Alcohol Fee on Supes' Menu Today

Luke Thomas

Don't count on support for the 'Alcohol Mitigation Fee' from Mayor Gavin Newsom

​After several weeks of vacation, one of the first items on the Board of Supervisors' schedule: a drink.

The supes will today vote on Supervisor John Avalos' contentious alcohol fee, a charge placed on the city's wholesale alcohol distributors -- and, invariably, passed on to establishments and customers -- to fund services for the city's most desperate alcoholics.

While the fee has been sold as "a nickel a drink," the potential costs to consumers are somewhat amorphous, as it is placed on wholesalers. Less amorphous, however, is the likelihood of a lawsuit should the fee be enacted.

Finally, as the Chronicle pointed out, it takes only six votes to pass a measure -- but eight to withstand a mayoral veto. And swing Supe -- and mayoral candidate -- Bevan Dufty said he's not voting for this.

A veto from Mayor Gavin Newsom -- a former restaurateur who also made plenty of money in the alcohol business -- has been promised.

Update, noon: The supes meeting today was canceled, due to a lack of proper notification. The meeting will either be held later this week or the supervisors will have a double header next week. Looks like Eric Mar didn't need to race back from Burning Man so quickly. 

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