Mar 8, 2009 9:34 pm US/Central
Bill Would Allow Liquor Stores To Open Sundays
ST. PAUL (WCCO) ―
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The mandate was passed nearly a century ago because lawmakers then felt a Sunday concoction of church and liquor should not be mixed. (File)
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Sen. Terri Bonoff (DFL-Minnetonka, Minn.)
Minnesota State Senate
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Rep. Phyllis Kahn (DFL-Minneapolis, Minn.)
Minnesota House of Representatives
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Monday through Saturday, Minnesota liquor stores stay pretty busy. If some state lawmakers have their way they would be even busier.
They want to lift a state mandate that is as old as the Prohibition Era. It requires that liquor stores stay closed on Sundays.
"To me that is an example of government legislating morality. It's an idea that isn't pertinent in today's world," said Sen. Terri Bonoff (DFL-Minnetonka).
The mandate was passed nearly a century ago because lawmakers then felt a Sunday concoction of church and liquor should not be mixed. But with the state's economy suffering, Bonoff thinks it may be time to put the past behind and look for new sources of tax revenue.
"People are talking about, 'Oh, we should open up gambling.' I think here is something that is pretty simple. Just lift a mandate," said Bonoff.
The idea certainly has customer approval.
"I think that would be a great idea. It would catch us up with some of the other states that have already pushed that through. We claim to be progressive, now here is our chance," said liquor store customer Dayton Dinsmore.
In fact, Minnesota is one of only 15 states that requires liquor stores keep their doors closed on Sundays. At least one liquor store manager is okay with that.
"I don't see a benefit of adding an extra day. If it was my decision I would just say no," said Taylor Stein of Hennepin Lake Liquor.
Stein said his store wouldn't do enough business on Sundays to make it worth it, but that's not the main reason he's against the bill.
"Mostly because of the work schedule and things like that. Then you are working seven days a week. If you're going to schedule it the day off it's tough, so that Sunday is a really important day for us," said Stein.
Along the border, Wisconsin liquor stores that are open on Sundays hope their neighbors to the west continue to take Sundays off.
"Personally, as an assistant manager, we like to see the Minnesota business come over here on Sundays. We prefer that they stay closed," said Brian Siedschlag of Chicone's Liquor Mart in Hudson, Wis.
One Hudson liquor store owner said about 75 percent of his business on Sunday is Minnesota customers. The chief author of the bill is Rep. Phyllis Kahn (DFL-Minneapolis). If Kahn's bill becomes law, Minnesota liquor stores would have the option of being open on Sundays or not.
A part of her bill would make it an option for car dealerships to be open on Sundays as well.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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