(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Bar owners are pushing back against a liquor tax hike proposal from Mayor Brandon Johnson that they say would ultimately decrease tax revenue.
“Balance your budget like I do. Manage like I have to,” Robert Gomez said.
Gomez, owner of several live music venues and restaurants in the city to include Subterranean in Wicker Park, Beat Kitchen in Roscoe Village and at Navy Pier, says that he’s unwilling to get rid of his employees while already operating on a razor thin margin. If liquor taxes were raised by more than 34 percent, he’ll instead have to hike that cost to the customers.
“You know, we're already, what, $8 for a beer, I’d have it at 10 at some point. Those prices encourage people to not drink and just wait till they get home.”
Gomez says that bar customers have already been spending less since the legalization of recreational cannabis, from an average of 2.5 drinks per customer to 1.8 and that ultimately a tax hike on liquor would just mean customers not spending the money, and therefore decreasing the amount of tax dollars the city receives.
“Because you can’t price your way out of this.”
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