Councilman takes up call to make alcohol permiting easier for new restaurants

GAINESVILLE - A Gainesville City Councilman wants to make it a bit easier on new restaurants that sell a cocktail or glass of wine.

Councilman Danny Dunagan proposes to pro-rate the city's alcohol permit fee...it's $5,000 and that's a lot of money if a vendor has to pay the full fee in August or September, then pay it again the first of the year.

"They would pay a pro-rated fee for September, October, November and December instead of paying for the whole year and then again in January have to pay for another year," Dunagan said. "It gives the restaurant owner a benefit, they just need to do it without spending a whole $5,000 for a two, three or four month period."

Dunagan says restaurants opening the first six months would pay the full fee; he expects Council to take action on his proposal in January.