Herald 4 lantern 28 October 81

In Lower Township -a • i S\ • Summer Bar Hours—that is the Question

by Hob ShHr« < Wh^n voters in Lower Township go to the mils next Tuesday 'they will have the chanct to. decide : whether local establishments holding liquor licenses can remain open after 3 ajrhv in the summer. The drive to reduce summer closing hours from 5 to 3 a m — as it is during the rest of the year has bwn spearheaded bv the local Taxpayer^ Association, whose nietabers we are primarily responsible for obtaining the necessary- number of Signatures on petitions to get the question on the ballot Association members contend that clos- • ing bars two hours earlier would improve the overall quality of life for all .residents of the township.*' OffP08INC. THE EARLIER closing is the local Chamber of Commerce, and a newly established group ofbusiness people 4 primarily made up of tavern'owners — falling themselves • Citizens Against Higher faxes They hold that to reduce. h<a}rs establishments can operate during the peak summer season will cause residents higher taxes, a loss of Jobs and create overall economic hardship for the

township

The issue of summer bar hours is not a new oni in the township, but the question of a flat 3 a m closing first became a ma : jor isAe last spring. The Township Com micter discussed the possibility of changing the hours by-ordinance at,a number of, often hostile, meetings, but decided by a $ to I vote in fepfjl not to change the current ordinance that allows bars to stay open un

til 5 a m durihg the summer but prohibits,

any new patrons to be admitted after a m Only Miyor Tom Clydesdale voi^d in favor of Closing the bars at Ta m, IT WAS AFTER THIS decision by the Committee that the Taxpa^rs Assn rwhich had supported the earner closings during public hearings - began circulating petitions to obtain the necessary

signatures needed to get the question on

the Nov 3 General Election ballot The re-

quired number was 15 per cent of the

residents who voted in the .last General

Assembly election, or l,07f». Some l.SOP

bonafide signatures were obtained, Although a move was made by Citizens Against'Highor Taxes to have thepetitions

invalidated in Superior Court, it wasn’t successful Voters Have the chance Tues««day to vote yet if they wattf the 3 a.m. closing all’year, or tio ifth^y wish the closing hour* tb remain ^3 a m. during the off season and 5 a.m. — with no additional ■ patrons admitted after 3 a.m. •— in the

summer

Robert Conroy, president of Citizens Against Higher Taxes (CAHT) and owner of the Pirate s Den in the Villas, said Sunday the question of 3 a.m, closings goes beyond the issue of prohibiting bar owners from conducting business during two im* portant hours in the peak«eason. "It’s the first step in trying to do away With bars entirely,:* he said "They [Taxpayers Assn ] want it dry. They’ve said It publicly." ANOTHER SPOKESMAN for the tavern owners agreed "The premise is to make this a dry township. If they [Taxpayers Assn ] succeed, they’ll want to dose us on Sundays and than altogether.” * But Taxpayers spokeswoman Peggy Spender denies any push for a dry town. "There may be some individual members that would like shorter hours, [earlier than 3 a m l but that is not the position the Taxpayers Assn, has taken, she said. "We feel that 3 a m. is the best compromise for bar owners to do business and the need of residents for the lack of disturbance and loss of police protection. "The problem Of summertime bar hours and bar problems has been going on a number of years in Lower Township. she continued, "and we feel the time has come for the people who live in the community to determine the time for conducting bar business at the polls AVe also feel that a yes vote is a measure that will improve the quality of life for all residents. CAHT CONTENDS THAT the 28 local establishments holding liquor licenses pay 'some 1400.000 in property taxes and sewer rentals and that the ordinary homeowner’s tax burden could go up as much as 1100 yearly if these establishments are unable to pay their taxes and utility charges. According to Conroy, the *100 figure was obtained by taking the number of homes in the township and dividing it into the

*400.000

But Spencer said fhlnday, the "Association doesn’t believe homeowners taxes will

be affected at all by a change in the bar hours. We feel this is a scare tactic,” she said. "Homeowners will not be affected because sewer fees are based on services . received." _ , TOWNSHIP TREASURER Wade Cooper said Saturday that it would be impossible that the change in bar hours ceuld cause the average homeowner an additional *100 yearly.\"If ahything. it might cost him less." he said, contending there wouldn’t be as great a need for such services as police. . •In a news release mailed to township residents'last weekend, CAHT stated that some 1,200 jobs are made available by ' local bars, clubs and restaurants and that “ reduced patrons would affect dozesn of other small businesses. The release also claimed an estimated *20 millioifayear is

generated thru tourism.

"We’rt spending money to bring people down hefe," Cbnrov saig — emphasizing the large amount of dollars spent Jn adver- - "TnOTIIKH CAHT SPOKESMAN - who di«n’t want to be identified - agreed: "Based upon county statistics the township population increases by about 50,000 ins summer, he said. "Using a modest average that’s 10 to *20 million. Nobody will come in with new motels if the

hours go.” ’ f .

"I don’t see any relationship between the bar issue and any btlfer businesses in the township," Spencer responded. "The Association is not out to regulate small business in Lower Township. We're out to try to regulate problems that result from liquor. Our feeling is that liquor is a volatile, regulated and controlled substance because it has unpredictable af-

fects on people's behavior."

As far as alleged loss of jobs, the Taxpayers representative emphasized that, "We are sure that the two-hour shortening of hours in the middle of the nighttime is not going to have any significant economic impact on the community. We don’t see

where jobs will be lost at all."

CONTINUING, SPENCER SAID: "M^st of the jobs arc. summer jobs anyway i think they Ye fbar owners 1 trying to frighten people ‘into thinking- that yearround jobs are going to be lost, I think

they’ve exaggerated that," She also doesn’t see. the shortening of hours being a deterrent to the establishment of motels and restaurants in Diamond Beach — noting that in other communities such as Cape May. bars close at 3 a m. in the summer anOare able to survive financially. , • But Cdnrtfy emphasized that bar owners must make iCflnancially over the summer if they are to remain in business. He said that in the last year his insurance has doubled and that with increases in liquor prices, wages, taxes and mortgage payments, his profit margin becomes less every year. Conroy and the Citizens Against Higher Taxes are also emphasizing that the hours a? they now stand, were requested by local police two years ago and that the result works well. "INSTEAD OF DUMPING people out on the street at one tim$, they can go home at their leisure,’' Conroy explained, He adds all of the police he’s talked to believe the system works as it now stands. Concerning complaints about noise _and littjf', the bar owner said such problems are going to exist whether closings are at 3 a.m. or 5 a.m. ^ According to the Taxpayers, police are divided on the issue. "We don’t think the S see bar closing hours as a solution to jroblem." SpenceV said, claiming the feel shorthanded, especially in summer, and do view the closing of bars earlier as a means of alleviating-their manpower problems, « "The taxpayers feeLthat two hours Jess on liquor-related 'problems is two hours less tlWir manpower is slrainad," She said. IT ALL COMES DOWN to the fact that this is a resort area, according to Citizens Against Higher Taxes representative who wished to remain anonymous. "It’s the seasonal thing that’s hard,” he said. "Nobddy mokes a lot of money during the year. Most is made during the summer At least, Ibt me earn my living when I can,"

he said.

Peg Spencer noted the Taxpayers Assn, feels there has been some improvement in bar problems during the last year. "We still get complaints about noise and public disturbances." she said.

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