City liquor board chair: Work within the system
I read with interest the impassioned plea of three community activists to reform the Baltimore City Liquor Board (“Reforming Baltimore liquor board critical to stemming city violence,” Sept. 11). Their complaints appear to stem from a case heard this year concerning a liquor license renewal in which the board had virtually no record before it of violations or even complaints. The community representatives and a City Council member appeared and demanded that the license be revoked. There was testimony presented by the police that the establishment posed nuisance problems but none that connected the licensees to illegal activity. On the evidence placed on the record, we did not believe that the legal standard for revocation had been met, and we renewed the license. It was clear to us that the establishment had problems that would lead to violations, if unaddressed. That is what happened in fact, and that case was on the board’s docket this week.
Although the protesters disagreed with our decision, they did not appeal it to the Circuit Court, as is their right. It seems that they find the law inconvenient and not worth following despite their free legal representation by a lawyer from the Community Law Center. Rather, they have initiated a smear campaign against the current liquor board. They claim to have spent “hundreds of hours” navigating the alcoholic beverage laws, but they are inconvenienced by having to meet the simple requirements to bring a valid renewal protest or to provide relevant evidence to support such a protest.
I became chair of the Baltimore City Liquor Board when it was reconstituted in early 2016. I take pride in the the tremendous strides our agency has taken to become more professional, effective, transparent, community aware and consistent in the application of the law to the facts of each case. I suggest that these community organizations take a hint from the many others who work with us to resolve problems while still complying with the standards set by the General Assembly for our authority. An end run utilizing political pressures or media attention to obtain the goal they desire is a disservice to their communities. A liquor board committed to exercising its limited authority lawfully better serves all city residents, business owners and neighbors.