STORE EMPLOYEES PLEAD CASE FOR LIQUOR LICENSE.Byline: James Nash Staff Writer Employees of a seven-month-old supermarket in North Hills asked Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. City Councilman Alex Padilla Alex Padilla is a politician in California. He was elected as the State Senator for the 20th District of California in November 2006 and was inaugurated in early December. In order to enter the Senate he had to resign as Councilman for the 7th District on the Los Angeles City on Tuesday to reverse his stance against granting the store a liquor license Noun 1. liquor license - a license authorizing the holder to sell alcoholic beverages liquor licence license, permit, licence - a legal document giving official permission to do something , saying the store would go out of business without the ability to sell alcohol. Padilla, however, said he continues to oppose a liquor license at Mexicana Super Market. The store's management and several employees said the fate of the Sepulveda Boulevard business rests on its ability to sell beer, wine and hard liquor hard liquor A popular term for beverages with a high–often > 30% by volume–ie, 60 proof alcohol content–eg, gin, rum, vodka, whiskey; HLs are preferred by alcoholics as a steady state of low-level inebriation is easier to maintain. See Standard drink. and that Padilla's position was tantamount to a a death sentence for the store. ``We don't want to become another statistic as far as unemployment,'' store employee Blanca Ramirez told the Los Angeles City Council  The Los Angeles City Council is the governing body of the City of Los Angeles, California, United States. in Spanish on Tuesday.
Cesar Maldonado, a principal in the company that operates the Mexicana market, said in an interview that investors have shied shied 1 v. Past tense and past participle of shy1. shied Verb the past of shy1 or shy2 away from supporting the store because of the lack of a liquor license. He said he already has closed three store departments - laying off 50 employees - and might have to close the entire store, putting an additional 100 people out of work. ``I cannot raise money, I cannot find investors or banks that will put up money without a liquor license,'' Maldonado said. Padilla said the store's application for a liquor license flies in the face of his efforts to limit the number of alcohol-selling establishments in crime-ridden neighborhoods in his district. The North Hills neighborhood that includes the Mexicana store has a crime rate more than twice the city's average, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. Padilla's office. ``Making it easier to buy alcohol isn't going to help that community,'' Padilla said. Padilla noted that the Mexicana Super Market moved into an area where many grocery stores already competed. He said the store management is making him into a scapegoat for the business's troubles. ``If this were the only grocery store within a five-mile radius, the store closing would affect the community differently,'' Padilla said. James Nash, (213) 978-0390 james.nash(at)dailynews.com |
|
||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion