Pier Alcohol Ban an Overreaction
* Even though one expects politicians to be a little nuttier than usual when an election draws near, the action of the Ventura City Council in banning alcohol on the newly restored pier is a mind-boggler.
Perhaps the council has already forgotten that one of the methods being used to raise funds for the pier is the sale of private labeled “Ventura Pier Wine.” Is the vineyard now going to provide non-alcoholic wine? Or is the council prepared to amend the ordinance to allow the sale of a private label “Pier Beer”?
The council action is an over-reaction to a problem which should be solved by dealing with a few unruly people, instead of regulating everyone who uses the pier and adjacent areas. Even the council members themselves admit the ordinance will be difficult to enforce, and a poor use of an overloaded Police Department.
Additionally, the negative effect any enforcement action will have on tourism seems to be in direct conflict with the reason the pier was restored in the first place.
Perhaps when Election Day is past, the new council will wake up and realize that controlling public drunkenness doesn’t require the use of Blue Laws.
Frank Salowitz
Oxnard
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