Looking to gain favor from pro-liquor advocates, NJ Governor Phil Murphy continues his push for complete liquor-license reform. Murphy prefers complete overhaul rather than small, incremental changes to New Jersey’s liquor laws.
New Jersey’s liquor laws criticized as relics of Prohibition.
Governor Murphy plans to introduce efforts to gradually eliminate the population cap on liquor licenses. Increase the number of available licenses in municipalities over time, allowing the market to grow while maintaining control.
People from other states think our ban on selling beer and wine in supermarkets is as strange as our ban on self-serve gas.
Restaurants in New Jersey are limited to one license per 3,000 residents due to the current NJ cap.
Proposed changes to alcohol laws in New Jersey have caused a disagreement between those who support updating licenses and those who currently hold licenses.
Some are afraid that reform could punish current license holders. Others are worried about too many licenses in the market. This could result in people drinking irresponsibly.
Current NJ liquor license holders fear the value of their license will decline when more are made available.
Instead of signing new bill, Governor Murphy recently directed the ABC, Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control to temporarily suspend enforcement of certain regulations.
I like having a cocktail with my dinner, but I also appreciate the chance to save money by bringing my own (BYO).
It is my understanding that the places that presently have liquor licenses paid a very large amount of money for the liquor licenses which they can make back and more if/when they sell it. They could lose money on the resale if the market gets saturated with licenses.
In a highly regulated state such as New Jersey, it is interesting to note that marijuana is legal (via voters) and now NJ wants more liquor licenses.
Sounds like the tax revenues could also be driving this.
Might as well legalized prostitution at this point in NJ.
Lets leave this alone, there is a place for both BYOB and liquor license restaurants. My wife and I eat out frequently and appreciate we can have a good meal at Barrel’s or Sunday Gravy for $40 per person. Add a $15 bottle of wine and for about $115 we have a good meal with wine.
We also appreciate restaurants like Doc’s where we spend about $170 with cocktails. Let’s keep our choices, I like it the way it is now.
Who is tired of $18 martinis, $16 glasses of wine with a 2 inch pour?
Stop Murphy.
This decision is against liquor store owners, who paid more than Half million dollars to get license. These laws should not be passed.
Yes, some people paid a lot of money for those liquor licenses that will go down in value.
Time for change. Million dollars for a liquor license is insane.
What’s next? $5 million for a liquor license while a few miles away in NY you can get a wine and beer license for five thousand dollars?
Let’s finally give small restaurants a chance to survive in NJ.
I’m a small restaurant fighting to buy a liquor license for my restaurant. The owner of it wants $350k in order for me to purchase.
There’s only 2 liquors license in this small city. I don’t have choice. I need it to continue doing business, otherwise I might have to sell or close the restaurants.
Murphy proposal will help a lot of restaurants.