Statistics show law producing results

By Matt Hayek

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On June 1, Iowa City joined most Big Ten communities and college towns throughout America whose bar entry age is 21. For four hours a

day - from

10 p.m. to

2 a.m. - minors cannot be in liquor establishments other than restaurants and, soon, music venues. There are well-intentioned people on both sides of the issue. But what has the ordinance accomplished, and what do we risk if it is repealed?

Iowa City's reputation for great culture, athletics and restaurants is deserved. But our binge-drinking reputation is abnormal even relative to peer communities. University of Iowa undergraduates binge drink at a rate more than twice the national average. They get into more trouble and suffer worse consequences than their peers.

Police and other data from June 1 through Sept. 30, compared to the same period last year, are telling.

Before the ordinance, half of all 911 calls downtown concerned alcohol and were dominated by 19-year-olds. Since June 1, emergency rooms report a decrease in alcohol poisoning and alcohol-related trauma, and downtown public intoxication arrests have decreased

41 percent.

Before the ordinance, criminal activity downtown was common. Since June 1, in the downtown and near-campus neighborhoods, assaults are down 54 percent, sexual assaults are down

50 percent, and reports of intoxicated pedestrians are down 59 percent.

Before the ordinance, Iowa City was a mecca for minors who drove from hours away, hit the bars and drove home. Since June 1, OWI's have dropped 22 percent.

The bars say they offer a safer environment, preventing underage drinking and protecting those who do drink. Yet since June 1, underage drinking arrests in bars are down 91 percent. Recently, a 21-year-old undergraduate, following his second public intoxication arrest, told UI officials he was served 18 free shots in a downtown bar during the Arizona game.

Some have called these figures “dumb stats.” I call them results.

The bars claim that house parties are out of control. Iowa City has always had house parties and always will. But they do not attract out-of-towners like 19-plus bars do. Since June 1, police calls for loud parties in the near-campus neighborhoods are down 7 percent. Liquor stores report no increase in sales. And with a calmer downtown, our police can finally devote more resources to the neighborhoods and beyond.

The city spent 15 years pushing the bars to address underage consumption. It increased enforcement, formed task forces and waited for the bars to make good on multiple promises to do better. Meanwhile, police, ambulance and other services drained our tax dollars.

State law severely limits what cities can do to punish individual bars unable or unwilling to control their environments. The 21 ordinance may be our last available tool.

On June 1, Iowa City became part of the rule and not the exception. We joined communities like Madison, Wis., Berkeley, Calif., and Austin, Texas - all 21 only and all thriving college towns. This is not about the drinking age, which we cannot control. This is about addressing a serious problem and improving our community.

Four months in, downtown is safer, our neighborhoods are safer and the sky has not fallen. The 21 ordinance is not a panacea, but it is doing what we hoped it would. I encourage voters to give it a chance. Vote “no” on Nov. 2 and you will do just that.

Matt Hayek, mayor of Iowa City, is co-chairman of 21 Makes Sense. Comments: Matt-Hayek@iowa-city.org