‘Beer Sales at Gas Stations’

I read with interest Lu Haas’ letter (April 15, “Beer Sales at Gas Stations”) regarding AB 937.

Haas served on Atty. Gen. John K. Van de Kamp’s Commission on the Prevention of Drug and Alcohol Abuse. In fact, he was chairman of the Law Enforcement Committee of the commission.

The commission’s report, however, does not say what Haas implies. It does not recommend categorically banning the concurrent sale of alcohol and gasoline. Rather, it urges “the use of zoning ordinances, conditional use permits and environmental impact hearing procedures designed to reduce alcohol problems in the community.” That is exactly what AB 937 does.

Further, in the detailed information contained in the attorney general’s report, the use permit ordinance and regulation of alcohol outlets developed by the South-Central Organizing Committee in Los Angeles is cited as the outstanding example of how local communities should proceed in this area. That ordinance is the model used to develop AB 937. SCOC is among the supporters of this bill.

Haas clearly didn’t read AB 937 before he wrote The Times. It also seems he didn’t read the attorney general’s report.

AB 937 affirms local control over outlets that sell alcohol and gasoline. Nothing in the bill prevents any city or county from making a determination whether these outlets should exist and under what conditions they must operate. The League of California Cities and CSAC (the major associations which represent local government interests before the Legislature) were instrumental in the negotiations on this bill. AB 937 is based on the adopted policy of the League of California Cities. League staff was involved in every aspect of the negotiations. Every word in the bill was approved by league staff.

The bill’s 72-hour minimum suspension procedure when a licensee sells to minors gives both the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control and local law enforcement a necessary hammer to crack down on irresponsible operators.

There is no question that the enforcement of alcohol laws and the proliferation of alcohol licenses are problems in California. The Assembly will soon be considering a bill to limit off-sale licenses.

AB 937 works to prevent sales to minors and to reduce the drinking and driving problem. It does not increase drunk driving or law enforcement problems or create “crime centers” in our communities. Haas does the public a disservice with his kind of hysterical misinformation.

GARY A. CONDIT, D-Ceres

Assemblyman, 27th District

Sacramento