There’s a new proposal to get tough with chronic drunks in the City of Madison. The city would create a “no-serve list” that would ban retailers from selling beer or booze to chronic alcoholics, under a plan from Mayor Dave Cieslewicz and Alderman Michael Schumacher.
Chronic alcoholics have become a chronic problem in Madison, especially downtown. Schumacher says there are up to 150 hard-core alcoholic who are causing most of the problems. Under terms of the proposed ordinance, the city would develop a list of persons deemed off-limits for alcohol sales. Schumacher and others allege chronic drunks are costing the city millions of dollars in police, jail, mental health, detox, and other services.
Green Bay has a similar no-sell list, but it’s only a policy. In Madison, it would be the law, the first in the state to have such an ordinance.
WIBA’s Chandra Lynn submitted this report
