Baton Rouge Council Seek To Limit Liquor Stores

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Three East Baton Rouge Parish Metro Council members say they want to make it more difficult for liquor stores and bars to open in low-income areas that are already brimming with alcohol outlets.

The Advocate reports (http://bit.ly/10V4F6K ) Councilwomen Tara Wicker, Ronnie Edwards and Donna Collins-Lewis are proposing changes in city-parish ordinances that would give the Alcohol Beverage Control board more leverage to reject requests for liquor licenses.

The measure, which will be heard by the Metro Council on Wednesday, is building on a two-year battle that some council members have mounted — with results they say have been less than satisfactory.

Edwards said she can't recall a single license that's been denied by the ABC board since earlier changes were implemented two years ago.