90 Mayors Join Push For More Liquor Licenses In NJ

NEW JERSEY — A bipartisan coalition of 90 mayors across New Jersey have joined Gov. Phil Murphy’s efforts to overhaul the state’s liquor laws and phase out the decades-old population cap on liquor licenses.

The Mayors For Liquor License Reform said “exorbitant” license costs, and a lack of availability for municipalities to acquire new ones because of the existing population cap, has hurt local businesses for too long. The group joins a number of restaurant owners, breweries, and chefs who have called for reform in the industry.

“The present system favors the economically advantaged while hampering mom-and-pop businesses and towns with smaller populations,” said the mayors’ coalition in an open letter. “These reforms are long overdue and all the more pressing in light of the devastating impact the COVID- 19 pandemic has had on the hospitality industry in general and the distress it has caused for downtowns and Main Streets throughout New Jersey.”

New Jersey’s current liquor license laws only allow local governments to issue one consumption liquor license for every 3,000 residents. Murphy called for changes to the system in his State of the State address and rolled out a proposal in February which gradually increases the number of new licenses available in municipalities until the current cap is no more. The mayors’ coalition includes leaders of towns both big and small, from Aberdeen to Newark to Woodstown.

Democrats in the state Senate and Assembly have introduced legislation to make some of these changes. Here’s what is proposed:

• Phase out the population cap by reducing it by 10 percent for five years, which would allow cities and towns to issue more licenses over time. After the phaseout, licenses would go uncapped and issued as needed, and the resale of licenses would be prohibited. The current proposal does not make allowances for towns with fewer than 3,000 residents.
• Establish administrative prices and fees for new licenses based on business size. The ABC would set prices and review them annually, while granting municipalities the right to assess local fees.
• Expand the rights of license holders for breweries, distilleries and wineries. The plan would establish a new consumption license with expanded privileges that wouldn't get capped or restricted. Current license holders could get the new class of license for a fee.
• Create a tax credit of up to $50,000 to support businesses, such as restaurants, that already paid significant money for their current liquor licenses.
• Allow municipalities to renew, or deny renewal, of an inactive license to sell alcohol if they find the licensee has not made a good faith attempt to put it to use.
• Keep the local review process in place.

This proposal also “would also expand the rights of holders of certain brewery, cidery and meadery, distillery, and winery licenses,” many of which have restrictions on events and what they may serve.

State-imposed restrictions, which went into effect last July, put New Jersey’s booming microbrewery scene in a tight spot. The regulations from the New Jersey Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) include limiting the number of on-site events and private parties that microbreweries can hold, while stating that microbreweries can only let patrons consume their products on-site if they've taken a tour of the brewery in the past year.

The proposed bills by Senator Gordon Johnson (D-7) and Assemblymember Raj Mukherji (D-33) await committee hearings.

Here's a full list of the mayors who signed the open letter supporting liquor license reform in the state:

• Aberdeen - Fred Tagliarini
• Alexandria Township - Robert Mortara
• Andover Borough - John Morgan
• Barrington - Patti Harris
• Bay Head Borough - Bill Curtis
• Berlin Borough - Rick Miller
• Bernardsville - Mary Jane Canose
• Bloomingdale - John D'Amato
• Boonton - Rich Corcoran
• Bradley Beach - Larry Fox
• Chatham Borough - Thaddeus J. Kobylarz
• Chester Borough - Janet Hoven
• Clinton Town - Janice Kovach
• Commercial Twp. - Mike Vizzard
• Delran - Gary Catrambone
• Dover - Carolyn Blackman
• Edgewater Park - Mike Trainor
• Egg Harbor City - Lisa Jiampetti
• Englewood - Michael Wildes
• Fanwood – Colleen Mahr
• Fieldsboro - David Hansell
• Glassboro - John Wallace
• Glen Rock - Kristine Morieko
• Greenwich - Vincent Giovannitti
• Hackensack - John Labrosse
• Harding - Tim Jones
• Hardyston - Brian Kaminski
• Hawthorne - John Lane
• High Bridge - Michele Lee
• Highlands Borough - Carolyn Broullon
• Hightstown Borough - Susan Bluth
• Hillsborough - Shawn Lipani
• Hopewell Boro - Paul Anzano
• Hopewell Twp. - Michael Ruger
• Interlaken - Mike Nohilly
• Irvington - Tony Vauss
• Lambertville - Andrew Nowick
• Lawrence - John Ryan
• Madison - Robert Conley
• Magnolia Borough - BettyAnn Cowling-Carson
• Maplewood - Dean Dafis
• Maurice River - Ken Whildin
• Merchantville - Edward Brennan
• Milford - Henri Schepens
• Morris Plains - Jason Karr
• Morris Twp. - Mark Gyorfy
• Mount Arlington Borough - Michael Stanzilis
• Mount Olive - Rob Greenbaum
• Netcong - Joe Nametko
• Newark - Ras Baraka
• North Plainfield - Larry LaRonde
• Oakland - Linda Schwager
• Oaklyn - Greg Brandley
• Ocean Gate - Robert Curtin
• Ocean Twp. - John P. Napolitani Sr.
• Palmyra - Gina Ragomo Tait
• Peapack & Gladstone - Mark A. Corigliano
• Pennington - Jim Davy
• Pennsauken - Vince Martinez
• Plainfield - Adrian Mapp
• Princeton - Mark Freda
• Raritan Borough - Zack Bray
• Raritan Township - Robyn Fatooh
• River Edge - Thomas Papaleo
• Robbinsville - Dave Fried
• Rocky Hill - Bob Uhrik
• Runnemede - Nick Kappatos
• Saddle Brook - Bob White
• Somerdale Borough - Gary J. Passanante
• South Orange - Sheena Collum
• Spring Lake - Jennifer Naughton
• Stanhope - Patty Zdichocki
• Summit - Nora Radest
• Swedesboro - Tom Fromm
• Tenafly - Mark Zinna
• Ventnor City - Lance B. Landgraf, Jr.
• Vernon - Howard Burrell
• Washington Twp. (Gloucester) - Joann Gattinelli
• Washington Twp. (Morris) - Matthew Murello
• Wenonah Borough - Jessica S. Doheny
• West Wildwood - Matthew Ksiazek
• West Windsor - Hemant Marathe
• Westfield - Shelly Brindle
• Wildwood Crest - Don Cabrera
• Winslow - Marie Lawrence
• Woodbine - WIlliam Pikolycky
• Woodbury Heights - William Packer
• Woodcliff Lake - Carlos Rendo
• Woodland Park - Keith Kazmark
• Woodstown - Don Dietrich