Iowa City wants more control over alcohol regulations

The city of Iowa City wants more power over alcohol-related matters, and City Council members made their case to area legislators Monday night.

Council members said they'd like more “home rule” to regulate the licensing, sale, service and consumption of alcoholic beverages. They also said the “good moral character” clause in state law that helps determine who gets a liquor license is too vague and makes it difficult to deny a liquor license.

The issue came up during the council's annual meeting with state lawmakers from the area. Present were Sen. Joe Bolkcom and Rep. Mary Mascher of Iowa City and Sen. Bob Dvorsky and Rep. Dave Jacoby of Coralville. All are Democrats.

Currently, local governments in Iowa have little power to regulate alcohol. That's been an ongoing frustration for Iowa City officials.

For example, the city was rebuffed several months ago in an attempt to crack down on bars that had too many underage people ticketed by police for possessing alcohol, but bars that ran afoul of the city's policy challenged it with the state and won.

“We had no teeth,” council member Terry Dickens said.

That defeat played a major role in the majority of council members approving the current 21-only bar law. Mayor Matt Hayek said having the law upheld by voters in this month's election “slightly mitigated” the city's concern but there is still a desire for more local control.

Mascher asked city staff to draw up specific language for state lawmakers to consider. She also suggested Iowa City officials work with their counterparts in other college towns.

“The better the coalition, the more likely it will get passed,” Mascher said.

Whether the Legislature will take up any proposal is unknown. But Dvorsky said he thought, with more Republicans being elected, there may be more support for getting tough on alcohol than there has been in the past.

The council also shared its economic development priorities. Many were the same as in years past, like no changes to tax increment financing laws and giving cities the power to increase the hotel-motel tax to 9 percent from 7 percent.

During that discussion Dvorsky brought up something that is of interest to many in Eastern Iowa: the Chicago-to-Iowa City passenger rail project that recently received $230 million in federal funding.

Republican governor-elect Terry Branstad has said he will review the plans to see whether he wants the state to go forward with the Amtrak service. Dvorsky said he is hearing that there are concerns on Branstad's team about the approximately $3 million the state would have to cover each year for operating costs.