Miami Beach voters support a change in the city’s liquor regulations, forcing bars to stop selling alcohol now at 2 a.m., a full three hours earlier than the latest 5 a.m. call.
According to Tuesday’s unofficial results, more than 56% of residents were in favor of postponing the last call to 2 a.m., while 44% opposed the change.
The debate over that last call continued throughout the year. Tuesday’s referendum was a non-binding straw ballot designed to measure residents’ support for the final call three hours earlier. But several members of the city commission said they would respect voters’ decision and approve an ordinance if voters approve the change.
It wasn’t the first time the city took action. In May, Commission 4-3 agreed to reschedule the last call time to 2 a.m. immediately, subject to a decision that voters have the last word in November.
But the Clevelander, one of South Beach’s most popular hotels, sued about this move. This resulted in a judge overturning the ordinance. The Clevelander’s lawyers argued that its approval allows a bar next to the hotel to serve alcohol until 5 a.m. and that time cannot be changed by the commission.
Any future changes would likely require talks between city officials and bar and restaurant owners to resolve these disputes.
Some officials, like mayors Dan GelberHe argued that a change was needed to remove Miami Beach from its party-heavy reputation and make the city safer.
Polls show Residents Are Concerned About Crime In Miami Beach, And In South beach in particularly. Gelber and those who stumbled for an earlier final call argued that quitting alcohol sales earlier would reduce South Beach rowdies and put less emphasis on the bar scene.
Opponents argued that there was no evidence that quitting alcohol sales earlier would reduce crime. They also say the change will cost the city millions in tax revenue. The city has countered with data showing that police and emergency costs outweigh any tax benefits and that previous alcohol bans could contain those costs.
Miami Beach residents seem ready to cut back on the party scene in an attempt to tackle the city’s crime problem. But the Citizens for a Safe Miami Beach group, which opposed changing the last call time, criticized this logic in a statement on Tuesday evening on the referendum results.
“Today’s non-binding straw poll was an attempt to mislead politicians who failed to contain the growing problems of crime in Miami Beach,” the statement said. “Misinformation from proponents of the 2:00 PM ban resulted in an outcome that could harm any Miami Beach resident. Citizens for a Safe Miami Beach will continue to oppose solutions that do nothing to solve the crime, but cost 4,100 local workers their jobs, raise property taxes and cut tens of millions of dollars from city revenues. “
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