Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board Waives Some 2021 Licensing Fees
By: KDKA-TV News Staff
HARRISBURG (KDKA) - The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board is waiving 2021 licensing fees for businesses hit the hardest by the coronavirus pandemic.
An estimated $27.7 million in fees will be forgiven for businesses like those with restaurant and club licenses, the Liquor Control Board says.
The board approved the measure by a 2-1 vote.
"Following the Governor's request last week to waive license fees and provide some relief to struggling businesses, the PLCB did its due diligence in evaluating our authority to waive fees authorized by various state laws, as well as the fiscal impact of doing so," said Board Chairman Tim Holden in a press release.
Gov. Tom Wolf announced his plan to waive liquor licenses fees when he was in Pittsburgh last week at LeMont on Mt. Washington. Restaurants and bars, which can currently operate at 50% capacity, have been hit hard by the pandemic.
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The dissenting member of the 2-1 vote, Mike Negra, said he supports efforts to give bars and restaurants relief but doesn't believe the board has the authority to waive statutorily established fees.
The Pennsylvania Licensed Beverage and Tavern Association's executive director Chuck Moran issued a statement saying waiving fees is something they've been requesting as part of a larger recovery package.
"While waiving certain licensing fees won't bring that much financial relief, it is a matter of principle to help those who are able to survive until then, and as we have said in the past, it is one piece of the puzzle," Moran's statement read.
Moran goes on to say that they association would have liked to see 2020 fees waived, something "that apparently the PLCB could have done."
Licensees can go online to see what fees are being waived.
"We believe it's the right thing to do in support of our restaurants, bars, and gathering places, so we're glad next year to ease the financial burden to some extent for these local businesses," said Holden.
