Free Liquor In El Paso County
By Laurie Ciprianol.cipriano@krdo.com
EL PASO COUNTY – Liquor stores in unincorporated El Paso County can start offering free liquor and wine tastings for customers. In a four to one vote, El Paso County Commissioners authorized the resolution on Tuesday.
“I think anytime you pass out free samples of something, that encourages people to partake of it,” said El Paso County Commissioner Wayne Williams. “And when that happens, there is a certain percentage of the population that may wind up not being able to treat it responsibly.” Commissioner Williams voted against the resolution.
The rest of the commissioners voted to in favor of allowing retail liquor stores to offer tastings. “So virtually any liquor store with a current license could partake,” said El Paso County Commissioner Dennis Hisey.
There are some ground rules. “No more than 104 days a year, so it’s not an everyday occurrence,” said Commissioner Hisey. “No more than five hours at a time, and definitely, it cannot begin before eleven in morning and must end by seven o’clock p.m.” The alcohol must also be consumed on the premises.
“My concern was, based on the lack of discretion given to local government, I didn’t think we could necessarily make sure that everything was addressed that they people of this county might want to have addressed in such a provision,” said Commissioner Williams.
