Bar and restaurant owners across the city are reeling from a significant increase in liquor license renewal fees, which have nearly doubled. The new fee schedule, which was announced to owners this week, raises the annual renewal cost for most of those selling beer, wine, and liquor from $1,320 to $2,336.
John Sachs, a local bar owner, expressed his dismay, saying, “To double the fee when it’s been the worst three years I’ve been in the city… it’s just bad timing.” He added, “Honestly, it’s a real big burden. Everything is going up but us.”
The enhanced fees are expected to increase revenues by $823,185. The new schedule was approved last year following a brief five-minute Senate Finance Committee hearing, during which only city representatives testified. They outlined plans to use the additional funds to hire more liquor inspectors. “We think this would allow us to better enforce the rules and regulations and make sure everyone is playing by those rules,” a representative said during the hearing.
Well someone has to pay for Ric Gardeners bloated 60k plus salary a year.
Impacting small businesses and middle-class working folks!
The Moorons in PG, Mntgy, Balt, and Annapolis keep voting for dirtbags like this in order to continue getting free stuff – and dirtbags like this continue to promise free stuff just to get elected!
Makes me think that the Welfare-Class should NOT be allowed to vote!
By the time this sob governor and these democrat politicians this state won’t have any businesses around running them in the ground but this is what some people voted for. Bring on Doge to Maryland.
C’mon election time!!!! OUT with Tax Moore!!! What a POS he is!!!
lots of unnecessary govt “workers” around here. while i was walking my dog today in pemberton park i saw several parks employees in a big crew cab truck sitting there doing nothing. they were still sitting there when i left just wasting gas and time. also, i have seen 3 county park trucks at home depot at the same time purchasing an item small enough to easily fit in a compact car. that’s 3 county employees, 3 trucks, and 1 item purchased. obviously 2 of the guys drove there to offer moral support. there is waste all through this county and it never changes. obviously it’s the same throughout the state. the only answer is to raise taxes – it never changes. GO ELON!!!!!
I am a resident of the Nithsdale neighborhood and enjoy Pemberton Historical Park greatly almost on a daily basis. I saw what the concerned taxpayer above witnessed also. The white pick up truck traveled behind the historical house all the way in the back and sit for a extended period of time. My solution to issues like this is who is the immediate supervisor these people report to and a stern verbal or possible written warning issued to these persons or person letting these situations continue to happen.
revolution!
hey 9 am. wicomico county employees are never held accountable for anything. you have county roads riding around plowing water and then you have rec and parks employees bumping into each other trying to find a place to hide. our rec and parks employees make the 3 stooges look like ivy league scholars. obviously all is ok with status quo because it’s been that way for years. if julie g or steve miller cared at all about taxpayer money they would have stopped this nonsense years ago – however, they can’t see it from their palaces and poole tells em all is good. nothing to see here, lets move along.
its ok, we can’t afford to go to a restaurant or bar anyway, we have to save for our electric bill.
This article is not a local Wicomico county one the city it refers to is Baltimore as was the man quoted in the article. WBAL news had it
Published as it was in our own back yard