A recently proposed ordinance would require liquor stores to keep records following the sale of a keg, forcing customers to complete paperwork divulging the location of the party and vowing only people over the age of 21 will drink from the keg.
The ordinance, introduced by Ald. Paul Skidmore, District 9, to the City Council Tuesday night, would require keg purchasers to provide a valid form of identification and fill out a form including their driver’s license number, where the keg will be located and an exact description of all alcohol purchased.
In addition, the purchaser must sign an oath stating he or she will not allow any underage persons to consume the alcohol purchased.
If the ordinance passes, identification tags will be attached to all kegs sold in Madison. The identification tags will list where and when the keg was purchased and a warning stating it is illegal to remove the identification tag.
Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, said he disagrees with the keg ordinance.
“I think it’s a solution in search of problem,” Verveer said.
Verveer said he believes the ordinance leaves room for abuse by the Madison Police Department adding the MPD could potentially go into liquor stores and use the forms to find house parties.
However, Verveer said he believes the MPD does not currently have a difficult time locating house parties or prosecuting those who host the parties. Police officers are able to learn who purchased the keg by looking at the names on the mailboxes of houses. Students also typically cooperate with police officers once a party has been busted, he added.
According to Policy Alternatives Community and Education Director Sue Crowley, whose goal is to reduce the negative consequences of high-risk drinking, the keg ordinance would provide control and accountability at house parties.
Crowley said she believes the keg ordinance should be one of the many steps the city is taking against alcohol abuse because it will reduce house parties.
“The most positive piece [of the keg ordinance] is the accountability to a person of age who purchased it,” Crowley said. “The purchaser needs to be thinking about how the alcohol will be distributed.”
However, many students believe the keg ordinance will not stop house parties or reduce the amount of heavy drinking on campus.
University of Wisconsin senior Maureen Tinley said she disagrees with the ordinance.
“It has potential [to stop house parties],” Tinley said. “But when you want to have a party, you have it and do it anyways.”
Tinley said she believes more students will purchase hard liquor and cases of beer because the ordinance would only apply to the city of Madison, students could purchase kegs in nearby suburbs, Tinley added.
However, Crowley said this ordinance will help control the sale of alcohol.
“Whenever we talk about controlling alcohol, the argument is made that the problem will move somewhere else. But anecdotal evidence doesn’t show that will happen,” Crowley said.
The ordinance, which must pass through several committees before it is brought before the City Council again, is likely to pass, according to Verveer.
“I think [the keg ordinance] is unnecessary,” Verveer said. “But I would be the first to admit it’s not the end of the world.”
