The Madison City Council unanimously voted Tuesday night to add a non-voting student member to the Alcohol License Review Committee.
The proposal was created by Ald. Eli Judge, District 8, and Ald. Michael Schumacher, District 18, and a member of the ALRC. The position, which will be filled by a University of Wisconsin student for three years, is “long overdue,” according to Judge.
“This is an opportunity for the students to be there and add their input and persuade us, because sometimes we do not know what we’re talking about (regarding students needs),” Schumacher said.
Judge said he is really excited to add this position to the ALRC docket, so much so that he added himself as a sponsor to the proposal at the Tuesday meeting.
He also assured the council the student-held position should not cause concern, especially because the student who holds it understands the power and prestige of the position. By adding this position, the ALRC is “filling a missing void,” Judge said.
Judge added he hopes the committee will see how important the student voice is after three years, and hopefully the position can be one that has a vote on the committee.
As of now, Schumacher said he does not think the student necessarily needs to be of legal drinking age.
Currently, UW administration resides as members of the ALRC board as non-voting members.
Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, and a member of the ALRC, said it is “high time” the voice of the UW administration be countered by the voice of the student body.
“We have had, for several years now, the UW-Madison chancellor serving as a non-voting member of the ALRC,” Verveer said. “… It is not fair for Bascom Hall to speak for the entire UW community.”
This is not the first time a student has had a seat on the ALRC, Verveer said, adding it is important to have a student voice because the majority of the city’s bars are in the downtown and filled with UW students.
UW sophomore Jenna Laszlo said adding a student to the ALRC is extremely necessary.
“Because students drink 80 percent of the alcohol in the town, we’re keeping [bars] alive, so it seems we should have some sort of say about [alcohol],” Laszlo said.
Schumacher also introduced his plan to prohibit the sale of beer or malt liquor in amounts less than a six-pack of bottles or cans. Intoxicating liquor would also not be available for sale if is less than 200 milliliters in volume.
He said the ordinance is aimed at people who live on the streets who panhandle to get from can to can.
According to Verveer, all of the downtown liquor stores currently have this condition on their liquor license for the same reasons Schumacher listed.
Schumacher added the price of liquor will not increase. Instead, it will make people who purchase a single can for 50 cents purchase a six pack for $2.50, which will cause a world of difference, he said.
“It’s a cat and mouse game, and this is a Swiss cheese approach,” Schumacher said. “This is not going to solve the alcoholism disease behind it; it’s not going to solve homelessness that comes often with it. It is mitigating the impact that this kind of alcoholism has on the general community.”
The City Council referred the proposal to the ALRC for further consideration.
