Arlington Heights delays vote on banning single-serve liquor

A proposal to outlaw the sale of single-serving package liquor products was postponed until Oct. 12 by the Arlington Heights Village Board.

A lawyer representing owners of 12 liquor stores and some of his clients met with village staff members Tuesday, and Bill Dixon, village manager, reluctantly recommended the delay. It is hoped an accommodation can be reached before then, he said.

The store owners' attorney, Zubin Kammula, told the board there might be "reasonable alternatives that would address I think what I think this ordinance is intended to do."

After leaving the meeting, Kammula refused to outline any possible alternatives.

The liquor store owners are small business people who work 60 to 90 hours a week and face high Cook County and Illinois taxes and rents in a bad economy, said Jerry Rosen, executive director of the Beverage Retailers Alliance of Illinois. And now village officials want to restrict the products they can sell.

"When you take all of these issues and all of these impediments to doing business, it's bankruptcy," he said.

The police department recommended the ordinance change because of problems with intoxicated people in the downtown area.