Tampa City Council Drops Proposal to Require Special Permit to Serve Alcohol After Midnight

May yet come back

In a hail of opposition from business owners, a Tampa City Council proposal to curb crime by requiring special permits for alcohol sales after midnight died Thursday morning.

The measure could be reborn with input from a committee of business owners, neighborhood residents and government officials.

Council Chairman Charlie Miranda called for the community-wide effort after opposition mounted against the proposal by Councilwoman Yvonne Yolie Capin for late-night permits.

Council members arrived at Old City Hall on Thursday morning to find a roomful of angry business owners facing them across the dais.

Opponents of the proposal spent more than an hour telling council members the proposal is a threat to their livelihoods. They also said it would punish well-behaved businesses just to catch a few bad operators.