REVEALED: The New York towns that STILL ban booze nine decades after end of prohibition

Release time：2024-05-21 09:18:30 Source：International Identities news portal

New York towns and villages that still ban booze nine decades post-prohibition could soon be forced to lift restrictions under a new bill moving through the Legislature. 

The proposed legislation, which is up for a state Senate vote, seeks to overturn a 1934 law that allowed communities to opt to stay dry after the end of Prohibition.

Today, seven communities in New York maintain complete bans on alcohol sales, according to the New York State Liquor Authority - with the largest the town of Caneadea in western New York, home to approximately 2,000 residents. 

The bill's sponsor argues lifting restrictions will give a boost to local businesses and make life more convenient for those who have to travel out of town to buy liquor. 

'This ain't the Prohibition era any longer. We live in New York in 2024, and this thing is kind of silly,' said state Sen. James Skoufis, a Democrat who chairs a legislative committee that most of the state alcohol laws pass through. 

But critics are furious at the idea of the state taking control away from locals and point to health concerns. 

If passed, the legislation would impact several towns, including Caneadea, Clymer, and Orwell, among others

New York towns and villages that still ban booze nine decades post-prohibition might be forced to lift such restrictions under a new bill moving through the Legislature 

The largest dry town is Caneadea in western New York, home to around 2,000 residents

Resistance to a law change is widely expected, particularly in the Assembly, where lawmakers may be hesitant to strip powers away from local officials. 

Some town leaders question the necessity of overturning these long-standing bans, arguing that there are more pressing issues facing the state. 

Senator George Borrello raised concerns about diverting attention from critical issues including crime and affordability.

'The more Democrats can talk about meaningless issues like adultery and prohibition, the less they have to talk about the real issues that they have failed our state on, like crime, affordability and migrants,' he told the New York Post.

'If you really would like to do something to help the economies of small towns, there are certainly more things to do than overrule their local rules.' 

Borrello suggests that local communities should retain the authority to make decisions regarding alcohol sales. 

He argued that there is no urgent need for the bill, as towns would consider new business ventures if proposed.

'If there is someone who wanted to open up a brewery or distillery or a gas station or a grocery store I think these towns would consider it,' he said. 

Today, only seven communities in New York maintain complete bans on alcohol sales, according to the New York State Liquor Authority

Others highlighted the health concerns that come with drinking. 

Philip Stockin, Caneadea's deputy town supervisor, emphasized drinking as a significant public health issue.

'It gets frustrating when the state hands down mandates, it takes more and more control away from the locals,' he said to the New York Post. 

Former town councilmember Jeffrey Graham argued that the lack of alcohol sales has minimal impact on the area's economy.

'You might have a friend or someone you know make a joke about it, but it's really not a big deal,' Graham told the outlet. 

Despite potential opposition, supporters of the bill argue that it is time for these hold-out towns to align with the 21st century. 

Many other US communities fully or partially ban alcohol sales. Pennsylvania, for example, has about 675 that enforce some sort of restriction.

The push to repeal Prohibition-era laws comes as recent successful legislative efforts passed, including the successful repeal of an adultery ban in the state.

'There are plenty of laws whose purpose is directly to protect the community,' said Assemblyman Charles Lavine, the sponsor of the bill that would repeal the law.

'On the other hand, some laws embody nothing more than someone's idea of moral outrage,' Lavine, a Democrat from Nassau County, told the Times Union.

Seventeen other US states, as well as the US territory of Puerto Rico, consider adultery a criminal offense.

In Oklahoma, Michigan, and Wisconsin it is a felony.

It is a misdemeanor in Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Virginia, and Puerto Rico

Under current New York law, adultery is a Class B misdemeanor.

The law defines adultery, too: 'A person is guilty of adultery when he engages in sexual intercourse with another person at a time when he has a living spouse, or the other person has a living spouse.'

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