Council Member Narcisse Questions Panel on Liquor License Requirements and Staff Burdens

And as a former small business owner, I know how difficult it can be in New York City to run business, right?

So now I heard from you.

I was gonna ask the question around the paperwork and all the things that we can do to make it easier, but now I want to hear from the business owners how we can help you.

What is the step that you're expecting from us beside the paperwork?

Because the paperwork is tremendous.

And one of the questions that I have, I know the liquor license has been difficult.

How viable is our door without dining without liquor license?

Yeah, we without liquor license, it it would not be viable at all.

How do you how could we explain to our guests that they can have a glass of wine inside but but not outside it's it's you know we it wouldn't be viable for street or s or sidewalk at that point for sure.

But also the burden on the staff of policing that I mean we all saw during COVID the burden that was put on checking people's vax cards.

Like I had a human throw a glass bottle at a bartender over a vax card.

It's not the staff that are serving drinks or food.

It's not the responsibility to police things like that.

You know and then so if we can't serve alcohol then we have to hire security because then you have running the risk of someone taking alcohol outside and then the SLA coming by and then pulling your liquor license and once you lose your liquor license you can never get one ever again.

So if I've spent my entire life being a bar owner and that's gone and that's based on just like someone taking something outside there are just so many levels and it's like as much as COVID is over for hospitality people are still really tired and then to ask your staff to do more on what they're already doing it's a big ask and we're just trying to love on people and be hospitable and take care of the people we employ.

So it's just too much of an ask for people to do that.

And we you know as I said 907 burgers I think I said to break even take away alcohol and you think about the margins that you make on food which is not a lot compared to the margins that you make on selling alcohol because food goes bad.

Alcohol does not.

So and to add um just the burden of of the paperwork, reducing the paperwork, because it's it is very time consuming um for my team trying to complete these applications in the back and forth.

Yes.

Been there.

I know how difficult that can be.

Um another thing that I want to ask you.

Do you think because we all want you to stay in business?

That's what makes New York City New York City.

We're not perfect in legislation because legislation we have to address certain things.

Keep in mind, right?

Is just not to take your business out in all the defense of my colleagues.

We we know that shed was a problem, sidewalk cafe was a problem.

We want to work with you.

Just keep that in mind.

So whatever that you feel like we can do, we we hear the paperwork, and I'm sure Gail Boy is gonna be on top of it.

We're gonna have that conversation.

Because we need you to stay in business, and we're not here to push you out of the door, because without restaurant in New York City, we're not New York City.

So I wanna say that whatever you think that we can do for you, we're gonna continue working on it.

We know that alcohol is a problem like you just mentioned, and I'm here to support, and I know Chair uh um Julie Menon is gonna continue working with you and we're gonna make it happen, okay?

The best way we can.

So thank you for your business in New York City.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Oh, I can just start.

Um good morning.

It is in my personal opinion that this bill that was passed and what the administration was trying to do, I believe that the intention was to kill the program.