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Watertown council reopens discussion on restaurant liquor-license fee; no vote taken
Summary
Council members debated lowering the city's on-sale full-service restaurant liquor-license fee, citing potential to attract restaurants and increase sales tax revenue; no formal change or vote occurred and the initiating councilman asked for the item to return for a decision in two weeks.
Councilman Jerns opened a council discussion Aug. 4 on a resolution to reset the on-sale license fee for full-service restaurants under chapter 2.02 of the Revised Ordinances of the City of Watertown. The council explored lowering the current fee, which was set at $100,000 by a 2019 resolution, and discussed options including a proposed $25,000 fee and the statutory minimum of $1 per resident. The item matters because the license limits holders to deriving at least 60% of revenue from food, and council members said changing the fee could affect restaurant variety, visitor spending and sales-tax receipts. Councilman Jurins said the state sets a minimum based on population and that "the minimum it could go to is 23,000 based on state law." Councilman Jerns said the city currently…
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