SALISBURY, Md.- Three liquor bills to alter how liquor is sold and operated in Wicomico County did not earn the seal of approval from the county council Thursday night.
County Executive Julie Giordano presented three bills to the council. The first would allow for the county’s dispensary to be audited by the state, which Giordano said would not cost the county. The second would allow the local liquor licensing board to grant licenses. Currently the number of licenses are determined by the state. The third bill would no longer require Class A establishments to own a restaurant in order to sell liquor.
All three bills drummed up some public comment, especially the bill to allow the local liquor licensing board to grant licenses. Many, like Monica Brooks, argued this would lead to an increase of liquor stores across the county.
"Additional liquor licenses can lead towards more stores or easier access to liquor that can lead to a great range of problems for communities including increased crime rates," said Monica.
"We don't need more liquor stores," said neighbor Jim Adkins.
Another neighbor argued this change could negatively change a community.
"This decision could also fundamentally transform the charter of our neighborhoods."
However Giordano argued that this bill would not lead to an influx of liquor stores across the county, and that this bill aims to draw a bit more local control from the state.
"You can only have so many stores before you know other stores start to suffer because there's just too many. You are saturating the market, that's bad business so I can't imagine them doing that," said Giordano.
Ultimately, the council voted against all three bills, not earning their support to send the bills to Annapolis.
