Council member doesn’t see need for legislation to increase number of liquor licenses in Wisconsin

Other proposals allow wineries to close at bar
time and double production cap for brewpubs. 

More liquor licenses for cities in Wisconsin may not be necessary.

La Crosse city council member Gary Padesky is a friend of the local Tavern League, and even he doesn’t think new state proposals to increase available liquor licenses makes a whole lot of sense.

There’s no lack of licenses now, says Padesky.

“For someone who used to be involved in the business, I just think you get to a certain point where then they just start pulling business away from each other,” Padesky said.

Among the booze-friendly proposals made this week by state lawmakers is one to allow municipalities to increase available liquor licenses by 10 percent.

Padesky’s family owned a bar at one point and believes a city like La Crosse already has plenty of license holders and more available.

“To purposely expand it, I don’t know if that’s the best idea for any existing businesses,” he said. “Whenever we have a new motel or somebody come to town with a restaurant bar, they seem to have no trouble getting the license.”

Padesky thinks bar owners already wish there were fewer licenses.

“They’re not going to come right out and say they hope somebody goes out of business, but obviously they’d be better off if there were a few less taverns in town,” Padesky said.

Other proposals made by lawmakers would allow wineries to close at bar time and double the production cap for brewpubs.