Reader comments
Most Salt Lakers want to loosen liquor laws; so do 2 candidates

The private-club law needs to go. It does nothing but hassle the residents of, and visitors to, this state. It doesn't stop anybody from getting a drink who wants to get one, but it offends tourists who have to fill out paperwork and pay for a temporary membership to an establishment they may never visit again in their lives. It treats them like suspected criminals. That sort of inhospitable attitude is the cause almost all of the negative press toward this state and its citizens. Why does Utah insist on being different?

I wonder if the family of the woman who was just killed by the drunk driver feels alcohol is too difficult to get in Utah.

I moved here two years ago and love the fact it's not like other big cities I've lived in. There is still enough crime but alchohol abuse is high and only adds to crime, spousal abuse, child abuse, drunk driving deaths, teen-age addictions etc.... Do we really want that for our town? Keep alchohol out!

I'm sorry Conejo, but the drunk driver would have relatively little difficulty getting booze, no matter what the laws might be. If members of the LDS church wish not to drink, I respect that completely. But if they expect to extend that to me, they've got another think coming. The vast majority of people that drink do so in moderation. They're adults and don't need a set of nanny laws. There are problem drinkers of course, but the years of Prohibition proved that you can't legislate better behavior.

Personally, I think it should be much, much harder to buy Jello. Now THERE's a problem.

I don't get it. Why would Utah have to be like all the other states? Yes, being different can be tough but it is worth it. I live in a country (in Europe)where liquor is causing multiple problems. I don't have the statistics, but I am sure more people get killed here by drunken drivers than in Utah. You cannot allow drinking without suffering the consequences. It is easy for individuals to say we want more freedom in this and that. But the society (you and me, eventually) get to carry the burden of bad choices in higher taxes and added safety issues. Utah is still a relatively safe place. You should keep it like that.

I'm glad the state legislature sets liquor laws, not the mayoral candidates. If they could ensure that all the irresponsible drunkards they facilitate would operate their vehicles only within Salt Lake City limits, if all the violent drunks would only beat the wives and children that are physically within Salt Lake City limits, if they could restrict all the other alcohol caused damage to within city limits, then let them set their booze laws. I thought the days of �more alcohol will solve all the city�s problems� were ending with Rocky�s decision not to inflict us with 4 more years of his mismanagement.

Listen, Utah was better 20 years ago. People move to Utah from California and every other place, because it is a better place to live. If someone doesnt like it. Can move down to las Vegas. Utah has to be what it was built to be. A safer place. Don't come and try to destroy it anymore.

It would seem to me that if those residents of Salt Lake City who wish to imbibe in drinking alcohol want to make it easier to buy the stuff, they might rather consider moving down the road a bit to Los Vegas, whereat they may more easily indulge in all the other things which detract from the dignity of being a child of God. More simply put, knowing that Salt Lake City is the world headquarters for the LDS Church and its Word of Wisdom, people who wish to drink should live elsewhere.

What??!! You have to discuss a bill with the church! What happened the the separation of church and state? The church needs to stay out of it. I am LDS (I do not consume alcohol), but not a Utah Mormon, so I guess I'm a bit more liberal about such things. Have been here about 10 years now and have noticed that "most" Utah mormons are self righteous and very judgemental. I say have our liquor laws on par with other states.

Due respect to any family suffering a loss as a result of drunk driving, but the argument is not there.

We've the most liberal concealed weapons laws in the nation. Worse yet, cigarettes are readily available here; smoking related deaths kill several people in Utah every day. We've already made peace with the idea that adult citizens of our society are supposed to be able to make choices which may have significant effect on themselves and others. It's hypocritical to think we can't bring some of our laws concerning alcohol into the realm that reflects this.

The rule changes proposed by Becker and Buhler would decrease the number of drunk drivers on the road, not increase them. The logic is simple: if no more than two private clubs are allowed on one lenghty Salt Lake City block, patrons must drive to get to other clubs. If the rule were to be removed, those who choose to drink could simply walk from bar to bar, without endangering anyone.

We are not from SLC or USA, but in the last 12 years every time (almost 10 trips) when me and my family have traveled to this city we have seen a negative change in the city; more places that sell alcohol, more addicted, more racketeers, more assaults, I believe that changing the laws will end up destroying the reasons for those that many non-LDS decided to move to SLC.

I totally agree with Carlos! Keep Utah different! No one is forced to move there. Plenty of space in other states for people who cannot live without booze. The simple fact is that people do bad things to other people and if they drink they just do worse things and more often. And even good people under the influence of alcohol do bad things they would never do when they are sober.

Then where do they go after each bar they walk to? Driving home. Hmmmm!

Most European countries have lower instances of drunk driving than the US not more. This is true despite the fact that liquor laws are more liberal there. The reason is because they have more walkable cities (they drive less) and they have harsher drunk driving laws. The answer isn't in restricting access to liquor. (People will always get liquor in other ways.) The "club" restrictions in Utah are a joke that only serve to create bad will against an otherwise pleasant state and people. It's time eliminate these silly and worthless restrictions.

What happened to seperation of church and state? Isn't exercising your agency something the LDS church teaches? According to LDS teachings, there was another person who wanted to impose laws on God's children and compel them to comply....

All we ever read about is how the liquor laws should be loosened. Fine, I will go along with looser laws as long as there is increased enforcement of existing laws and some new ones. For instance, every first time DUI offense should require the guilty party to install a device on their car so that the car is automatically unable to start if the offender has had too much to drink. Also, I find it interesting that Salt Lakers are in favor of loosening liquor laws when many recent alcohol related traffic deaths have occurred in the City. The Williams family (four victims) was nearly wiped out last February by a drunk teenage driver who obtained the alcohol illegally through an adult. The City has not pursued or prosecuted the adult(s) involved in this crime that led to the deaths of four people. Why not? It only took investigators three weeks to track down the adults who supplied the guns to the teenager who gunned down people at Trolley Square. Why are the adult(s) who supplied alcohol to a teenager who killed four people getting a pass? Where are Buhler and Becker on this issue?

"We need to be hospitable to those who drink responsibly"

Responsible drinking is an oxymoron. There is simply too much damage done at so many levels.

Use alcohol consumption to create a vibrant downtown? What, you can't eat, dance and have a street scene and atmosphere without booze? I am sick of it. Never mind the museums, orchestras, opera, ballet, theater companies, sports venues, historical sites, universities, art galleries, libraries, outdoor recreation opportunities, planetariums, zoos, etc. There is evidently no culture in Utah, and nothing worth doing unless you can get properly soused in the process.

People come to Utah because it is different, because of the high values that contribute to a good family atmosphere. There is no point or value in undermining those with the worst catalyst for trouble in the history of the world, and making us just like every other cosmopolitan center of the world. We don't need a watering hole on every corner. As has been pointed out, even with the laws as they are, getting your drinks isn't difficult. Loosen the laws, and all the extra profits can be spent of fixing the added social problems easy alcohol brings. Won't that be nice.

What they need to do is harden the law against drunk drivers. It seems alot of first offense DUI's result in a fine and a slap on the wrist. There should be jail time, even if its just for a few days. Most people drink responsibly so if they want to change the alchohol laws thats fine by me but make the penalty for people who drive drunk alot harsher.

Federal, state and local laws shouldn't all be the same...they are developed by the people living in specific geographical regions...based on the norms and values of that group. Elected officials should reflect the will of the people.

It only stands to reason a place with a higher LDS population would have more stringent liquor laws, just as it makes sense a rural agricultural area would have more lenient laws on semi-truck parking within city limits than a metropolitan area.

As a reporter for an Oregon newspaper, I regularly attend city council meetings in five different municipalities. Those sitting in the council chambers should cast their votes based on the people they represent...so they SHOULD be getting input from citizens.

It's interesting to see how few attend meetings...all of which have specific time on the agenda for comments from the audience. When there's a "hot topic" people will flood a meeting to give input about something and then leave...not caring about the rest of the city business.