Buhler also wants the Legislature to loosen overall state liquor law. His plan is to have lawmakers allow cities and towns to decide themselves how many restaurant liquor licenses should be allowed within their jurisdictions. Currently, the ABC department uses a complicated population formula to decide how many restaurant liquor licenses are allowed statewide.

"We can make responsible liquor law changes without changing the character of Salt Lake City," Buhler said. "We are not Las Vegas, never will be and don't want to be."

Buhler, a former GOP state senator and a current eight-year member of the City Council, said he helped pass an alcohol law during his time in the Senate in the mid-1990s. Buhler's bill allowed state liquor stores to start accepting credit cards and checks. Previously, only cash was allowed.

Another of his alcohol bills failed. It would have abolished, or made much easier, the current requirement that a person buy a private-club membership before consuming alcohol in the club.

Buhler criticized Becker, who has been in the House for 11 years, most of it as minority leader, for not even running one liquor bill.

"Now he wants to change some liquor laws," Buhler said. "Where has he been for the last 11 years? Again, I'm the doer, and he's the dreamer," said Buhler, quoting his own mayoral campaign theme.

Becker said he's a political realist. Liquor law in Utah is not going to be made by a Democratic non-LDS legislator, especially one in minority leadership, he said. "Liquor law changes are made by Republican leadership," said Becker, and most, if not all, of those Republican legislators are also members of the LDS Church.

Becker declined to take a position on several possible changes to liquor law, saying generally he wants responsible and reasonable changes that protect the city's character while still being more hospitable to visitors. He added he's willing to look at all ideas.

One rule Becker described as "antiquated and bizarre" deals with having only one drink in front of you at a time. "I hear about this (rule) all the time: People say why can't they order and get a second glass of wine before they finish the first while they are eating dinner. Now you have to drain the last drop before you can get another glass."

Currently, a private club may charge as little as $4 for a temporary membership. Tourists and skiers buy short-term memberships so they can use the club to either just drink liquor, or drink liquor and buy food.

Buhler said he'd like the Legislature to look at changing that membership requirement.

Allowing someone to go into a private club, not buy a membership, and buy a drink is basically allowing sales of liquor by the drink — something leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have steadfastly opposed for years.