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What to Know
- Gov. Wolf announced Thursday that he’s working with the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board to waive standard licensing fees through 2021 starting on January 1, 2021 in order to help restaurants and bars impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.
- Under the plan, more than 16,000 Pennsylvania restaurants and bars, clubs, catering clubs and hotels would see $20 million in relief.
- Chuck Moran, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Licensed Beverage and Tavern Association, said he would have liked to have seen a “more thorough package” promoted by the governor that included industry-specific grants rather than loans as well as the elimination of all licensing fees for taverns and restaurants for two years including 2020 in addition to 2021
Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf plans to waive liquor license fees to help provide financial relief for restaurants and bars impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.
Wolf announced Thursday that he’s working with the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board to waive standard licensing fees through 2021 starting on January 1, 2021. Under the plan, more than 16,000 Pennsylvania restaurants and bars, clubs, catering clubs and hotels would see $20 million in relief.
“As we enter the anticipated fall resurgence of COVID-19 cases, the very contagious nature of this virus makes gathering indoors publicly at full capacity dangerous. Still, we know that restaurant and bar owners in Pennsylvania are committed to keeping their employees and customers safe and the vast majority of these businesses have followed safety precautions and invested in new procedures and supplies, but COVID continues to hurt this industry,” Gov. Wolf said.
“My administration continues to look for innovative ways that we can support the bar and restaurant industry. Eliminating liquor license fees is an important step toward helping bars and restaurants retain the capital they need to weather the storm of COVID-19.”
Wolf is also calling on the General Assembly to provide an additional $225 million in federal CARES Act funding through forgivable loans and grants for small businesses through the COVID-19 Relief Statewide Small Business Assistance Program. Wolf also proposed $100 million in forgivable loans and grants for the hospitality, leisure and service industries, including restaurants and bars, salons and barbershops.
Chuck Moran, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Licensed Beverage and Tavern Association, responded to Wolf’s announcement, stating he would have liked to have seen a “more thorough package” promoted by the governor that included industry-specific grants rather than loans as well as the elimination of all licensing fees for taverns and restaurants for two years including 2020 in addition to 2021
“Earlier this year, the Pennsylvania Licensed Beverage and Tavern Association stated that a comprehensive package would be needed to bail out the industry and save jobs – including ALL licensing fees,” Moran wrote. “We certainly hope that the Governor means ALL fees liquor license holders pay in his definition of “standard” including but not limited to off-premise catering, Sunday permits, and small games of chance. While licensing fee help is part of the solution, much more needs to be done, particularly considering the size of the industry and its role in the Pennsylvania economy.”
