No. 33-90
1) The City of Lakeview , a fourth class city of less than five hundred inhabitants, pursuant to Section 311.090, RSMo 1986, can hold an election on the question of whether the sale of intoxicating liquor, with certain exceptions, by the drink at retail for consumption on the premises where sold shall be permitted, 2) can regulate the sale of intoxicating liquor provided the regulations are in harmony with state law and 3) is not authorized to tax intoxicating liquor except as provided in Section 311.220, RSMo 1986.
Cite as Mo. Op. Att'y Gen. No. 33-90
CITIES, TOWNS AND VILLAGES:
FOURTH CLASS CITIES:
LIQUOR:
1) The City of Lakeview, a
fourth class city of less
than five hundred
inhabitants, pursuant to
Section 311.090, RSMo 1986, can hold an election on the question
of whether the sale of intoxicating liquor, with certain
exceptions, by the drink at retail for consumption on the
premises where sold shall be permitted, 2) can regulate the sale
of intoxicating liquor provided the regulations are in harmony
with state law and 3) is not authorized to tax intoxicating
liquor except as provided in Section 311.220, RSMo 1986.
June 11, 1990
The Honorable Doyle Childers
Representative, District 132
State Capitol Building, Room 102B
Jefferson City, Missouri
65101
Dear Representative Childers:
OPINION NO. 33-90
This opinion is in response to your questions asking:
1.
Does the City of Lakeview have the
authority to regulate, license and tax
intoxicating liquors and beverages?
2.
May the City of Lakeview license and
tax such state licensed establishments
such as resorts and restaurant-bars?
3.
To what extent may the City of
Lakeview tax such establishments?
In your opinion request, you ask whether Missouri Attorney
General Opinion No. 99, McCubbin, 1968 (hereinafter "Opinion No.
99"), a copy of which is enclosed, applies to your questions in
light of subsequent legislation.
We note that the City of
Lakeview is a fourth class city.
In Opinion No. 99 this office concluded that the City of
Lake Ozark, having a population of less than 500, did not
qualify to have an election as provided under Section 311.090,
RSMo 1959, and could not require a license from any resort or
business selling intoxicating liquor by the drink on licensed
The Honorable Doyle Childers
premises within the city limits.
Opinion No. 99 was based on
Section 311.090, RSMo 1959, which provided in part:
311.090.
Sale of liquor by drink,
where legal-bond of licensee--1.
Any
person who possesses the qualifications
required by this chapter, and who meets the
requirements of and complies with the
provisions of this chapter, and the
ordinances, rules and regulations of the
incorporated city in which such licensee
proposes to operate his business, may apply
for and the supervisor of liquor control
may issue a license to sell intoxicating
liquor, as in this chapter defined, by the
drink at retail for consumption on the
premises described in the application;
provided, that no license shall be issued
for the sale of intoxicating liquor, other
than malt liquor containing alcohol not in
excess of five per cent by weight, by the
drink at retail for consumption on the
premises where sold, in any incorporated
city having a population of less than
twenty thousand inhabitants, until the sale
of such intoxicating liquor, by the drink
at retail for consumption on the premises
where sold, shall have been authorized by a
vote of the majority of the qualified
voters of said city.
Such authority to be
determined by an election to be held in
said cities having a population of less
than twenty thousand inhabitants, under the
provisions and methods set out in this
chapter.
The population of said cities to
be determined by the last census of the
United States completed before the holding
of said election; provided further, that
for the purpose of this law, the term
"city" shall be construed to mean any
municipal corporation having a population
of five hundred inhabitants or more;
provided further, that no license shall be
issued for the sale of intoxicating liquor,
other than malt liquor containing alcohol
not in excess of five per cent by weight,
by the drink at retail for consumption on
the premises where sold, outside the limits
-
2 -
The Honorable Doyle Childers
of such incorporated cities.
added. J
*
*
[Emphasis
*
This section has been amended and now provides as follows:
311.090.
Sale of liquor by the
drink, cities, requirements--Sunday sales
authorized for certain organizations.--1.
Any person who possesses the qualifications
required by this chapter, and who meets the
requirements of and complies with the
provisions of this chapter, and the
ordinances, rules and regulations of the
incorporated city in which such licensee
proposes to operate his business, may apply
for and the supervisor of liquor control
may issue a license to sell intoxicating
liquor, as in this chapter defined, by the
drink at retail for consumption on the
premises described in the application;
provided, that no license shall be issued
for the sale of intoxicating liquor, other
than malt liquor containing alcohol not in
excess of five percent by weight, and light
wines containing not in excess of fourteen
percent of alcohol by weight made
exclusively from grapes, berries and other
fruits and vegetables, by the drink at
retail for consumption on the premises
where sold to any person other than a
charitable, fraternal, religious, service
or veterans' organization which has
obtained an exemption from the payment of
federal income taxes as provided in section
501 (c) (3), 501 (c) (4), 501 (c) (5), 501 (c) (8),
501 (c) (10), 501 (c) (19), or 501 (d) of the
United States Internal Revenue Code of
1954, as amended, in any incorporated city
having a population of less than twenty
thousand inhabitants, until the sale of
such intoxicating liquor, by the drink at
retail for consumption on the premises
where sold, shall have been authorized by a
vote of the majority of the qualified
voters of the city.
Such authority shall
be determined by an election to be held in
those cities having a population of less
-
3 -
The Honorable Doyle Childers
than twenty thousand inhabitants as
determined by the last preceding federal
decennial census, under the provisions and
methods set out in this chapter.
No
license shall be issued for the sale of
intoxicating liquor, other than malt liquor
containing alcohol not in excess of five
percent by weight, by the drink at retail
for consumption on the premises where sold,
outside the limits of such incorporated
cities unless the licensee is a charitable,
fraternal, religious, service or veterans'
organization which has obtained an
exemption from the payment of federal
income taxes as provided in section
501 (c) (3), 501 (c) (4), 501 (c) (5), 501 (c) (8),
501 (c) (10), 501 (c) (19), or 501 (d) of the
United States Internal Revenue Code of
1954, as amended.
2. Notwithstanding any other
provisions of this chapter to the contrary,
any charitable, fraternal, religious,
service or veterans' organization which has
obtained an exemption from the payment of
federal income taxes as provided in section
501 (c) (3), 501 (c) (4), 501 (c) (5), 501 (c) (8),
501 (c) (10), 501 (c) (19), or 501 (d) of the
United States Internal Revenue Code of
1954, as amended, may apply for, and the
supervisor of liquor control may issue, a
license to sell intoxicating liquor, as
defined in this chapter, between the hours
of 12:00 noon on Sunday and midnight on
Sunday by the drink at retail for
consumption on the premises described in
the application.
The authority for the
collection of fees by cities and counties
as provided in section 311.220, and all
other laws and regulations of the state
relating to the sale of liquor by the drink
for consumption on the premises where sold,
shall apply to organizations licensed under
this subsection in the same manner as they
apply to establishments licensed under
subsection 1 of this section and sections
311.085 and 311.095.
In addition to all
other fees required by law, an organization
licensed under this section shall pay an
-
4 -
The Honorable Doyle Childers
additional fee of two hundred dollars a
year payable at the same time and in the
same manner as its other license fees.
Because the amendment removed the requirement that a city
have a population of five hundred inhabitants or more, the City
of Lakeview, under the provisions of this section, can hold an
election on the question of whether the sale of intoxicating
liquor, with certain exceptions, by the drink at retail for
consumption on the premises where sold shall be permitted.
Therefore, we are withdrawing Opinion No. 99.
The extent to which a city can regulate and license is
described in Section 311.220, RSMo 1986:
311.220.
Counties and cities may
charge for licenses--amount.--1.
In
addition to the permit fees and license
fees and inspection fees by this law
required to be paid into the state
treasury, every holder of a permit or
license authorized by this law shall pay
into the county treasury of the county
wherein the premises described and covered
by such permit or license are located, or
in case such premises are located in the
city of St. Louis, to the collector of
revenue of said city, a fee in such sum not
in excess of the amount by this law
required to be paid into the state treasury
for such state permit or license, as the
county commission, or the corresponding
authority in the city of St. Louis, as the
case may be, shall by order of record
determine, and shall pay into the treasury
of the municipal corporation, wherein said
premises are located, a license fee in such
sum, not exceeding one and one-half times
the amount by this law required to be paid
into the state treasury for such state
permit or license, as the lawmaking body of
such municipality, including the city of
St. Louis may by ordinance determine.
2. The board of aldermen, city council
or other proper authorities of incorporated
cities, may charge for licenses issued to
manufacturers, distillers, brewers,
wholesalers and retailers of all
-
5 -
The Honorable Doyle Childers
intoxicating liquor, located within their
limits, fix the amount to be charged for
such license, subject to the limitations of
this law, and provide for the collection
thereof, make and enforce ordinances for
the regulation and control of the sale of
all intoxicating liquors within their
limits, provide for penalties for the
violation of such ordinances, where not
inconsistent with the provisions of this
law.
Pursuant to these provisions, "[c]ourts have held that the
enactment and enforcement by local authorities of ordinances
regulating the sale of alcoholic beverages, in situations where
the state statutes were silent on the subject, were a valid
exercise of the power granted by the state to the local
community."
State ex rel. Casey's General Stores, Inc. v.
Downing, 757 S.W.2d 1, 2 (Mo. App. 1988).
Any municipal
ordinance regulating the subject of intoxicating beverages and
non-intoxicating beer must be in harmony with the state law on
those subjects, and are invalid to the extent that they conflict
with the state law.
Mid-State Distributing Company v. City of
Columbia, 617 S.W.2d 419, 430 (Mo. App. 1981); Passler v.
Johnson, 304 S.W.2d 903, 907 (Mo. 1957).
As to the matter of a municipality taxing liquor
establishments, the Missouri Supreme Court has concluded that
imposition of such a tax is beyond the powers of a
municipality.
See John Bardenheier Wine & Liquor Co. v. City
of St. Louis, 135 S.W.2d 345, 348 (Mo. bane 1939); Allstate
Distributors, Inc. v. Norfleet, 750 S.W.2d 73 (Mo. bane 1988).
In Allstate, the Court opined:
Clearly, the state preempted the regulation
and taxation of liquor when it granted to
municipalities and counties by § 311.220
only the power to issue a business license
in the amount therein limited and to make
regulations not inconsistent with the
provisions of the Liquor Control Law.
In
all of our statutes there is not a more
exhaustive and all comprehensive regulatory
act.
Id., 750 S.W.2d at 76.
-
6 -
The Honorable Doyle Childers
CONCLUSION
It is the opinion of this office that:
1) the City of
Lakeview, a fourth class city of less than five hundred
inhabitants, pursuant to Section 311.090, RSMo 1986, can hold an
election on the question of whether the sale of intoxicating
liquor, with certain exceptions, by the drink at retail for
consumption on the premises where sold shall be permitted, 2)
can regulate the sale of intoxicating liquor provided the
regulations are in harmony with state law and 3) is not
authorized to tax intoxicating liquor except as provided in
Section 311.220, RSMo 1986.
Very truly yours,
WILLIAM L. WEBSTER
Attorney General
Enclosure:
Opinion No. 99, McCubbin, 1968
-
7 -