Ten years ago, then-Boston City Councilor Ayanna Pressley championed liquor license reforms in the city. Last week, the U.S. representative was at the State House to celebrate further expansion.
“I worked on that issue with two mayors,” she said. “So to see that foundational work built upon, expanded upon ... it’s going to go a long way.”
Pressley strongly supported the new liquor license bill, which permits an additional 225 liquor licenses in Boston. The legislation seeks to create a more equitable environment for Boston’s dining establishments, where predominantly low-income and communities of color have struggled with the city’s liquor license cap. This cap has created financial barriers for many, with licenses on the private market.
Pressley said that system created an “unjust status quo.”
The new bill authorizes most licenses to specific neighborhoods, with a focus on areas that currently have a limited number of liquor licenses.
Pressley believes there is a growing awareness of the widening racial wealth gap and the diminishing communal spaces for marginalized groups, including the LGBTQ+ community and Black individuals.
“Everybody deserves to have equitable access to walkable amenities,” Pressley said on Boston Public Radio on Thursday. “And restaurants are not only about where we celebrate important life milestones, but also they’re critical social and economic anchors, the jobs they create for people who experience barriers to employment.”
Pressley acknowledged the collaborative effort that brought the bill to fruition, thanking Sen. Liz Miranda, Rep. Chris Worrell, Councilor Brian Worrell, and the many advocates and restaurateurs who played a role in its success, including the Black Hospitality Workers Organization.
“It was really a team effort,” she said.
