Is wine loving Mayor Bloomberg out to limit the sale of booze in New York City? According to a report in the New York Post, the answer is yes. Following up on his quest to limit salt and fight obesity, the Mayor and Department of Health are set to release a set of Partnership for a Healthier New York City initiatives, one of which is to reduce the number of places residents can shop for alcohol. The Fund For Public Health, which is a public private partnership with DOH, recently released an RFP to community groups which seeks to award up to $500,000 to five community groups to advance the six initiatives, one of which is "reducing alcohol retail outlets (bar, corner store) and curbing illegal alcohol sales." By illegal alcohol, we presume they mean nutcrackers.
The initiative stems from the role that alcohol consumption plays in drunk driving deaths, homicides, and accidental deaths, as well as a increase in binge drinking among underage drinkers. DOH also wants to limit alcohol advertising in the subway system, which the MTA will definitely love. Will this proposal go anywhere? Saloon owners are already lining up to fight any restrictions, but this plan will definitely get the support of the community boards and good government groups. But don't worry, your local bar or corner store aren't going to disappear anytime soon. This is just a solicitation of ideas.
· Mayor's Plan To Limit Booze Sales [NYP}
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