The Associated Students of Madison's Legislative Affairs Committee met with Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, Monday to discuss the Alcohol Beverage Licesnse Density Ordinance as well as other downtown issues pertaining to UW-Madison students.
According to Verveer, ABLDO is an ordinance created two years ago that allows only businesses that make a majority of their money from sales other than alcohol to obtain liquor licenses.
Verveer said the ordinance expires by the end of 2010 and said that is too long to wait.
He added he strongly opposes ABLDO because it greatly limits the number of businesses capable of gaining liquor licenses in Madison.
""I am constantly … hearing from potential business owners that would like to open in downtown Madison who are not eligible to do so because of the density ordinance,"" he said. ""I don't want to avoid potentially cool establishments coming to the downtown area.""
Verveer also discussed ASM's nomination for the replacement of Mark Woulf, the former non-voting technical adviser on the Alcohol License Review Committee who was recently appointed to a voting position on the committee.
He said he encourages ASM to nominate a woman to the position.
""There has been strong pressure to nominate a female,"" he said. ""I think it is pathetic that there is only one female voting member on the ALRC.""
Verveer said, however, that he feels the responsibility to make the ALRC more diverse should not solely rest in the hands of ASM.
""It's somewhat disconcerting that [Mayor Dave Cieslewicz] is asking ASM to create the diversity on the committee when he didn't do much to create it himself,"" he said.
Verveer also discussed ways to provide more alternative weekend activities in Madison for students who are under 21.
He said many downtown venues cut 18+ events that could have provided underage students alternative weekend activities because they choose not to buy the necessary licenses.
""You just can't make enough money off of folks who aren't drinking,"" he said, advising ASM members to lobby directly to the bars if they want more alternatives to drinking on the weekends.
