State Street business representatives expressed frustration Tuesday after Mayor Dave Cieslewicz requested that bars close early Halloween weekend.
On any other Sunday morning of the year, State Street area taverns would close at 2 a.m. But at 2 a.m. on the Sunday of Halloween weekend, clocks will turn back one hour for daylight savings. In theory, taverns would gain an extra hour of business time. However, Cieslewicz is requesting that bars close at 2 a.m. and forgo the additional hour.
Kevin Braun, Co-Manager of City Bar, 636 State St., said he disagrees with Cieslewicz's proposal.
\Closing bars earlier won't send people home earlier; instead they will just congregate on State Street longer,"" Braun said. ""Students aren't dumb, if the bars close earlier, they will just go out to party earlier and cause even more problems.""
Braun is not concerned about losing business profit with one less hour, rather, he is ""worried about people being angrier and drunker"" if they have to tell patrons that the bars are required to close an hour earlier due to daylight-saving time.
Cieslewicz's argument for the proposal is that it ""will allow us to save some costs"" on paying Madison Police Department officers overtime. However, Braun questions whether that compensates for bars losing an hour of profitable income.
City Bar bartender Beth Kakeldy said she agrees. ""It won't be a positive thing losing an hour. What is the point of it? Halloween has never posed any big issues within the bar; it's busier but not rowdier than any other football Saturday,"" she said.
Nick Pazour, manager of Kollege Klub, 529 N. Lake St., also disagrees with the proposition of bars losing an hour of business.
""When the bars close everybody floods State Street and acts stupid,"" he said.
""Maybe letting the bars stay open later and letting people kind of filter out would work out better [than closing bars earlier],"" Pazour said.
""The earlier bars close, ultimately, the less liquor people can obtain,"" Associated Students of Madison Council Chair Eric Varney said.
""The city is doing a good job of planning out the event beforehand,"" he added. Though the multifaceted debate has yet to reach a final decision, Varney said he is optimistic. ""Hopefully it will just be a good Halloween,"" he said.
