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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 31, 1984)
Wednesday, October 31, 1984 Daily Nebraskan Pago 9 riHKmg concerns near d Ending two-fers is offered By Michelle Kubic Dally Nebraskan Staff Reporter Some local liquor retailers Tues day voiced opposition to the pro posed multiple-drink law during a hearing of the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission. The law would end the common practice of offering multiple drinks for one price by prohibiting the sel ling or advertising of "two-fers" or "three-fers". Russ Kelly of Omaha, represen tative of the Nebraska Licensed Beverage Association, said the rule would put further regula tions on the industry and hinder the free enterprise system. Jim Moylan, the association's attorney, said local establishments would not offer two-fers if it wasn't for the incentive needed in com petitive markets. We ere ecquainled with drink ing habits and are also concerned with alcohol-related prob lems," he said. "A person who abuses alcohol is annoying to cus tomers and drives business away." Terry Schaaf, attorney for the commission, said overseeing the orderly promotion of alcohol in the state is the commission's re sponsibility. "The drafters don't want to prohibit the advertising of the promotion itself," he said, "they want to prohibit an advertised price, based upon quantity con sumed." George Kilpatrick, co-owner op erator of Dinsdales, a downtown bar and restaurant, said the adver tising provision needs to be clear and applied equally. "Is the consumer really being served if he's told there's a special but he's not given a price?" James Hamilton, executive di rector of the Nebraska Council on Alcohol and Drug Education, Inc. said an alcohol-related busi ness is not like any other busi ness. "Selling alcohol is not a right," he said. "It is a privilege given through a licensed system." Helen Patzel, representing the Women's Christian Temperance Union asked the commission to ban all multiple drinks. The alcohol specials push more drinks on drivers as they go out in the heavy traffic." she said. The Lincoln City Council, repre sented by Joe Hampton, expressed its support of the proposal. "Every year we are budgeted tax dollars for dealing with alco hol related problems," he said. "Are we operating in a responsi ble manner if we encourage drunk enness through multiple drinks?" Hampton said Lincoln will deal with the problem on a local basis, if it is not dealt with on the state as a solution level. Some of the witnesses said the problem with alcohol con sumption was a problem in human behavior and attitude. "Eliminating two-fers is a step in eliminating the problem, but it will not solve it." Brenda Wise man, executive director of the Alcoholism Council in Nebraska, said. Kay Neil, a representative of the Mothers Against Drunk Driv ers chapter in Omaha, also said curtailing the sales practices would limit activity but not solve the problem. Members of the commission asked the witnesses to respond in writing to the proposal within the 30-day waiting period before the commission votes on the regu lation. 6merlC0 Tamcm SOCIETY mm mm V mmif fMfisnn mm js MX III II V CO J f " best costumes! iESt JBPf ri mm v,n v m?o