San Francisco supervisors today fell one vote short of overturning a mayoral veto on a proposed fee on alcohol.
The measure would have imposed a fee on alcohol distributors and wholesalers in the city, with the revenue going toward recovering the city’s alcohol-related health care and ambulance costs. It would have also helped pay for alcohol prevention and treatment programs.
Restaurant and bar owners in the city, who argued it would hurt business, opposed the fee.
The measure’s sponsor, Supervisor John Avalos, said the effects on businesses would be minimal and that individual drinks might go up by about 5 cents.
Newsom vetoed the measure, citing the city’s fragile economy and potential legal challenges to the legislation.
The board tallied a 7-3 vote today in favor of overturning Newsom’s veto but needed eight votes to do so.
Ari Burack, Bay City News
