SPOKANE, Wash. — Mayor Lisa Brown recently proposed two ordinances aimed at cleaning up downtown Spokane.
Part of these new proposals would create a voluntary six-month ban on single serve alcohol containers after midnight.
Mayor Brown said alcohol-related offenses, like car accidents and physical attacks, have risen and this would help eliminate that convenience. The city said it’s seen a 56% jump in these alcohol-related crimes in the past three years.
“Although downtown Spokane is only about 3% of our area, it has most of our drug and alcohol-related offenses,” Mayor Brown said.
After six months, the city will review crime statistics and see if there’s a measurable difference in stores refusing single-servings after midnight.
“We’re talking about not making it convenient downtown and particularly after midnight,” Mayor Brown said. “It’s that after midnight timeframe that is truly associated with negative consequences that I think we don’t want in downtown Spokane.”
The city does not have the power to ban the sale of alcohol and off-premises businesses like convenience stores or liquor stores can opt in only if they want to.