The following is a statement from Chuck Moran, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Licensed Beverage and Tavern Association, concerning today’s vote in the Pennsylvania Senate on SB 109, which would provide grants for small business restaurants and taverns.

Today, the Pennsylvania Senate passed SB 109, sponsored by Sen. Joe Pittman, with a bi-partisan vote of 48-0. The bill, which now heads to the State House, includes guidelines on how to use $145 million to provide grants to small business taverns and licensed restaurants by establishing the Hospitality Industry Recovery Program.

The Pennsylvania Licensed Beverage and Tavern Association has been advocating for special grants to help small business, family-owned establishments that have been hard hit by COVID-19 mitigation orders. Financially, these establishments and their employees have suffered tremendously. For example, our average Member has 16 employees, 13 of whom have been laid off at one point during the past 10 months. And, our average Member relies most heavily on revenue from alcohol as nearly two-thirds of their sales come from such products. Those sales have been hampered by mitigation orders requiring an earlier-than-normal last call, reduced occupancy limits, and no bar top seating.

Our members need this critical funding now, and we thank the Senate for acting to help those in the industry who have been most impacted by prevention and mitigation orders during the pandemic.  But hopefully, this is just the start of the General Assembly helping the many mom and pop hospitality establishments that make up the backbone of every Pennsylvania town across the Commonwealth.  We now urge the State House to quickly move SB 109, so that this desperately needed funding can be made available before more of these businesses are forced to close permanently.

And, as distribution of vaccines increases, we also urge Governor Wolf to begin easing off mitigation orders that have restricted business at these establishments, particularly rules related to the use of bar tops to seat patrons. Like waiting in line at a big box store, this can be done safely using social distancing or barriers, and would help the smallest establishments that often have very few tables and no outdoor seating.

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About the Pennsylvania Licensed Beverage and Tavern Association

The Pennsylvania Licensed Beverage and Tavern Association is a statewide association based in Harrisburg, representing small business taverns and licensed restaurants in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Association formed in 1941, reorganized in 2019, and today advocates for best practices and rights within the industry as well as best experiences for patrons.

Chuck Moran, Executive Director

The following is a statement from Chuck Moran, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Licensed Beverage and Tavern Association, concerning today’s announcement from the Governor’s Office to not extend the temporary order banning indoor dining service during the holiday season.

Today, Governor Tom Wolf announced he will not extend the current temporary order that has banned indoor seating at taverns and restaurants through the holiday season until January 4.

While this is positive news for establishments across the state, unfortunately the lingering impact on both businesses and employees will be felt as we move into 2021. Businesses lost a key time of the year, while many bartenders and servers missed out on usually very generous tips during the holiday season.

The Pennsylvania Licensed Beverage and Tavern Association urges the legislature to help fix the financial problems small business taverns and licensed restaurants face as a result of this current order. When the legislature returns in January, we ask our state senators and representatives to move legislation to provide industry-specific grants.

Furthermore, to help the industry recover, we urge Governor Wolf to lift the order that prevents taverns and licensed restaurants from using bar top seating if establishments follow proper social distancing or barriers in those locations. Many corner bars throughout Pennsylvania have extraordinarily little, if any, table seating. This would help the smallest locations survive.

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About the Pennsylvania Licensed Beverage and Tavern Association
The Pennsylvania Licensed Beverage and Tavern Association is a statewide association based in Harrisburg, representing small business taverns and licensed restaurants in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Association formed in 1941, reorganized in 2019, and today advocates for best practices and rights within the industry as well as best experiences for patrons.

Chuck Moran, Executive Director

The following is a statement from Chuck Moran, executive director of the Pennsylvania Licensed Beverage and Tavern Association, regarding Governor Wolf’s announcement today to eliminate indoor dining at taverns and restaurants as part of his COVID-19 mitigation efforts.

(Harrisburg, Pa. – December 10, 2020) The long rumored “shutdown” has now been made official by Governor Tom Wolf, in part targeting taverns and licensed restaurants by eliminating indoor dining over the holidays.

Once again, small business taverns and licensed restaurants are bearing the brunt of the mitigation order with no financial or legislative help on the horizon.

We get that the virus is contagious. We get that the number of confirmed cases and hospitalizations are increasing.

What we don’t get is why our state government has asked the industry to sacrifice so much, but continues to sacrifice the industry.

Earlier in the year, the industry heard promises from all four caucuses of grant money coming from the Pa CARES Fund. That money was instead used to balance the state budget. Unlike several bills to help the industry that he vetoed, Governor Wolf signed the budget and thus eliminated any possibility of those funds bringing relief to our struggling industry and employees.

Frustration within the industry is significant with everything that has played out, particularly when state contact tracing statistics show that less than two percent of those testing positive had been in a bar in the 14 days prior to the onset of their COVID symptoms. Statistically, these actions directed at taverns and restaurants likely cannot play any significant role in helping the Governor reduce the COVID crisis that continues, particularly while other retail establishments are not limited nearly as much and while PLCB liquor and beer sales continue to set records as house parties and holiday gatherings increase.

As our family-based industry members comply with the latest order, play their role for the good of public health, and struggle financially over the Holidays, it is time for the Governor to call a special session of the General Assembly to address the crisis within the crisis … the state’s financial abandonment of thousands of Pennsylvania’s small businesses, taverns and restaurants.

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About the Pennsylvania Licensed Beverage and Tavern Association
The Pennsylvania Licensed Beverage and Tavern Association is a statewide association based in Harrisburg, representing small business taverns and licensed restaurants in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Association formed in 1941, reorganized in 2019, and today advocates for best practices and rights within the industry as well as best experiences for patrons.

Chuck Moran, Executive Director

The following is a statement from Chuck Moran, executive director of the Pennsylvania Licensed Beverage and Tavern Association, regarding Governor Wolf’s announcement today to have no on-premise alcohol sales for on-site consumption at taverns and licensed restaurants for one evening.

(Harrisburg, Pa. – November 23, 2020) Today’s announcement from Governor Wolf and Secretary Levine really comes as no surprise to anyone in the tavern and restaurant industry. In fact, announcements like this the Pennsylvania Licensed Beverage and Tavern Association has been preparing our Members to expect until wide distribution of vaccines.

We understand that the COVID case numbers are increasing, and once again, our industry understands that it is being asked to sacrifice in order to play a role in saving lives of Pennsylvanians. Specifically, taverns and licensed restaurants will need to cut off patron requests for on-premise sales of alcohol for onsite consumption on only November 25 starting at 5 p.m.

With that bad news for the industry, the Governor did deliver some good news related to business liability for those enforcing mask rules. We are thankful for that liability protection.

We get the importance of the keeping patrons safe, and our industry works hard to do so every day.

But what we don’t get is why there has been no significant financial help to assist our small business taverns and licensed restaurants survive. As this crisis continues, more small businesses are closing while their employees lose jobs.

Help is needed now, not later. Many small businesses cannot sustain continued targeted mitigation without help from either the federal or state government.

This industry has sacrificed so much for the good of public health. Now small business taverns and licensed restaurants are the ones being sacrificed by a lack of financial action in both Harrisburg and Washington, DC.

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About the Pennsylvania Licensed Beverage and Tavern Association
The Pennsylvania Licensed Beverage and Tavern Association is a statewide association based in Harrisburg, representing small business taverns and licensed restaurants in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Association formed in 1941, reorganized in 2019, and today advocates for best practices and rights within the industry as well as best experiences for patrons.

Tom Tyler, owner of McStew’s Irish Sports Pub in Levittown

At its quarterly board meeting on November 6, members of the board of directors at the Pennsylvania Licensed Beverage and Tavern Association elected new board officers. All positions are effective immediately.

Tom Tyler, owner of McStew’s Irish Sports Pub in Levittown, was selected to become president. Mr. Tyler has been a member of the association more than a decade. He will serve a two-year term.

Jim DeLisio, owner of the Race Horse Tavern in Thomasville, won a two-year term to serve as the association’s vice president. Mr. DeLisio is a 19-year member of the PLBTA. In addition, he is the president of the York County Tavern Association.

Michelle Ritter, owner of the Willow Street Pub in Coplay, will serve a one-year term as secretary. Ms. Ritter has been a 19-year member of the association.

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About the Pennsylvania Licensed Beverage and Tavern Association
The Pennsylvania Licensed Beverage and Tavern Association is a statewide association based in Harrisburg, representing small business taverns and licensed restaurants in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Association formed in 1941, reorganized in 2019, and today advocates for best practices and rights within the industry as well as best experiences for patrons.

Chuck Moran, Executive Director

The following is a statement from Chuck Moran, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Licensed Beverage and Tavern Association, concerning today’s action by the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board to waive certain licensing fees for 2021.

Today, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board announced they will be waiving some liquor licensing fees in 2021, something that the Pennsylvania Licensed Beverage and Tavern Association has been requesting as part of a larger industry survival and recovery package.

While waiving certain licensing fees won’t bring that much financial relief, it is a matter of principle to help those who are able to survive until then, and as we have said in the past, it is one piece of the puzzle.

We would have liked to have also seen 2020 fees waived or returned to licensees, something that apparently the PLCB could have done.

Clearly, more needs to be done to help small business taverns and licensed restaurants that have sacrificed the most of any industry during this pandemic. They have been the tip of the spear in this battle since day one, and have played an important role to first flatten the curve and later getting school children back in class.

Once our legislature returns to Harrisburg in November, we call upon them to take necessary steps to legislate additional forms of relief and assistance.

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About the Pennsylvania Licensed Beverage and Tavern Association
The Pennsylvania Licensed Beverage and Tavern Association is a statewide association based in Harrisburg, representing small business taverns and licensed restaurants in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Association formed in 1941, reorganized in 2019, and today advocates for best practices and rights within the industry as well as best experiences for patrons.

Members of the media interested in this topic can call the PLBTA Media Relations Department at (717) 232-8671.

Chuck Moran, Executive Director

The following is a statement from Chuck Moran, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Licensed Beverage and Tavern Association, concerning today’s announcement from Governor Wolf in support of waiving standard licensing fees.

Today, Governor Tom Wolf announced his support to waive “standard” 2021 licensing fees for taverns and licensed restaurants.

Earlier this year, the Pennsylvania Licensed Beverage and Tavern Association stated that a comprehensive package would be needed to bail out the industry and save jobs – including ALL licensing fees. We certainly hope that the Governor means ALL fees liquor license holders pay in his definition of “standard” including but not limited to off-premise catering, Sunday permits, and small games of chance.

While licensing fee help is part of the solution, much more needs to be done, particularly considering the size of the industry and its role in the Pennsylvania economy.

We would have liked to have seen a comprehensive package promoted by the governor.

Using the Governor’s own COVID-19 statistics for October 4 through 10, out of 2,820 contact tracing reports only 69 indicated they were at a bar during the 14 days prior to the onset of symptoms. That’s around 2 percent. His data shows that 484 individuals had visited any type of business including bars and restaurants, salons, and fitness centers. That’s about 17 percent, meaning 83 percent did not visit any type of business. That 83 percent is where the Governor should be looking to address if the Commonwealth really wants to contain a fall surge.

It is counter-productive to set up a system to protect people from COVID-19 if the system being built drives people to unsafe locations. Because of current orders, Pennsylvanians are flocking to private parties with a false sense of safety because they are amongst people they know. But no CDC guidelines are followed at those locations and those attending face increased risk.

None-the-less, since our industry will continue to be targeted causing businesses to close and jobs lost, the Pennsylvania Licensed Beverage and Tavern Association would encourage the Governor to piece together a more thorough package to include the following in addition to only waiving 2021 licensing fees:

1. Eliminate all licensing fees for taverns and restaurants for two years including 2020 in addition to 2021
2. Industry-specific grants, not loans
3. Provide a higher industry discount when purchasing liquor
4. Provide industry-specific tax relief
5. Allow bar tops to be used for customer seating providing appropriate COVID-19 safety measures are taken.
6. Allow taverns and restaurants to continue serving alcohol until midnight to accommodate shift workers
7. Allow non-continuous outdoor seating following COVID-19 safety measures
8. Eliminate the requirement that food must be purchased with any adult beverage

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About the Pennsylvania Licensed Beverage and Tavern Association

The Pennsylvania Licensed Beverage and Tavern Association is a statewide association based in Harrisburg, representing small business taverns and licensed restaurants in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Association formed in 1941, reorganized in 2019, and today advocates for best practices and rights within the industry as well as best experiences for patrons.

Members of the working media interested in this story may contact PLBTA Media Relations at (717) 232-8671

Chuck Moran, Executive Director

The following is a letter to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, sent on Monday, October 19, from the Pennsylvania Licensed Beverage and Tavern Association Executive Director Chuck Moran. The letter covers Governor Wolf’s veto of HB 2513.

With COVID-19 fatigue increasing, we worry that Governor Wolf’s veto of HB 2513 last Friday promotes underground gatherings and house parties, which will feed the current spike of COVID-19 cases our Commonwealth is facing. Pennsylvanians are already flocking to parties with a false sense of safety because they are amongst people they know. But no CDC guidelines are followed at those locations and those attending face increased risk. Please consider voting to override this veto – to help the state’s taverns and restaurants, and to help reduce this threat.

If Governor Wolf had signed HB 2513, those Pennsylvanians would have had safer options to enjoy a night out.

Consider what he vetoed:

• Additional outdoor seating in unused locations within the property of taverns and licensed restaurants that are required to follow social distancing guidance (a previous amendment from Senate Democrats)
• Use of barstools at bar countertops in both indoor and outdoor settings at licensed establishments following social distancing guidance
• 50 percent occupancy at licensed establishments following social distancing guidance enforced for all other businesses

In the past two months, Governor Wolf allowed schools to open and increased attendance into the thousands of people at gatherings. We all know that there is no shortage of kegs, cases, and liquor bottles – and of course house parties – in college towns and elsewhere.

Our struggling neighborhood bars, taverns, and pubs are not the reason for the current spike. Through contact tracing, we know that just two percent of COVID-19 positive patients reported having been in a bar within the 14 days before testing!

The eyes of the industry are looking upon you for help. Small business taverns, their employees, and their patrons ask for your support, and a vote to override the Governor’s veto of HB 2513.