NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Reno County Commissioners approved a resolution last fall to put to the people the question of removing the required 30% food sales requirement for liquor by the drink, that question is on the ballot Nov. 7.
"This is any business that has a liquor license to sell beer, wine, cider, etc. in the glass to the public," said Pippin Williamson with Sandhills Brewing. "Now, any of those businesses, including all of our breweries, our restaurants, anybody that has a liquor license, that even includes places like the Fox Theatre, are required to sell 30% of their gross sales in food."
Sandhills had an issue with their liquor license this last time around as just weeks before their deadline they had not sold enough food to maintain compliance with the 30% rule.
"Putting limits on businesses in these ways and trying to regulate what people can or cannot consume and what businesses can or cannot sell in terms of food and drinking establishments, just doesn't really work very well," Williamson said. "In the last few years, we've seen, I think, five different counties have gotten rid of this and many more before that. In recent years, Johnson County, Sedgwick County, Republic County, Butler County, all of those have voted to get rid of this, and generally for the same reason."
According to Williamson, McPherson County is also considering a ballot question to drop the food requirement in this election.
"It's a stifler of economic development," Williamson said. "If you think about a business that's going to consider opening. Let's say that it's from somebody that's split the difference between Sedgwick and Reno County, if they can look at those two counties and say, in this one, I'm going to be able to operate the way that I want, let's say that they are opening an establishment that features alcohol in some way, but is not a restaurant, they're going to look at Sedgwick County and say, well that one is much more favorable to my business model. I'm going to go there, instead of Reno County."
Williamson was before the county commission last fall requesting the vote after a herculean effort by the community of $42,000 in food in just five days got enough food purchased for this renewal.
The election Nov. 7 is a city and school board election and those traditionally have lower turnout numbers, so every vote, either way, is much more likely to have an effect on the outcome.
Below is Nick Gosnell's full conversation with Williamson.
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