BIG THAT WAS A BIG THING BIG CONTROVERSY IN MY DISTRICT. SO BUT JUST THANK YOU ALL I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS AND CAN'T WAIT TO VISIT SOME OF THESE LOCAL RESTAURANTS AND BUSINESSES. THANK YOU CHAIR THANK YOU.
I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. ONE IS AROUND I THINK THE NUMBER JUST GIVEN SOME OF THE LANGUAGE THAT WE SEE IN THE LOCAL OPTION AND THIS COULD BE SUPER OBVIOUS SILLY QUESTION BUT IF I'M THINKING ABOUT IT,
MAYBE OTHERS ARE IN FOLKS AT HOME. SO IT SAYS THAT MUNICIPALITIES THAT ACCEPT A LOCAL OPTION MAY ALLOW FOR SECTION 12 WINE AND MALT LICENSE LICENSEE TRADE IN
THAT LICENSE FOR NONTRANSFERABLE ALL ALCOHOL LICENSE AND IT ALSO SAYS THAT WE CAN'T UNDER THE LOCAL OPTION WE CAN'T CREATE LICENSES OR WE CAN'T EXPAND THE POOL.
SO THAT'S RIGHT. WOULD WOULD THIS COME FROM THE 12 TRANSFERABLE ALL ALCOHOL LICENSES OR OR DOES IT COME
FROM THE WHOLE POOL OF THE 677 IT COMES UP GO AHEAD. YEAH, BASICALLY SO THIS STATUTE WAS WRITTEN IN SUCH A WAY THAT IT WOULDN'T REALLY UPSET THE QUOTA AT ALL THAT LICENSE THAT
YOU HAVE A BEER MIND LICENSE WOULD JUST KIND OF MAGICALLY BECOME AN ALL ALCOHOL LICENSE. THE BEER AND WINE LICENSE THEY HAD IT WOULDN'T COME BACK TO THE CITY TO GIVE OUT TO SOMEONE ELSE THAT WOULD THAT INCREASE OUR QUOTA. IT WOULDN'T DO THAT.
IT WOULD JUST BECOME THE ALCOHOL LICENSE SO WE DON'T GAIN ANY NET LICENSES. FASCINATING. OKAY. THANK YOU. THAT PROVIDES A FLAHERTY. ONE FOLLOW UP QUESTION. WHEN THE BUSINESS IS DONE, DOES THAT LICENSE GO BACK TO THE
POOL OR DOES IT AUTOMATICALLY. DOES IT GO BACK TO THE RESTRICTIONS THAT ORIGINALLY HAD THE BEER MINE? IT WOULD GO BACK TO WHATEVER POOL IT CAME FROM ORIGINALLY. SO WE ARE RIGHT NOW KIND OF CREATING THE TRACKING IN OUR OFFICE TO MAKE SURE WE KNOW WHERE THESE LICENSES CAME FROM
SO IF IT WAS INITIALLY AN UNRESTRICTED BEER AND WINE LICENSE, IF THE CONVERTED ALL OUT COMES BACK TO THE CITY, IT COMES BACK AS AN UNRESTRICTED BEER AND MY LICENSE IT GOES BACK TO WHATEVER. I KNOW THAT SOUNDS COMPLICATED.
BASICALLY IT GOES BACK TO WHATEVER KIND OF LICENSE IT STARTED AS COULD BE AN UNRESTRICTED BEER AND WINE IF THAT'S WHERE IT STARTED IT COULD BE A ZIP CODE RESTRICTED BEER AND WINE IF THAT'S WHERE IT STARTED COULD BE A MAIN STREETS, RESTRICTED BEER AND WINE IF THAT'S WHERE IT
STARTED. SO WE WOULD BE ABLE TO TRACK WHERE THAT LICENSE CAME FROM TO MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT UPSETTING THE QUOTA UNDER THE STATUTE. OKAY. EXCELLENT. I FORGOT TO THANK CHAIRMAN AARON MARKOWITZ WHO I THINK
THAT THIS WAS A PART OF WHATEVER RECOMMENDATIONS HE HAD. SO I JUST WANT TO BE SURE TO GIVE CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE IN ADDITION TO ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO, HOW MANY FOLKS DO WE HAVE ANY PROJECTED NUMBER
OF LICENSES THAT COULD REALISTICALLY BE CONVERTED WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR SHOULD THIS BE PASSED? IF THERE'S INTEREST I FEEL CONFIDENT WE WILL BE ABLE TO CONVERT THEM.
IT REALLY IS A STRAIGHTFORWARD PROCESS TWO PAGE APPLICATION YOU KNOW A PUBLIC MEETING ON US RECOMMENDS THAT AND THEN A HEARING BEFORE THE BOARD. SO WE WOULD ADD ADDITIONAL
HEARING DATES IF THERE WAS THIS INFLUX. WHAT I MEAN WE WANT TO GET THESE BUSINESSES UP AND OPERATING WITH THESE NEW LICENSES AS QUICKLY AS WE POSSIBLY CAN. I MEAN THERE ARE SOME DATES
THAT WE HAVE TO BE CONSIDER OF LIKE THE HEARING NOTICES AND THEN THEY HAVE A THEY DO HAVE A PROCESS UP AT THE ABC BUT I DO FEEL CONFIDENT WE WOULD BE ABLE
TO GET EVERY APPLICATION FOR A CONVERSION UP AND RUNNING PRETTY QUICKLY. THE FACTOR WAS REALLY JUST HOW MANY APPLY. I THINK WE CAN GET THROUGH THEM PRETTY QUICKLY SO IT'S UP TO
THE BUSINESS TO START APPLYING. DO YOU HAVE ANY JUST BASED ON THE EXISTING LANDSCAPE DO YOU HAVE AN ESTIMATE OF HOW MANY FOLKS YOU THINK MAY JUST BASED ON THE INTEREST? I ACTUALLY I'VE JUST
ANECDOTALLY HAVE RECEIVED CALLS FROM THE SEVERNS AND YOUR DISTRICT IS VERY INTERESTED IN UPGRADING. I THINK I PROBABLY HAVE HEARD FROM PROBABLY 10 TO 12 APPLICANTS ACTUALLY JUST ASKING MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS.
AND AGAIN I JUST SAY IT'S A BUSINESS DECISION. IT'S UP TO YOU. WE'VE HEARD FROM SOME IN SOUTH BOSTON. WE'VE HEARD FROM THE NORTH END. AND AGAIN, I THINK IT'S A QUESTION OF GETTING THE WORD OUT.
NOT EVERYONE IS FOLLOWING THIS IN THE NEWS BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT IF I WAS A BUSINESS OWNER I WOULD THINK STRONGLY ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS SOMETHING I'D WANT TO PURSUE. MM HMM.
AND IF THIS WERE TO GO FORWARD ,IT'S SOMETHING THAT I SUPPORT JUST GIVEN THE CONVERSATION HERE AND AND I THINK FROM HEARING FROM MY DISTRICT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE
REALIZING THE SPIRIT AND INTENT OF THE 2024 LEGISLATION. IT'S GOOD TO KNOW THAT THIS IS KIND OF SEPARATE. IT'S SUPPLEMENTING IT'S NOT TAKING AWAY FROM OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT BUT IT'S STILL MEANS
A LOT FOR US AS A CITY MOVING FORWARD. I KNOW THAT EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM TO ENSURE THAT THIS MEASURE IS ACTUALLY HELPING FOLKS ACHIEVE GENERATIONAL WEALTH OR THEY'RE ABLE TO HELP WITH THEIR MARGINS AND HELP
THEIR BUSINESSES ESPECIALLY IF THEY'RE A LOCAL A LOCALLY OWNED BUSINESS. ARE WE DOING ANY SORT OF EQUITY TRACKING ON THIS MOVING FORWARD? WHAT WHAT SORT OF MEASURES ARE
CURRENTLY IN PLACE FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS OR WHAT ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT THE THE SPIRIT AND INTENT OF LAST YEAR'S LEGISLATION I KNOW IT'S NOT 100% OR IT'S TEN GENTLE BUT IS
THERE ANY WAY THAT WE'RE JUST GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE DISPERSAL OF THESE LICENSES ARE GOING TO BE EQUITABLE IN EACH NEIGHBORHOOD? WELL, SO WE DO FOR THE 225 WE
DO HAVE PIECES THAT WE'RE MEASURING TO ENSURE THAT ON THE EQUITY BASIS THAT WE'RE REACHING THE SPIRIT OF THE LEGISLATION. AS YOU MENTIONED, I MEAN THE POSITIVE THING IS THAT BECAUSE
IT RESTRICTED IT TO CERTAIN NEIGHBORHOODS THAT DON'T HAVE A TON OF THESE LICENSES, IT'S MORE HELPFUL IN ACHIEVING THOSE GOALS. I WOULD SAY FOR THIS PARTICULAR LEGISLATION YOU KNOW, TO BE
HONEST OUR OUR GOAL IS FOR AS MANY RESTAURANTS AS POSSIBLE THAT WANT TO PARTICIPATE TO TO TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROGRAM. FOR ME IN PARTICULAR, YOU KNOW, IN ADVANCE OF NEXT YEAR THERE'S
GOING TO BE MILLIONS OF PEOPLE FLOATING THROUGH THE CITY OF BOSTON FOR FIFA TALL SHIPS THE 50TH ACTIVITIES AND I WANT ALL OF THEM TO HAVE A SPECIAL
COCKTAIL RELATED TO ANY OR ALL OF THOSE EVENTS TO MAKE AS MUCH MONEY AS THEY CAN. AND SO YOU KNOW BUT WE WILL BE TARGET SO YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALREADY TARGETING CERTAIN
NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE WEST ROXBURY, YOU KNOW, FOLKS THAT HAVE NOT REALLY PARTICIPATED YET IN THE THE 225 OR THE 2024 LEGISLATION. WITH THAT WILL ALSO BE LETTING
THOSE FOLKS KNOW OF THIS OPPORTUNITY AND BUT YOU KNOW, THIS IS ALL PART OF THE COMMUNICATION STRATEGY ALREADY BEEN DOING A LOT DROPS WE'VE BEEN REACHING OUT LIKE WE
IDENTIFIED WHERE FOLKS HAD CORDIALS OR OR COULD BENEFIT FROM A LICENSE AND I'VE BEEN DOING ONE ON ONE VISITS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO WE'LL CONTINUE THOSE EFFORTS TO MAKE SURE AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE PARTICIPATE.
THANK YOU. AND ONE LAST QUESTION AND THEN I'LL GO TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR SECOND ROUND. BUT GOING THROUGH THE CHANGE OF CATEGORY APPLICATION WAS REALLY HELPFUL UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE PROCESSES ARE. YOU HAD SAID SOMETHING ABOUT
GETTING A CERTIFICATE OF GOOD STANDING FROM D.R. AND THERE WAS ANOTHER. DO YOU SEE UNEMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE? OKAY. AND THAT'S JUST TO ENSURE THEY'RE PAYING THEIR TAXES. EXACTLY. OKAY.
AND DO WE HAVE ANY LABOR CHECKS AND SHOWING THAT THEY'RE NOT UM, SO ALL OF OUR RENEWALS AND EVEN WHEN YOU APPLY FOR A NEW LICENSE TO PICK IT UP, WE DO MAKE FOLKS SIGN THE WAGE THEFT
CERTIFICATION AT THE CITY AS WELL. I'M WITH US AND WE ARE IN CONTACT WITH THE LABOR CABINET AS WELL TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY TIME THEY FIND OUT ABOUT A LABOR ISSUE THEY SEND IT OUR WAY AS WELL. OKAY. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU ALL. I'LL GO BACK TO COUNCILOR FLYNN FOR ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS HE MAY HAVE. WE'LL DO 3 MINUTES. THANK YOU. CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT GOING FROM A BEER AND WINE TO THIS FULL?
FULL LICENSE WOULD HAVE A LICENSE INCLUDE WOULD THAT INCLUDE BEER? THEY CALL IT SPIRITS OR YES. HARD ALCOHOL. HARD ALCOHOL.
OKAY. OKAY. DAN, YOU CAN PROBABLY EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT SPIRITS. A LOT OF THE BEER AND WINE LICENSE HOLDERS ARE ADDING SPIRITS BECAUSE IT GIVES THEM THE ABILITY TO SELL THINGS LIKE
LIKE REALLY FRUITY. OKAY, HIGH NOON SINCE IT'S THE CORDIALS. YEAH. SO BUT THIS UPGRADE TO AN ALCOHOL LICENSE WOULD ALLOW SOMEONE TO SELL ANY ALCOHOL, ANY ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE THAT IS SOLD ON THE MARKET IN
MASSACHUSETTS. LET ME LET ME ASK A FOLLOW UP. DOES THIS MEAN EVENTUALLY WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT EXTENDING HOURS FOR
RESTAURANTS OF BARS IN BOSTON OR THIS THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH US? NO, THIS DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE HOURS OF OPERATION AND THAT WOULD BE IF A RESTAURANT WANTED TO EXTEND THEIR HOURS THAT WOULD BE A DIFFERENT APPLICATION FROM
PUBLIC PROCESS. AND THE 2:00 LAST CALL IN MASSACHUSETTS IS ALSO STATE LAW. SO THAT'S THAT WOULDN'T EVEN BE UNDER LOCAL.
ARE YOU CONCERNED AT ALL ABOUT DRINKING AND DRIVING? I THINK YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE THAT QUESTION BECAUSE I KNOW THAT I DON'T THINK IT CAME UP IN THIS BODY WHEN WE WERE
TALKING ABOUT THE ADDITIONAL TO 25. BUT I KNOW OUTSIDE OF THE BUILDING IT CAME UP A LITTLE BIT. YOU KNOW, I THINK THE TIME WE'RE IN COMPARED TO WHEN THE STATE WAS HAVING THAT
CONVERSATION BACK IN THE EIGHTIES WHICH IS YOU KNOW, TO THE FRUSTRATION OF SOME YOUNGER PEOPLE WHO ARE UPSET ABOUT THE YOU KNOW, NOT BEING BEING ABLE TO HAVE BOTTOMLESS MIMOSAS, YOU KNOW, THE OPTIONS THAT ARE
AVAILABLE TODAY IN TERMS OF UBER, LYFT, YOU KNOW, ARE IMPORTANT. WE ALSO KNOW THE STATS NATIONALLY WHICH ARE ALSO TRUE FOR THE STATE THAT DRINKING IS
GOING DOWN DESPITE OF THESE OPTIONS THAT ARE BEING MADE AVAILABLE. SO I WOULD SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CONTINUE TO ALONG WITH COMMISSIONER COX AND OTHERS AND THE LICENSING BOARD IN PARTICULAR TO ALERT PEOPLE TO THE DANGERS OF DRINKING AND
DRIVING. BUT WE'VE NOT SEEN THAT BE AN ISSUE SINCE, YOU KNOW, THESE THESE MEASURES HAVE HAVE TAKEN PLACE. HOWEVER, COUNCILOR, I THINK OUR DIRECTOR OF NIGHTLIFE ECONOMY MAY HAVE MET WITH YOU BECAUSE
IT WAS A GOOD IDEA THAT YOU HAD HAD IN OUR LAST CONVERSATION ABOUT WORKING WITH UBER AND LEFT BECAUSE I KNOW THERE WAS A THOUGHT THAT THEY WEREN'T DOING WHAT THEY COULD BE DOING. YEAH, CHIEF, SHE DIDN'T MEET
WITH ME. SHE CANCELED THE MEETING. GOT IT. OKAY, WELL, I WE'RE WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET SOME TIME WITH YOU AGAIN AND I AM CONCERNED I'M STILL CONCERNED ABOUT AND AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW, I LIVE IN SOUTH BOSTON OFF
OF WEST BROADWAY ON F STREET AND WHEN MY WIFE AND I WALK UP UP TO BROADWAY SOMETIMES OR DRIVE BY BROADWAY WE SEE HUGE
LINES AS YOU KNOW. BUT I'M ALSO VERY CONCERNED ABOUT PEOPLE UNDER THE INFLUENCE GETTING INTO UBER AND LYFT.
THAT'S A MAJOR CONCERN I HAVE AND I KNOW IT'S SOMEWHAT UNRELATED TO THIS BUT WE NEED TO DO MORE TO PROVIDE A SAFER ENVIRONMENT ESPECIALLY FOR
YOUNG YOUNG WOMEN THAT GO INTO UBER AND LIFT OFF OFTEN ALONE COMING OUT OF WHETHER IT'S ON BOYLSTON STREET OR WHETHER IT'S ON BROADWAY OR ANY OF THESE STREETS. CONGRESS PROTECT FROM WALL
STREET. SO THAT'S A CONCERN. I HAVE ONE OTHER CONCERN. DID YOU FACTOR IN AT ALL THE IMPACT THAT THIS MAY OR MAY NOT
HAVE ON A NEIGHBORING RESTAURANT IN TERMS OF DOES THAT HELP THEM FINANCIALLY? DOES IT HURT THAT HURT THEM FINANCIALLY? DOES IT HAVE NO IMPACT ON IT ON A RESTAURANT?
DOES IT COMPLEMENT EACH OTHER? I KNOW THE MARGINS OF OF BEING SUCCESSFUL IN A RESTAURANT ARE VERY NARROW BUT ARE WE ADDING MORE COMPETITION TO A
RESTAURANT RIGHT NEXT DOOR THAT NOW HAS THE OPTION TO SELL UNLIMITED DIFFERENT TYPES OF ALCOHOL? WELL, I THINK COUNCILOR YOU KNOW IN THE FREE MARKET ECONOMY THAT THAT WE HAVE IT'S
IMPORTANT THAT WE ARE SUPPORTING COMPETITION BUT WE'VE NOT SEEN YOU KNOW EITHER WITH THE 225 THAT HAVE BEEN GIVEN TO US OR EVEN PREVIOUSLY DECISIONS THAT WERE MADE AROUND
LICENSING HAVE THAT HAVE A MAJOR IMPACT ON NEIGHBORING RESTAURANTS. I TAKE THAT POINT BECAUSE AGAIN WHEN CONVERSATIONS AROUND ADDING LIQUOR LICENSES COMES UP THAT'S USUALLY A POINT THAT FOLKS BRING UP THAT IF WE ADD
MORE THAT'S GOING TO HARM OTHER RESTAURANTS IN THE AREA. BUT YOU KNOW IT'S IT'S BEEN A POINT AT POLICY POINT BUT WE'VE NOT SEEN THAT BEAR OUT IN THE FACTS. AND I'LL SAY ANECDOTALLY I SEE
THAT IT ACTUALLY ENCOURAGES NOT SO MUCH COMPETITION BUT BUSINESSES WORKING TOGETHER. IF YOU GO INTO ONE RESTAURANT AND IT'S A 45 MINUTE WAIT TO SIT DOWN FOR DINNER WITH YOUR
FAMILY OR WITH YOUR FRIENDS, YOU MIGHT GO NEXT DOOR TO A PLACE AND HAVE A DRINK WHILE YOU WAIT TO BE CALLED DOWN, CALLED IN IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD I THINK THE CLUSTERS OF RESTAURANTS ACTUALLY
ENCOURAGE GOOD ECONOMIC GROWTH FOR TRAFFIC AND ENCOURAGES PEOPLE TO PATRONIZE ALL OF THOSE PLACES. IF THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT I'M MOST WORRIED ABOUT ARE THE ONES
THAT ONLY HAVE ONE RESTAURANT AND ONLY ONE OPTION FOR THEIR NEIGHBORS, IT'S I THINK THE VIBRANCY OF A NEIGHBORHOOD IS AGAIN IN ITS BUSINESSES AND WHEN YOU CAN GO YOU HAVE CHOICES. I THINK THAT'S GOOD FOR THE
COMMUNITY. AND AS FAR AS THE DRINKING AND DRIVING, IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT AND WE DO ASK MANAGERS WHEN THEY APPEAR BEFORE US HOW ARE YOU
TRAINING YOUR STAFF TO LOOK FOR SIGNS OF INTOXICATION? IT'S A QUESTION I ASK AT EVERY HEARING FOR A VIOLATION. IT'S NOT OKAY TO TAKE THEIR MONEY AND JUST HAVE THEM BOTH A DOOR AND GET INTO AN UBER.
YOU HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO KEEP THEM SAFE EVEN WHEN THEY LEAVE YOUR ESTABLISHMENT. SO IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE DRILL HOME WITH OUR LICENSEES AT OUR VIOLATION HEARINGS. WE'RE ALSO GOING OUT TO THE
NEIGHBORHOODS IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD AS WELL IN MEETING WITH THE RESTAURANT BAR OWNERS. WE'RE CALLING IT OUR BACK TO SCHOOL THING ESPECIALLY IN SOUTHIE, ESPECIALLY IN BRIGHTON AND WE'RE GETTING THE BAR OWNERS IT'S A MANDATORY MEETING
TO COME IN AND TALK ABOUT WHAT ARE YOU GUYS SEEING? HOW ARE YOU CONTROLLING THE LINES? WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO CHECK IDS? PLEASE SIT PLEASE DRINK COVERS? YES, PLEASE SAVE YOUR VIDEO. THAT'S A QUESTION THAT WE'RE
GETTING NOW TO YOU KNOW HOW LONG IS YOUR VIDEO STORED FOR? TEN DAYS ISN'T ENOUGH ANYMORE. IT'S UP TO YOU TO INVEST IN A BETTER TECHNOLOGY WHETHER IT'S ID SCANNERS OR VIDEO. THESE THINGS THE PUBLIC SAFETY
IS VERY IMPORTANT. MORE LICENSES I THINK CAN BE A HUGE BOON TO THE CITY OF BOSTON AND TO OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. BUT IT CAN'T COME AT A COST OF OF LIVES AND PUBLIC SAFETY.
WELL, THANK YOU, KATHLEEN. AND I'VE WORKED WITH YOU MANY YEARS ON ON THOSE ISSUES. I SUPPORT MY BUSINESSES IN MY DISTRICT BUT I'M VERY STRICT WITH RESTAURANTS AND BARS IN MY
DISTRICT. I DON'T I'M NOT A CHEERLEADER FOR THEM BUT LIKE YOU I HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE AND TALK ABOUT ,YOU KNOW, DRINKING AND
DRIVING, PROTECTING PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THE RESTAURANT OVERCROWDING OF A SERVING UBER AND LYFT THESE DATE RAPE DRUGS THAT PEOPLE ARE PUTTING IN.
AND SO I WANT TO SAY YOU TO YOU, KATHLEEN, BECAUSE YOU'VE BEEN A STRONG ADVOCATE OF ENSURING PATRONS WHEN THEY GO INTO A RESTAURANT OR A BAR
ARE SAFE AND YOU ARE PROVIDING A SAFER ENVIRONMENT DUE TO THE TOUGH QUESTIONS YOU ARE ASKING AND I RESPECT THAT. THAT'S WHY I ALSO DON'T
CHEERLEAD FOR MY BUSINESSES BUT I DO HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE AND I WANT A SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR MY PATRONS WHEN THEY GO INTO A PLACE AND IN MY DISTRICT OR REALLY ANYWHERE. BUT THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR, FOR
GIVING ME AN EXTRA MINUTE. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR FITZGERALD. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. NO MATTER WHAT THE ISSUE IS, I ALWAYS FEEL IT'S IMPORTANT FOR EITHER SIDE TO BE ABLE TO
EXPLAIN THE OTHERS THE OPPOSITION'S CASE AND TO SO THAT I KNOW THAT EACH SIDE FULLY UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER WHO WOULD BE AGAINST HAPPENING AND
WHY A RESTAURANT THAT WENT AND SPENT $150,000 ON THEIR BEER AND WINE LICENSE PERHAPS THEY HAVE A PLEDGE ON IT AND WHEN
THEY'RE BUILDING AND THEY THEIR PLEDGES AND PAID OFF YET THEY MIGHT BE SANDWICHED BETWEEN TWO RESTAURANTS THAT HAVE ALL ALCOHOL ON EITHER SIDE AND THEY FEEL AS IF THEY DON'T HAVE AN
OPPORTUNITY WITHOUT GIVING UP SOME OF THEIR AN ASSET OF THEIR BUSINESS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN APPLY BECAUSE IT WOULD PERHAPS PUT THEIR ASSET AT JEOPARDY IF THEY HAD TO TURN
IT INTO THE CITY, SO TO SPEAK. SO ESSENTIALLY PEOPLE THAT JUST CURRENTLY OWN A PRIVATE LICENSE AT THE MOMENT THAT WOULD BE AN ESPECIALLY IF IT HAS A PLEDGE
ON IT AND IF IT HAS A PLEDGE LIKE THIS BUT DOES IT HURT IT WOULD IT DOES IT DEVALUE ANYTHING FOR WHAT THEY HAVE? WOULD IT DEVALUE IT LIKE AS IF SO YOU GAVE IT TO THE BANK TO
SAY HEY, WE'RE GOING TO PUT A PLEDGE ON THIS TO TAKE SOME MONEY OUT? WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? CAN YOU LOSE VALUE IN IT WITH SOMETHING LIKE THIS GOING FORWARD? IT WOULD HAVE TO BE A CONVERSATION WITH THEM ON THEIR LENDER, RIGHT? THEY'D BE GOING FROM A BEER AND
WINE LICENSE THAT COULD BE WORTH 160,000 AND SOMETHING LIKE THAT OUT IN THE OPEN MARKET TO A NONTRANSFERABLE ALCOHOL LICENSE THAT PROBABLY WOULD NOT HAVE ANY, YOU KNOW, STREET MARKET VALUE SO THAT
WOULD HAVE TO BE A CONVERSATION WITH THEIR LENDER AS TO WHAT WHAT HOW THAT WOULD AFFECT THE PLEDGE. BUT EVEN IF THEY WEREN'T EVEN IF THAT IN THAT SPECIFIC CLIENT WASN'T GOING FOR IT TO UPGRADE IT WOULD IT HURT IT REGARD LET
ME SAY IF EVERY OTHER RESTAURANTS AND I'M GOING TO GO IT BUT I HAVE MY PRIVATE ONE DOES IT DEVALUE THERE'S I DON'T THINK THAT'S A QUESTION WE COULD ANSWER I THINK WE WE NEED
AN ECONOMIST TO TALK ABOUT OKAY IMPACTS OF THAT YEAH NO I'M LITERALLY I'M JUST HAPPY TO AS SOME PEOPLE OUT TO TALK TO YOU AND I JUST I DO NOT KNOW THE ANSWER AS WELL I WONDER IF THAT I DON'T THINK WE CAN SPECULATE ON THAT.
I MEAN SO FAR EVERY TIME THAT LIQUOR LICENSES HAVE EXPANDED IN BOSTON WE'VE NOT SEEN THE PRICE GO DOWN. SO THAT THAT IS ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE OF I DON'T THINK IT WOULD POLLUTE THE MARKET BUT WE
DON'T KNOW WE CAN'T REALLY SPECULATE ON WHAT THIS MIGHT DO AND THAT THE CURRENT NUMBER OF PRIVATELY OWNED ONES PRIVATELY HELD LICENSES AT THE MOMENT DON'T I MEAN THE VAST
MAJORITY OF LICENSES IN BOSTON ARE TRANSFERABLE PRIVATE YEAH, YEAH. MARGARET I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT NUMBER BUT THE VAST MAJORITY ARE. I JUST WANTED TO SAY IF IF THOSE WERE TO BE THE MAIN FOLKS THAT WOULD BE AGAINST SOMETHING
LIKE THIS AND THEN UNDERSTANDING FROM YOU GUYS WHY JUST WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE IS THAT I GUESS WAS MY QUESTION BUT IF WE DON'T KNOW THAT THAT'S THAT'S ALL YOU HAVE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, JIM. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR DURKIN. THANK YOU. YEAH, I JUST THANK YOU CHAIR. I JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT I I'M REALLY SUPPORTIVE OF THIS BUT
IT DOES ALL OF THESE QUESTIONS ARE REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT REALLY IS WHEN YOU OPEN UP A SMALL BUSINESS THERE'S SO MUCH AT STAKE.
IT'S LIKE YOUR FAMILY'S LIVELIHOOD AND AND UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE IS LIKE A LOT OF DYNAMICS GOING ON WITH THESE LIQUOR LICENSES THAT
ARE ALREADY OUT THERE. I'M JUST CURIOUS AND I THINK YOU ANSWER THIS BUT I DON'T REMEMBER HEARING THE ANSWER HOW QUICKLY MOST OF THESE COULD GO ONLINE AND I THINK I MISUNDERSTOOD ED WHEN I WAS
SPEAKING EARLIER THAT THESE AREN'T RESTRICTED IN ANY WAY TO ANY NEIGHBORHOOD AND I THINK THAT'S GREAT BECAUSE I A LOT OF BUSINESS OWNERS THROUGHOUT MY DISTRICT THAT DON'T LIVE IN
MY DISTRICT WHO KNOW THAT DOING BUSINESS ON NEWBURY STREET OR BOYLSTON STREET OR CAUSEWAY STREET IS IDEAL FOR THEM GIVEN THE TYPE OF BUSINESS THEY WANT TO RUN SO SO I JUST WAS HOPING
TO GET SORT OF WHEN WHAT THE PROCESS LOOKS LIKE AND WHEN SORT OF ANY WEBINARS OR ANY MEETINGS THAT YOU GUYS ARE HAVING SO THAT WE CAN GET THAT OUT TO OUR CONSTITUENTS. SURE.
SO THE QUESTION OF WHEN THIS COULD COME ONLINE IS REALLY QUICKLY THE ABC HAS ALREADY UPDATED THEIR CHANGE CATEGORY APPLICATION TO INCLUDE EXACTLY THIS. IT'S AN EXISTING APPLICATION
THAT WE PROCESS ALL THE TIME. AS SOON AS IF THIS PASSES THE COUNCIL LICENSING BOARD CAN ADOPT IT VERY QUICKLY AND THEN WE CAN START TAKING APPLICATIONS IMMEDIATELY AS SOON AS IT'S ADOPTED BY THE
LICENSING BOARD IN TERMS OF WEBINARS, THAT SORT OF THING WE'RE ALREADY DOING BIWEEKLY OFFICE HOURS. THIS WILL CERTAINLY BE A TOPIC OF WHAT WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT THERE. I THINK WE WOULD LOVE TO WORK WITH THE CABINET SMALL BUSINESS
TO SCHEDULE WEBINARS, IN-PERSON INFO SESSIONS LIKE THAT TO MAKE SURE WE ARE GETTING THE WORD OUT. WHAT WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO DO? SOME OF THOSE WITH DISTRICT CITY COUNCILORS BECAUSE I WOULD LOVE TO HOST ONE OF THOSE FOR
MY DISTRICT. YES EVERY HEARING EOI HAS WE WILL ALWAYS EXTEND THE OPPORTUNITY TO ALL OF OUR COUNCILORS TO PARTNER WITH YOU TO HOST AN EVENT IN YOUR DISTRICT. AWESOME.
THANK YOU. THOSE ARE ALL MY QUESTIONS. THANKS. I JUST HAVE TO FOLLOW UP. UM, HAS ANY OTHER CITY OR TOWN OPTED INTO THIS YET?
ARE WE THE FIRST ONES? I'M NOT AWARE. SURE THIS ONLY JUST BECAME AN OPTION. YOU KNOW IN THE PAST I THINK MONTH MONTH AND A HALF SO UNCLEAR AS ALWAYS THOUGH BOSTON IS NUMBER ONE SO LEADING YOU. ABSOLUTELY.
OKAY. AND THEN I HAVE TO ASK ABOUT ANGELA'S CAFE. WE DID HAVE THAT CONVERSATION SO MANY AGO ABOUT IT AND I'M HAPPY TO HEAR THAT THEY DID DECIDE TO GO FORWARD WHERE THEY
HAD THAT BEER AND LOT WITH BEER AND WINE THEY'VE PUT THEIR INVESTMENT UP AND NOW THEY FEEL LIKE IF THEY WERE TO BE EVICTED BECAUSE THEY DON'T OWN THEIR PROPERTY OWN THEIR PROPERTY OR GOD FORBID SOMETHING ELSE HAPPENS THEY HAVE TO LEAVE, THEY LOSE OUT ON THAT LICENSE.
WE TALKED ABOUT CERTAIN GUARANTEES OR BREAKS FOR EITHER THEM OR THEIR LANDLORD. HAS THERE BEEN ANY ADDITIONAL CONVERSATION, ANYTHING WE CAN TALK ABOUT HERE THAT WE CAN
TELL THEM OR ANY MOVEMENT? I'D HAVE TO GO BACK IN MY NOTES IN TERMS OF THE FOLLOW UP FROM SMALL BUSINESS ON THIS. BUT I WILL SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, AT LEAST WHEN IT COMES TO THE
BUILDING PIECE, THE FACT THAT THEY'RE LEASING VERSUS OWNING YOU KNOW, THE CITY DOES LOOK FORWARD TO SHORTLY FULLY FINALLY LAUNCHING OUR COMMERCIAL ACQUISITION PROGRAM
WHICH WOULD PROVIDE FUNDING FOR SMALL BUSINESSES TO ACQUIRE THE THE COMMERCIAL OR MIXED USE PROPERTY THAT THEY'RE INHABITING AT THE MOMENT. AND THERE'S OTHER FORMS OF TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE THAT WE
CAN PROVIDE WHETHER IT'S LEGAL OR OTHERWISE TO SUPPORT ANGELO'S BECAUSE YOU KNOW, AGAIN, YOU KNOW WE'RE HERE TALKING ABOUT A SPECIFIC POLICY ITEM BUT WE LIKE TO LIKE YOU COUNCILOR YOU KNOW YOU'VE SHOWN THIS THROUGH YOUR TENURE LIKE
WE LIKE TO THINK HOLISTICALLY ABOUT THE BUSINESS AND SUPPORT THAT WE CAN PROVIDE. SO I WILL TAKE NOTE OF IT TODAY ,GO BACK AND FOLLOW UP ON MY NOTES AND WORK TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING THEIR
SPECIFIC CONCERNS. THANK YOU. AND JUST SHOUTING OUT STATE SENATOR LYDIA EDWARDS WHO HAD ALSO TALKED ABOUT MAYBE TAX BREAKS AT THE STATE LEVEL. SO SHE'S A PARTNER AND REPRESENTATIVE MONROE IS ALSO
IN TUNE WITH THIS AND A GREAT PARTNER AS WELL. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ANYTHING ELSE BEFORE WE WRAP? DO WE HAVE ANY MORE PUBLIC TESTIMONY? OH, OKAY. ALL RIGHT.
I THINK THAT WE COULD END IT HERE. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS. I WANT TO SHOUT OUT THE RESTAURANTS THAT TOOK TIME TO BE HERE AND PROVIDE YOUR PERSPECTIVE. THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO. I CAN FORESEE THAT THIS WOULD MOVE TO THE COUNCIL QUICKLY
ALTHOUGH I CAN'T SAY FOR SURE WHETHER OR NOT IT'S GOING TO BE NEXT WEEK OR THE WEEK AFTER I HAVE TO TALK TO MY COLLEAGUES BUT PLEASE TO SUPPORT IT PERSONALLY I'LL JUST GO DO THE ROUNDS WITH MY COLLEAGUES AND
HOPEFULLY WE'LL GET IT MOVING EXPEDITIOUSLY. I THINK IT IS A GOOD THING FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON. SO WITH THAT THIS HEARING ON DOCKET ONE FOR ONE ONE IS ADJOURNED. THANKS EVERYONE. THANK YOU