Shook Strongly Opposes Extending Bar Closing Time

Buckhead City Councilman Howard Shook, who represents District 7, on Tuesday issued a statement strongly opposing District 2 Councilman Kwanza Hall's proposed legislation to extend bar hours to 4 a.m.

Here is Shook's statement:

"Legislation was recently introduced by Councilman Kwanza Hall that would extend bar and nightclub pouring hours to 4 a.m.

Are you interested in reliving the weekly nightmare of impassable streets, noise, trash, and crime (including, predictably, shootouts and stabbings) that defined our last period of pre-dawn closing hours? When the police who should have been patroling our homes and businesses were instead babysitting those who believed themselves entitled to indulge in taxpayer-supported carousing and violence?

Me, neither.

The legislation’s preamble is revealingly devoid of the usual flowery ‘Whereas’ clauses trumpeting the law’s promised benefits. That’s because there aren’t any.  The “International City” argument? Too many great cities have identical or earlier bar closing times.  New revenue? We already know that to be an urban myth; in the year following implementation of the earlier closing time alcohol license applications actually increased, and there was no measurable loss of city revenue.  What did drop—and fast—was crime, particularly in areas with high concentrations of bars and nightclubs. 

This is not serious policy-making; it is frivolous publicity-seeking with demonstrably dangerous consequences.  I am seeking to defeat this legislation as quickly as possible."

Howard Shook

Atlanta City Council

District 7