(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot is backing down from her bid to drastically cut late-night packaged liquor sales in the city.
The mayor’s office on Tuesday said Lightfoot and some aldermen have revised a controversial proposal that would have ended liquor sales at 10 p.m. at convenience and other stores within city limits.
The new ordinance set to be introduced in committee on Thursday would end package liquor sales after midnight.
Critics have said allowing late-night liquor sales encourages loitering and bad behavior at stores.
But some aldermen balked at the 10 p.m. time suggested previously by Lightfoot. It’s not clear if her compromise ordinance would have enough support to pass.
Three supportive aldermen are quoted in the Lightfoot Administration’s news release from Tuesday, including Lake View’s Tom Tunney.
“As we enter Phase 5, businesses and communities throughout the city are facing a pivotal moment,” the 44th Ward alderman said. “The midnight liquor curfew is a good compromise between the needs of businesses that are working to recover from the pandemic and the needs of residents that face quality of life issues in their neighborhoods.”
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