Przybylo Responds To Liquor License Allegation

Niles Trustee Andrew Przybylo, who is one of two candidates running for mayor in the April 9 election, responded to questions raised by Niles Trustee Jim Hynes about the Village of Niles liquor license Przybylo's family holds by saying his family's business was in transition during the years Hynes referred to.

In a Hynes said the Illinois Liquor Control Act of 1934 prohibited liquor license holders from serving as trustees in village governments in the same village where they held the liquor license.

Przybylo's family business held the liquor license from when he was first elected trustee, in 1989, to 2001, when that part of the law was struck down. His family business still holds the liquor license. Przybylo has served continuously as a trustee from 1989 to the present.

Hynes also said that White Eagle submitted applications for a liquor license in only two of the years from 1989 to 2001. It submitted applications in 2000 and 2002, as shown in the attached .pdf file. However, Niles Village Attorney Joe Annunzio said liquor license holders are not required to file a new application every year unless circumstances change, according to the Journal & Topics. They are, however, required to pay a fee and display a certificate.

Both of the applications contain the question: Is any law enforcing official, trustee, member of a Commission or Board or any president or member of a county board directly or indirectly interested in the business for which license is sought?

The application contains the typewritten anwer, "Yes, Andrew Przybylo, village of Niles trustee."

Przybylo said Monday that during that 1989-2001 time period, his father, who had been the business owner, died, and his mother was in ill health. That left the business in a transition to the ownership of Przybylo and his five siblings.

"The company took on a different tone," he said. "That's when it became clear I had to have the law changed.

"My responsibilities and ownership was changing. I had to change the law or resign."

When asked to clarify the phrase "change the law," he replied, "Petition Springfield to change the law in 2001." That law did change in 2001 to permit liquor license holders to serve as trustees, Przybylo and Hynes agree.

That was the first time state law was changed in a way that facilitated Przybylo holding political office. A second happened more recently.

Reps. John D'Amico (D-Chicago and Niles) and Lou Lang (D-Skokie) sponsored legislation to enable liquor license holders to also serve as mayors. Commenters have suggested Przybylo may be one of a handful of people in the state to benefit from that change in the law. 

See the .pdf files attached to this article to view the liquor license certificates.

Like Niles-Morton Grove Patch on Facebook  

Get Niles and Morton Grove news in a daily email from Patch. It's like getting a free newspaper. Learn more.