Communities benefiting from liquor licenses
Communities in Washington and Greene counties are benefiting from local bars and restaurants.
This year alone, the state Liquor Control Board returned roughly $2.4 million in licensing fees to 1,382 municipalities statewide in which licensees are located. Washington County received $65,550, with the City of Washington getting the largest fee at $8,300. Greene County received $7,850, with Cumberland Township getting the largest fee at $1,500.
Twice a year, the board returns the renewal or validation fees paid by licensees to the municipalities that are home to those liquor licensees. The liquor code does not specify how municipalities must allocate the returned money, giving local officials the flexibility to use it where it is needed most, according to a news release from the PLCB.
Peters Township, which received the second-largest fee in Washington County at $7,850, adds the extra cash to its general fund each year.
“In terms of our fund balance, it’s a small amount of money,” Peters Township Assistant Township Manager Paul Lauer said. “But it is valuable because it allows us to provide services people want and need.”
North Strabane Township, which received $4,600 in fees from 17 establishments, also uses the money to pad its fund balance.
Frank Siffrinn, North Strabane Township manager, said the process for granting a liquor license is virtually the same throughout the state. A public hearing is required, and the applicant is vetted. Final approval is granted by the PLCB.
Shawn Kelly, spokesman for the PLCB, said both counties gradually received more money over the years. The current dispersal period represents fees paid from Feb. 1 to July 31. The checks range from $25 to $392,175, and are based on the type of establishment and the population of its location, Kelly said. The state takes a $100 administrative fee from every licensed issued, he added.
More than $22 million was returned to municipalities throughout the state over the last five years.
To see the complete list of municipalities receiving fee distributions, visit www.lcb.state.pa.us