Proposed Single Beer Ban Aimed at Panhandlers

The Center City Commission wants to ban single beer sales, in an attempt to cut back on panhandlers.

The idea behind this ordinance is that it would cut down on panhandling and public drunkenness by making the single beers harder to buy. But the opposition to the ordinance says it hurts downtown businesses and doesn't help the root problems of the homeless.

Brad Watkins, with the Mid-South Peace and Justice Center, calls the timing of the ordinance ironic, as we come upon the holiday season.

"Here we are the day before Thanksgiving when the pilgrims, who were panhandlers themselves, survived because of the charity of Native Americans," says Watkins.

The ordinance would ban single beer sales in most of downtown Memphis. Beale Street is exempt and will still allow open containers. The CCC says its goal is simple.

"Enjoy downtown instead of being harassed by panhandlers," says Ernest Strickland, a member of the Center City Commission Board of Directors.

But opponents say the homeless will still find a way to get their alcohol.

"You're either going to encourage people to panhandle more aggressively or commit more serious crimes to buy pints of liquor or to buy six packs of beer," says Watkins.

The city does not have the power to restrict liquor. So the mom and pop stores, which rely on single beer sales, say they will be the ones to suffer.

"We're going to go out of business," says Senait Yohaness, cashier at Brothers Sundry. "If we can't sell lose beers, then we'll just shut it down."

Yohaness says the way the map is drawn, they can't sell lose beers, but the BP next door can.

The CCC says the aim of this ordinance is to protect the downtown community, not hurt it.

"We took the approach of looking at the foot print and where we're finding problems and work our way from that information," Strickland.

"This isn't a solution, it's bad science," says Strickland. "We need to deal more comprehensively with the problems of addiction, with homelessness in this city before we go to criminalization."

This proposed ordinance is not yet on the city council agenda but the CCC hopes to put it before the council soon.