Council President Patrick Keefe will propose that the liquor license fees for local establishments be reduced by 50 percent for 2021. He will introduce the motion for a vote by his colleagues at the Sept. 14 City Council meeting.
“I’m aiming to reduce the liquor license fees for restaurants and bars for next year,†said Keefe. “The renewal fees are coming up in November and I’d like to have this proposal before the License Commission to cut the license fees in half.â€
Keefe said he has been in touch with restaurant and bar owners in the city during the COVID-19 pandemic “and they really the need the [financial] relief and they’re very much in favor of this proposal.
“We have restaurants that can’t fully use their liquor licenses because they have no bars open and limited seating capacity so I think it’s only fair that we shouldn’t be collecting a full licensing fee,†said Keefe.
Keefe, who works in the hospitality industry as the regional director of operations for Legal Sea Foods, would like the local license fee reduced from $3,000 to $1,500.
Should the Council approve the motion, it would be placed before the five-member Revere License Commission for a vote.
Keefe is hopeful that his motion will be approved by the Council and supported by Mayor Brian Arrigo.
“I’m sure the Mayor will want to support these local businesses that are clearly hurting right now,†said Keefe. “We see the number of restaurant closures happening in and around Boston and it’s pretty alarming.â€
