A $20,000 Liquor License Application Fee for the City of Belvidere? YIKES!

The following  “Letter to the Editor”  from Diann Helnore  has been submitted to both Rockford Register Star and the Boone County Journal for immediate publication.   Diann has requested that I post it here.

A $20,000 Liquor License Application Fee for the City of Belvidere? YIKES!

And, I understand that this is just the Application Fee not the Annual $1400 Liquor License Renewal Fee.

Like a number of others, since I heard about this requirement, I have been guilty of going on line to search for similar liquor license application fees in other Cities and Municipalities in Illinois. I have not been able to find ANY, even in the larger Cities. All I can say regarding this subject is WHY is Belvidere so different than everyone else? Also like many others, I am guilty of wanting to enjoy a glass of wine when dining out in the evening. This ordinance is daunting my restaurant choices and hindering my support of our local establishments.

Perhaps when originated it was just not a well thought out ordinance. Because, if this Liquor License Application Fee’s intent was to make the City of Belvidere money, it does not appear to have done that. (It would be interesting to know how many $20,000 Liquor license Application Fees have actually been collected.) If the purpose of this ordinance was to keep people out of the restaurant business in Belvidere it probably has been successful.

What lofty plans can anyone possibly have had that justify making it so unaffordable for good people to succeed in trying to establish a restaurant business in the City of Belvidere? And who in good conscience has the right to keep them out of business?

The people this $20,000 liquor license application fee currently affect the MOST are the ones who have contributed the MOST in personal time, money and effort to restore our fine city and downtown area to its original historical beauty and glory. The would be applicants for the liquor license application fee (could they afford it) are our very own local entrepreneurs, the unsung heroes and pillars of this community.

I would think that encouraging new business to the City of Belvidere, to generate more revenue would be foremost. Belvidere’s motto used to be “Shop Belvidere 1st.^”, but fine dining here is a thing of the past. It may have gone to its grave with the recent demolition of the “Huddle”.

I really hope the City of Belvidere, Mayor and Council will take another look at this ordinance regarding the restaurant liquor license application fee and make some needed changes that may help out our local business people and make our downtown prosperous again.

Sincerely,

Diann Helnore,

Belvidere Township Assessor , Boone County IL

Ed Marx also submitted a letter to the editor.