Loved this quote in an article about how Poops changed the liquor license process to highest bidder;
“While we are excited to be able to move forward with our business plans, the costs incurred simply to have the ability to serve liquor is a massive financial strain,” De Jong said.
“A great city is made of great small businesses, and that includes bars. The current sealed bid process is not small-business friendly, and I’m afraid that’s going to impact the type of establishments we see opening in the future.”
He said he’d like to see the city move back to a waitlist model “but with more vetting and stricter regulations on usage and resell” while discouraging bidders who ultimately don’t intend to open an establishment and see the license as an opportunity for resale.
I have said all along we need to get rid of permanent liquor licenses that are bought and sold on the free market like booty prizes and do a yearly licensing fee. But the morons in Pierre will never figure this out.