Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2001-02-06 Public hearingFebruary 6, 2001 To the City Council: I spoke to you earlier about the $657,000 increase to Police Department budget proposed by the City Manager as shown in the City's FY02 draf~ budget.. This is a 9. 73% increase over last year. I listened to the City Manager's presentation of the General Fund at an informal Council meeting, but the ICPD budget was not mentioned at all, despite its position within the General Fund. I have sent e-mails to all members of the Council asking that the ICPD fund be put on the agenda of an informal meeting but did not get ANY reply or acknowledgemere from any Council member. I'm told that in order for a Council member to place an item on the agenda, there must be a motion to do so voted upon and supported by a majority of the Council. I wonder how many citizens know that. It's a very convenient way for the majority to keep controversial items ~the agenda. However: While attending informal Council meetings considering the budget, I learned that under the draf~ FY02 budget as presented by the City Manager and apparently approved by the Council we can expect the following: Total funding for the Human Services Agencies will NOT be increased. 0% increase. The rationale for this is that last year it was raised 6.6% - double the inflation rate - so it's OK to give them nothing more in FY02. The agencies involved are Arc, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Crisis Center, DVIP, Elderly Services, Emergency Housing Project, 4Cs+, Free Medical Clinic, HACAP, ICARE, Mayor's Youth Employment Program, MECCA, Neighborhood Centers, RVAP, Red Cross, UAY, and Youth Homes +. The "princely" sum to be divided amongst all these worthwhile agencies: $455,500. I also heard the discussion of the funding for Community Events (Arts Festival, Arts Iowa City, Friday Night Concert Series, Holiday Lights, Disabilities Awareness Days, Heritage Trees, Johnson Co. Historical Society, Jazz Festival, and Jaycees 4th of July Celebration) and the City Sponsored Community Events (Irving B. Weber Day, Saturday Night "Just Jazz" Series, Weeks of Welcome, Temporary Mini-Park Stage, Downtown Streetscape Completion Celebration, All Iowa New Horizons Band Concert ,Community Spirit Banners). The total budget to fund all of these community-enhancing efforts is $63,222. This is also a 0% increase over last year. Additionally, crocodile tears were shed by Council members over their supposed inability to fund a ~A time Historical Preservation position, a V2 time new position for the Animal Shelter, and one fulltime Natural Areas Manager for Park and Rec. The Council told the City Manager to write letters refusing those requests and saying, basically, "do the best you can with what you've got". It was acknowledged that the Animal Shelter needs the extra position, but that funding it was "up to R.J." because it falls under the Police Budget. That's the closest you came to discussion of the ICPD budget. The Council completely refused also to give ANY money to: Arts Iowa City, UI Riveffest, and the Family Resource Center. Particularly distasteful were the discussions · the Family Resource Center ("leave it to the School Board" was the bottom line, despite the fact that it provides basic assistance - food, clothes, after-school activities - to needy children. What better place would there be to put the money that formerly went to the DARE program, which is being discontinued at the initiative of the school board and superintendent?) · the Jaycee's request for a contribution to the July 4 fireworks fund (they ended up voting to reduce that contribution by $2000 from last year's). So. $455,600 + $63,222 = $518,822. The total proposed City spending for all of these worthy human services and community events - a 0% increase. But: the proposed FY02 budget gives a more than $657.000 increase to the ICPD. a 9.73% increase over FY01, and that increase has gotten NO discussion at all. The Johnson County Sheriff and his staff provide law enforcement for the entire county, which contains 900 miles of roads and covers an area of 620 square miles; do water rescues, supervise the Hazmat team and County Civil Defense, maintain a Civil office for tax sales and eminent domain hearings, and run the County jail. Their FY02 proposed budget is $5.4 million. Why does the ICPD need $7~412~2837 Including 10 new vehicles? And 16 new radios? I would like each of you to tell us now why you have not considered making any changes to the proposed FY02 ICPD budget? - Caroline Dieterie. NOTICE OF PUBLIC DISCUSSION Notice is hereby given that the City Council of Iowa City will hold a meeting for public discussion on the 61" day of February, 2001, in the Civic Center Council Chambers, 410 E. Washington Street, at 7:00 p.m. on proposed alcohol ordinances. Persons interested in expressing their views conceming said item, either verbally or in writing, will be given the opportunity to be heard at the above-mentioned time and place. Prior to the hearing, the ordinances are available for review at the Iowa City Public Library, and the City Clerk's Office. MARIAN K. KARR, CITY CLERK Marian Karr From: Ju]ie Phye [julie-phye@uiowa.edu] Sent: Friday. February 02. 2001 4:14 PM To: council@iowa-city.org Cc: dale_helling@iowa-city.org Subject: price specials Dear Council, I believe addressing price special restrictions will reach the audience you hope to reach. According to the statistics for the UI collected by the Harvard School of Public Health: Over half of UI students {54%)indicated they participated in a drinking game within 30 days prior to the survey. Of those participating in drinking games, underage drinkers make up 62%, while 38% are legal aged drinkers. In other words, undereage students are more likely to particiapte in drinking games by a 2:1 ratio. Julie Phye Julie Phye, Ph.D. 319-335-1349 julie-phye@uiowa.edu Stepping Up Program 100 Curtier Hall University of Iowa Iowa City, IA 52242 Prepared by: Eleanor M. Dilkes, City Attomey, 410 E. Washington St., Iowa City, IA 52240; 319-356-5030 ORDINANCE NO. ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CITY CODE OF THE CITY OF IOWA CITY, IOWA, BY ENACTING NEW SECTIONS NUMBERED 4-2-3, ENTITLED "LOCAL REVIEW OF APPLICATION/INVESTIGATION OF APPLICANT"; SECTION 4-2.4, ENTITLED "NOTICE AND HEARING"; AND SECTION 4-2-5, ENTITLED "CIVIL PENALTIES"; REVISING SECTION 4-5.4 ENTITLED "REGULATION OF PERSONS UNDER LEGAL AGE"; ENACTING A NEW SECTION 4-5-6 ENTITLED "SALES TO INTOXICATED PERSONS"; AND ENACTING A NEW SECTION 4-5-7 ENTITLED "LIMITATIONS ON SALES", ALL OF WHICH PROVIDE FOR THE REGULATION OF ALCOHOL SALES. WHEREAS, underage drinking, binge drinking, and the over consumption of alcohol in Iowa City have a significant and negative impact on the health, welfare and morals of its citizens, and result in increased burdens on Iowa City's criminal justice system and social services agencies; and WHEREAS, it is the intent of the Iowa City City Council to address and discourage underage drinking, binge drinking, and the over consumption of alcohol and the negative externalities associated with such behaviors and activities; and WHEREAS, State law authorizes the City Council as the licensing authority to impose administrative penalties for, among other things, violations of the Alcoholic Beverage Control provisions of the Iowa Code and ordinances of the City; and WHEREAS, it is the intent of the Iowa City City Council to hold holders of liquor control licenses, wine, or beer permits accountable and responsible for fully and effectively complying with all state laws and city ordinances with respect to the selling and serving of alcohol to patrons; and WHEREAS, the City Council desires to address negative impacts associated with such activity and conduct through accountability, enforcement, and penalties; and WHEREAS, such accountability, enforcement and penalties are in the best interests of the health, welfare and morals of the citizens of Iowa City, Iowa for the reasons stated above. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF IOWA CITY, IOWA: SECTION I. AMENDMENT. Title 4 of the City Code, entitled "Alcoholic Beverages" is amended, as follows: I. Adding a new section 4-2-3, entitled "Local Review of Application/Investigation of Applicant" to provide additional detail regarding the review of applications for liquor control license, beer permit, or wine permit, or a renewal of same by the Iowa City Fire Chief, the Iowa City Chief of Police, the Iowa City Building Official, the Johnson County Health Department and the Johnson County Attorney, as follows: Section 4-2-3: Local Review of Application/Investigation of Applicant A. It shall be the responsibility of the applicant for a liquor control license, beer permit, or wine permit, or a renewal of any of those, to obtain the appropriate application from the City Clerk. B. Prior to submission to the City Council, the application must be submitted to the Iowa City Fire Chief, the Iowa City Chief of Police, the Iowa City Building Official, and the Johnson County Health Department and the County Attorney, each of whom will approve or disapprove the application. It shall be the responsibility of the Fire Chief, Building Official, and Health Department to inspect the premises and determine if it complies with all applicable state and local laws, rules, and regulations. The Chief of Police and County Attorney shall each make an investigation to determine if the applicant is of good moral character as defined in Section 123.3(26) of the Iowa Code and the Rules of the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division. With regard to renewal applications, that investigation shall include any relevant information about prior operations under the license or permit. Disapproval of the application by any of the above must be in writing and must set forth the reasons therefore. Each official reviewing the application must complete the investigation and, if applicable, the memo setting forth the reasons for disapproval within five working days following receipt of the application. II. Adding a new section 4-2-4, entitled "Notice and Hearing" to provide the licensee or permittee an opportunity to be heard prior to the imposition of a civil penalty, suspension or revocation or disapproval of an application for renewal, as follows: 4-2-4: Notice and Headng: The City Council shall provide the licensee or permittee an opportunity to be heard prior to the imposition of a civil penalty, suspension or revocation or disapproval of an application for renewal. Notice may be given by personal service or first-class mail directed to the manager or contact person of the applicant as listed on the application. Notice by personal service must be given at least five days before the hearing. Notice by first-class mail is effective on mailing and must be given at least six days before the hearing. Ill. Adding a new section 4-2-5, entitled "Civil Penalties" to provide for the imposition of civil penalties for violations of the provisions of this Chapter, as follows: Section 4-2-5: Civil Penalties A. Any violation of state law, local ordinance, or the rules of the Alcoholic Beverages Division by any employee, agent, or servant of a licensee or permittee shall be deemed to be the act of the licensee or the permittee and shall subject the license or permit of said licensee or permittee to civil penalties, including suspension or revocation. B. The City Council may suspend a license or permit for a period not to exceed one year, revoke the license or permit, or impose a civil penalty not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000) per violation. Before suspension, revocation, or imposition of a civil penalty the license or permit holder shall be given written notice and opportunity for a hearing in accordance with Section 4-2-4. C. A license or permit issued may be suspended or revoked. or a civil penalty may be imposed on the license or permit holder by the City Council for any of the following causes: 1) Misrepresentation of any material fact in the application for such license or permit. 2) Violation of any of the provisions of Chapter 123, the Alcoholic Beverages Control provisions of the Iowa Code. 3) Any change in the ownership or interest in the business operated under a Class "A," Class "B," or Class "C" liquor control license, or any wine or beer permit, which change was not previously reported to and approved by the City Council. 4) Any event which would have resulted in disqualification from receiving a license or permit when originally issued. 5) Any sale, hypothecation, or transfer of the license or permit. 6) The failure or refusal on the part of any licensee or permittee to render any report or remit any taxes due under Chapter 123 of the Iowa Code. 7) Violation of any ordinance or regulation of the City of Iowa City relatincl to the purchase, possession, sale, supply, dispensinq or qivinq of alcohol. D. When a liquor license or wine or beer permit is suspended after a hearing as a result of violation by the licensee, permittee, or the iicensee's or permittee's agents or employees, the premises which were licensed by the license or permit shall not be relicensed for a new applicant until the suspension has terminated or time of suspension has elapsed, or ninety days have elapsed since the commencement of the suspension, whichever occurs first. However, this section does not prohibit the premises from being relicensed to a new applicant before the suspension has terminated or before the time of suspension has elapsed or before ninety days have elapsed from the commencement of the suspension, if the premises prior to the time of the suspension have 2 been purchased under contract, and the vendor under that contract had exercised the person's rights under Chapter 656 of the Iowa Code and sold the property to a different person who is not related to the previous licensee or permittee by marriage or within the third degree of consanguinity or affinity and if the previous licensee or permittee does not have a financial interest in the business of the new applicant. E. A criminal conviction is not a prerequisite to a suspension, revocation, or imposition of a civil penalty pursuant to this section. F. If the cause for suspension is a first offense violation of section 123.49, subsection 2, paragraph "h" of the Iowa Code or section 4-5-4(B) of the City Code, the City Council shall impose a civil penalty in the amount of three hundred dollars in lieu of suspension of the license or permit. G. The City Council shall notify the Alcoholic Beverages Division of any action taken under this section and shall notify the licensee or permit holder of the right to appeal a suspension, revocation, or imposition of a civil penalty to the Alcoholic Beverages Division. H. If any licensee, wine permittee, beer permittee, or employee of a licensee or permittee is convicted of selling, giving, or otherwise supplying any alcoholic beverage, wine, or beer to any person in violation of section 123.49, subsection 2, paragraph "h" of the Iowa Code or section 4-5- 4(B) of the City Code, in addition to criminal penalties fixed for such violations, the City Council shall assess a civil penalty as follows: a. Upon a first conviction, the violators liquor control license or wine permit or beer permit shall not be suspended, but rather, the violator shall be assessed a civil penalty in the amount of $500. Failure to pay the civil penalty will result in automatic suspension of the license or permit for a period of fourteen days. b. Upon a second conviction within a period of two years, the violators liquor control license, wine permit, or beer permit shall be suspended for a period of thirty days and the violator shall also be assessed a civil penalty in the amount of $1,500. c. Upon a third conviction within a period of three years, the violator's liquor control license, wine permit, or beer permit shall be suspended for a period of sixty days and the violator shall also be assessed a civil penalty in the amount of $1,500. d. Upon a fourth conviction within a period of three years, the violators' liquor control license, wine permit, or beer permit shall be revoked IV. Repealing in its entirety section 4-5-4 concerning persons under the legal age, and substituting in-lieu-thereof a new section 4-54, entitled "Regulation of Persons Under Legal Age", providing for the regulation of persons under legal age, as follows: Section 4-5-4: Regulation of Persons Under Legal Age A. A person or person under legal age shall not purchase or attempt to purchase, or individually or jointly have alcoholic liquor, wine, or beer in their possession or control; except in the case of liquor, wine, or beer given or dispensed to a person under legal age within a private home and with the knowledge, presence, and consent of the parent or guardian, for beverage or medicinal purposes or as administered to the person by either a physician or dentist for medicinal purposes and except to the extent that a person under legal age may handle alcoholic beverages, wine, or beer during the regular course of the person's employment by a liquor control licensee, or wine or beer permittee under this chapter. 1. A person who is under legal age, other than a licensee or permittee, who violates this section regarding the purchase of or attempt to purchase alcoholic liquor, wine, or beer, or possessing or having control of alcoholic liquor, wine, or beer, commits a simple misdemeanor punishable by a fine of one hundred dollars for the first offense. A second or subsequent offense shall be a simple misdemeanor punishable by a fine of two hundred dollars and the suspension of the person's motor vehicle operating privileges for a period not to exceed one year. The court may, at its discretion, order the person who is under legal age to perform community service work under section 909.3A of the Iowa Code, or an equivalent value to the fine imposed under this section. B. 1. An employee or agent of a person or club holding a liquor control license or retail wine or beer permit shall not sell, give, or otherwise supply any alcoholic beverage, wine, or beer to any person, knowing or failing to exercise reasonable care to ascertain whether the person is under legal age, or permit any person, knowing or failing to exercise reasonable care to ascertain whether the person is under legal age, to consume any alcoholic beverage, wine, or beer. 2. Any person who violates this section commits a simple misdemeanor punishable as a scheduled violation under section 805.8, subsection 10, paragraph "a" of the Iowa Code (currently $500). 3. A person under legal age shall not misrepresent the person's age for the purpose of purchasing or attempting to purchase any alcoholic beverages, wine, or beer from any licensee or permittee. If any person under legal age misrepresents the person's age, and the licensee or permittee establishes that the licensee or permittee made reasonable inquiry to determine whether the prospective purchaser was over legal age, the licensee or permittee is not guilty of selling alcoholic liquor, wine, or beer to a person under legal age. V. Adding a new section 4-5-6, entitled "Sales to Intoxicated Persons" to prohibit selling, dispensing or giving any alcoholic liquor, wine, or beer to an intoxicated person, as follows: Section 4-5-6: Sales To Intoxicated Persons A person shall not sell, dispense, or give to an intoxicated person, or one simulating intoxication, any alcoholic liquor, wine, or beer. A person who violates this provision shall be guilty of a simple misdemeanor. VI. Adding a new section 4-5-7, entitled "Limitations on Sales", as follows: Section 4-6-7: Limitations On Sales A. It shall be unlawful for a holder of a liquor control license, or wine permit or beer permit, or its employees or agents, to do any of the following: 1. Sell, offer to sell, dispense or serve for on-premises consumption, two or more servings of any alcoholic liquor, wine, or beer to any one person for the price of one such drink, 2. Sell, offer to sell, dispense or serve for on-premises consumption an unlimited number of alcoholic liquor, wine, or beer for a fixed price. 3. Increase the volume of alcoholic liquor, wine, or beer contained in a serving, for on-premises consumption, without proportionally increasing the price charged for such serving. 4. Sell, offer to sell, dispense or serve for on-premises consumption, more than one [2?I serving of any alcoholic liquor, wine, or beer at any one time to any one person. 5. Encouraqe or permit anv qame or contest or tournament of anv kind which involves drinkinq any alcoholic liquor, wine, or beer or the awardinq of alcoholic liquor, wine. or beer as a prize. 6. Dispense, pour, or otherwise serve anv alcoholic liquor, wine, or beer directly into a person's mouth. B. Exceptions: Nothing in section A shall be construed to prohibit a holder of a liquor control license, or wine, or beer permit from: (there are a number of options available to Council with respect to drink limitations - the listed exceptions to drink limitations are identified and Council will need to identify those options it wishes to include, if any, as part of the ordinance) 4 I. Including servings or drinks of alcoholic liquor, wine, or beer as part of a meal package. 2. Including servings or drinks of alcoholic liquor, wine, or beer as part of a hotel package. 3, Selling pitchers, carafes, or bottles or the equivalent, of alcoholic liquor, wine, or beer which are customadly sold in such manner and delivered to two or more persons at one time. 4. Time restrictions on "Happy Hour' or drink specials. 5. Fixed price for unlimited or indefinite amount of ddnks for catered events. SECTION II. Violations; Penalty. Violations of this ordinance may be prosecuted as a simple misdemeanor or as a municipal infraction, as provided for in this chapter, or as provided for in Title 1, Chapter 4 of this Code, as amended. SECTION II. ReDealer. All ordinances and parts of ordinances in conflict with the provisions of this Ordinance are hereby repealed. SECTION Ill. SEVERABILITY. If any section. provision or part of the Ordinance shall be adjudged to be invalid or unconstitutional, such adjudication shall not affect the validity of the Ordinance as a whole or any section, provision or part thereof not adjudicated invalid or unconstitutional. SECTION IV. EFFECTIVE DATE: This Ordinance shall be in effect after its final passage, approval and publication, as provided by law. · Passed and approved this day of ,2001. MAYOR ATTEST: CITY CLERK Approved by: City Attorney's Office Prepared by: Eleanor Dilkes, City Attorney, 410 E. Washington Street, Iowa City, IA 52240; 319-356-5030 ORDINANCE NO. ORDINANCE AMENDING TITLE 1, ENTITLED "ADMINISTRATION", CHAPTER 4, ENTITLED "GENERAL PENALTY", SECTION I(B) TO INCREASE THE MAXIMUM CRIMINAL PENALTY FOR SIMPLE MISDEMEANORS TO $500 AS AUTHORIZED BY STATE CODE. WHEREAS, City Code sets the criminal penalty for a simple misdemeanor, unless another penalty is specified, at a maximum fine of $100 or a sentence not to exceed 30 days in jail; and WHEREAS, state law now authorizes cities to impose a maximum penalty for simple misdemeanors in the amount of $500; and WHEREAS, the City Council desires to increase the maximum criminal penalty to $500, as authorized by state code. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF IOWA CITY, IOWA: SECTION I. AMENDMENT. Section 1-4-1(B) City Code is hereby deleted and the following substituted in lieu thereof: B. Criminal penalty: The doing of any act prohibited or declared to be unlawful, an offense or a simple misdemeanor by this Code or any ordinance or Code herein adopted by reference, or the omission or failure to perform any act or duty required by this Code or any ordinance or Code herein adopted by reference, is a simple misdemeanor and is, unless another penalty is specified or the violation is scheduled under state law, punishable by a penalty not exceeding five hundred dollars ($500) or in excess of thirty (30) days' imprisonment. SECTION II. REPEALER. All ordinances and parts of ordinances in conflict with the provi- sions of this Ordinance are hereby repealed. SECTION III. SEVERABILITY. If any section, provision or part of the Ordinance shall be adjudged to be invalid or unconstitutional, such adjudication shall not affect the validity of the Ordinance as a whole or any section, provision or part thereof not adjudged invalid or unconsti- tutionaL SECTION IV. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Ordinance shall be in effect after its final passage, approval and publication, as provided by law. Passed and approved this __ day of ,20 MAYOR ATTEST: CITY CLERK /-a,,s"--al City Attorney's Office Eleanor~rdinance~misdemeanor doc THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA j, February 5, 2001 , Dear Mayor Ernie Lehman and [owe Gity City Council Members: We write to express our appreciation for a)] the efforts that City Council members and ]0 <w~,City~.staff members have devoted to examining how we can reduce the harmful effects of excessi~,e drinking. We also wish to express our support for the ordinances currently under consideration, whi~l~' would 'eliminate drink specials and hold alcohol retailers responsible for sales to minors As you know, through the Stepping Up Project, Iowa City and the University have been active partners in changing the local environment with regard to excessive drinking. With your help, we have clarified the problem: People who drink too much, including underage University students, are hurting others, cornpromising the educational experience at the University, and reducing the quality of life in our community as a whole. College students who drink too much must take personal responsibility for their actions. But the concept of personal responsibility must extend beyond students. We can't blame college students for manufacturing and marketing alcoholic beverages with an eye toward creating profits through volume sales. College students are not responsible for the number of bars located within walking distance of our campuses. Nor are college students responsible for the price specials that encourage drinking to get drunk. Stepping Up's goal is to increase the safety of our community and to improve our quality of life. We believe we can do that without cornpromising the rights of adults who drink moderately. But excessive drinkers should not be allowed to compromise our rights, either. In the four years since Stepping Up was organized, much has been accomplished. The actions you have taken are impressive and worthy of note: · You amended the disorderly house ordinance, making it easier for police to shut down unruly parties before they get out of control. · Iowa City Police have worked with the University's Department of Public Safety to consistently enforce the minimum legal drinking age and have also kept a tally of PAULA violations in downtown bars. · You have supported our "Weeks of Welcome" Street Dance in an effort to address the social needs of young people without focusing on alcohol. · You are making it possible for a community group to purchase the Englert Theatre, keeping that historic building from being converted into another downtown bar. · Perhaps most important, you have made this issue a priority in your meetings and have actively sought and responded to public input on all sides of the issue. As partners in this effort, the University has also taken action: · We are providing late-night, social alternatives to the bar scene for our students. · We have increased the consequences for, and consistently enforced the policy against underage drinking for University students participating in orientation. · We refused to renew an athletics department advertising contract with Miller Brewing Company · We have designated an alcohol free tailgate lot at Hawkeye football games. · We have restricted the service of alcohol at social events in social fraternities, banned alcohol and tobacco from the entire residence hall system, and eliminated alcohol from the student areas of the I.MU Our students have been involved, as well. They are running "Nightgames" at the Ul's Fieldhouse and "Up All Night" and "Casino Night" in the residence halls. Students have also planned and organized the alcohol-free tailgates, a Valentine's Day Dance, and an innovative program called "Police and Pizza" O~ce of the President 101 Jessup Hall Iowa City, Iowa 52242-1316 319/335-3549 FAX 319/335-0807 February 5, 2001 Page 2 that gives students a chance to meet Public Safety officers in a friendly, relaxed atmosphere. The UI Student Government has also passed a resolution calling for responsible drinking. And students have started a new organization called University Voices for Alcohol Alternatives. We can be proud of these cooperative efforts. Our entire community is now aware of and concerned about this issue. Yet, even with all we have accomplished, there is still more to be done. Underage students, our heaviest drinkers, still have too easy access to alcohol. The following statistics provide an understanding of the extent of the problem: · Nine out of 10 UI students say that students who drink too much have harmed them in some way: sexual and physical assault, property damage, and drunk driving that puts others at risk of injury and death. · 86 percent of underage UI students who go to bars report that they are able to get alcoholic beverages. · 62 percent of the underage students who drink at bars admit that they drink to get drunk. · 62 percent of underage students say they have taken advantage of price specials, The bars that target the underage crowd are also the most likely to use price special promotions. · Last fall, 21 students violated the UPs self-destructive behavior policy and required medical care for alcohol poisoning. All of these students were under the legal drinking age. The proposed ordinances hold out the promise of reducing these harms. Since price specials encourage people to drink to get drunk, eliminating those specials may lead to moderation in consumption. Increasing retailers' responsibility for keeping alcohol away from minors will help reduce their access to alcohol. Studies have consistently demonstrated that reducing minors' access to alcohol reduces death and injury among that age group. Of course, adopting these ordinances is only one of the means to the end we seek. We will need to monitor whether implementing these ordinances actually reduces the harm that excessive drinkers cause for others. We appreciate that Council members have expressed a willingness to look at a "tried and true" method of reducing problems associated with alcohol: limiting entrance to bars to people who are 21 years of age or older. For one thing, such an ordinance would put all the bars on a level playing field competitively. It would also provide an incentive for entrepreneurs to develop non-alcohofic entertainment venues for young adults, Still, the ordinances now being considered by the City Council represent positive steps forward for our entire community. We are proud to consider what our community and campus partnership has accomplished so far. There's no doubt we have come a long way. Your support of the proposed ordinances will keep us on the path of progress. Sincerely, Coleman President Vice President: And Dean of Students : :- ' -27 -: /~ Department of Psychology ~ El19 Seashore Hall FEB 0 5 2001 Iowa Ci~, Iowa 52246 CIR MANAGERS 0FREE Feb~a~ ], 200] Stephen J. Arkins Civic Center 4]0 E. Washin~on St. Iowa City, ~A 52240 Dear Steve: ~ am deliBhted that the City Council plans an Open Fo~m on Febma~ 6th to consider the several proposed new ordinances regulating alcohol in ~owa City. Un~o~unately, bc out o[the count~ and, hence, unable to a~end. ?hat is why ] am writin~ you this note. gates o~bin~e dri~in~ amon8 University oEZowa undergraduates are not only out comrol, they also rank at the top amon~ the nation's colleges and universities. [ you have a responsibility, with the University, to chan~e that dubious distinction. judgment, the steps you have been discussin8 will alleviate the probJcm, aJthou~h they will not solve it. The solution, ] firmly believe~ lies in prohibitin~ underage students ~rom enterjn~ Zowa City~s bars and taverns. However, halY a loaE is better than none, and it cenainJy makes sense to assess the impact on binBe drj~in~ o~the measures you arc contemplatin~ be[ore unde~akin~ prohibition o[undera~e students in the bars and thereby riskjn~ the cjty's t~ base. ]n any evere, thank you for having the couraBe to do something about a problem that a~ects aJl o~us, and many o[ our children. Sinccr~Jy, 319-135-2427 (telephone) 319-335-0191 (fax) peter-nathan~'c~uiowa.edu OFFICE OF THE MAYOR C11'/OF CEDAR FALLS, IOWA 220 CLAY STREET CEDAR FALLS, IOWA 50613 319-268-5119 FAX 319-268-5126 February 2, 2001 Lynn M. Walding, Administrator State of Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division 1918 S.E. Hulsizer ltd. Ankeny, IA 50021-3941 Dear Mr. Walding: As Mayor of Cedar Falls, I would like to encourage your support of Iowa legislation limiting drink specials that establishments can offer. The City of Cedar Falls believes such a measure would help reduce the irresponsible consumption of alcohol. We recognize the prevalence of this problem in college communities like ours and feel a duty to do what we can to provide a safe and healthy environment for the student population, as well as all our citizens. Anything that you can do to initiate and support the proposal of such legislation would be greatly appreciated. Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns. Sincerely, xc: Stephen Atkins, Iowa City City Manager "OUR CITIZENS ARE OUR BUSINESS" Marjan Karr From: Graham Dameron [gdameron@co.johnson.ia.us] Sent: Tuesday, February 06, 2001 12:56 PM To: 'council@iowa-city.org' Cc: Donna Henn; Kelley Donham, DVM, MS; Mary Ann Murray; Maureen Connolly, MD; Pamela Willard Subject: Alcohol Policies Dear Mayor and Members of the City Council of Iowa City: I know that you are considering changes in City of Iowa City policies related to alcohol this evening at a public hearing. I support the City Council's proposals for our number 1 health problem in Johnson County. The proposed policies absolutely move the city in the same direction as what has been proposed by the Johnson County Health Improvement Plan. I applaud you for addressing this difficult issue. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, L. Graham Dameron, MPH Director johnson County Department of Public Health 1105 Gilbert Court Iowa City, IA 52240 gdameron@co.johnson.ia.us 7 Marian Karr From: theresa dunnington [tdunn51 @hotmail.com] Sent: Tuesday, February 06, 2001 4:43 PM To: council@iowa-city.org Subject: Letter in support of "drinking ordinances" I am writing in support of all four components of the "drinking ordinance" before the council. I am tired of downtown being filled with bars all too willing to break the law to make money, I am tired of law enforcement being overwhelmed with intoxicated minors, and I am tired of bar owners repeatedly denying all responsibility for their role in the problems caused to our community by drinking. Recently my automobile was vandalized while parked outside my home. As I live a block from City High, the officer who responded to this call said "well if you were closer to downtown weld know it was drunks getting home from the bars." To me, it is pathetic that awareness of the realties of drinking in Iowa City is to this level, yet nothing to date has been done. In my opinion, all of these measures are doomed to fail until the bar entrance is restricted to the minimum legal drinking age, but I will take what I can get. Please enact every possible ordinance to limit the consumption of alcohol by irresponsible drinkers. Thank you. Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com February 6, 2001 Dear City Council Members: Students at the University of Iowa including myself would like to express our disappointment that the city decided not to support the students once again. I feel this is a poor message to send out; especially when students are a large portion of this town end our money helps operate this city. It really hurts me to know one mason the mayor voted NO to give RiverFest funding was because "it seemed like en annual commitment". In my opinion that is a poor excuse. Recently, there has been much debate on drinking ordinances in Iowa City. The city cotmcil wanted students to be responsible drinkers and underage students to seek alternatives to going to the bar. When students approach you for help to expand this vision and goal, you deny their request. The past week, I have viewed several newspaper articles end saw some responses of council members. To my surprise a repeated response was "we know what the problem is; however we need to find a solution?' The University of Iowa students gave you a possible solution: help fund non-alcoholic programming. So I pose this question to you: Are you really looking for a solution to what you perceive to be a problem? Another reason for denying the request was the city did not went to increase programs and funding. Once again, this reason is unacceptable. This is the 23ra annual RiverFest, en event that costs approximately $75,000 end is organized and implemented by 14 students. The money the city and community will receive fi'om revenue end taxes will be far above that amount. These actions have shown students how hypocritical you are. The students are asked to give more and more. Especially with the property taxes increase. As a result to this decision rents around town has gone up around $50 per month. Where is the reciprocity? During the past city council election students were viewed as apathetic to voting. Some reasons are because we felt that the city does not care about the students unless they are issuing a possession ticket. In the past week, I have seen this notion to have some merit and truth. However, with this new election in November approaching, I guarantee you that University of Iowa students voice will be heard. Sincerely, Marquez Brown Concerned Student UISG Drinking Behavior Survey Question #4 General Comments 4. Why do you choose to drink? Choice Votes Approximate % N/A 142 11% * Reward hard work 55 4% Relieve stress 90 7% Social activity 843 65% ...... To get drunk 45 3% Other 125 10% * Total 1300 According to the survey results, a majority of the University of Iowa students who filled out the online survey, say they drink as a social activity. A lot of responses focused on the "activity" aspect of it, such as wanting to be with friends, and many also focused on the lack of other activities in Iowa City. There were some responses that said students drink to reward themselves with a few drinks to relieve stress. The fewest responses sited "to get drunk." -Summary by Dan Patterson, UISG UISG Drinking Behavior Survey Question #7 General Comments 7. Do you feel limiting out-of-sight alcohol sales in Iowa City bars will decrease the levels of dangerous drinking and/or underage drinking rates? Choice Votes Approximate % Yes 167 13% * No 1133 87% ........ Total 1300 The majority of students who responded to the survey said they do not believe that limiting "out of sight sales" would be effective truly affective in reducing underage or binge drinking. A lot of participants cited reasons such as "if people want it, they will get it," and also cited those who were under 21 would still attain fake ID's. -Summary by Dan Patterson, UISG UISG Drinking Behavior Survey Question #8 General Comments 8. Do you feel that laws enacted by the Iowa City Council limiting price specials and/or setting a minimum price for drinks will decrease the level of dangerous drinking behavior and/or underage drinking at the University of Iowa? Choice Votes Approximate % Yes 185 14% * No 1115 86% ******** Total 1300 Executive summary of responses In general, most students responding to this survey do not think that limiting price specials and/or setting a minimum price for drinks will have huge impacts on the level of dangerous or underage drinking. Most comments state that students who want to drink, will drink, regardless of cost---and that it is a behavior inherent in college life everywhere. A number of comments do note that a some students will be limited because of the financial strains of being a college student. Many students also believe that people will "pre-party" more before they go out to the bars. -Summary by Andy Stoll, UISG UISG Drinking Behavior Survey Question #9 General Comments 9. If alternative venues (movie theaters, alcohol free dance clubs, shopping, concerts, recreational facilities) were available late at night, would these decrease dangerous drinking behavior and/or underage drinking in the Iowa City community? Choice Votes Approximate % Yes 772 59% ***** No 528 41% .... Total 1300 Executive summary of responses Yes, alternate activities to the bars would be affectlye in lowering underage and binge drinking rates in Iowa City. It is important that these activities be well publicized, constantly scheduled, and at times that reflect students behavior (i.e. activities that start after 9 pm or so and continue until 2 am or later). It is likely, that these alternate activities would not affect those students who were extreme drinkers or who specifically went out to get drunk, but these activities would have an affect on many bar patrons who are simply looking for a place to be social and have fun. The most common suggestions included (in no particular order) a bowling alley, non-alcoholic club, late-night movies at a modern day movie theater, buses to Planet X or the mall, and more concerts. -Summary by Andy Stoll, UISG UISG Drinking Behavior Survey Question #11 General Comments 11. Which of the following actions by the Iowa City Council do you think would be most effective in decreasing binge rates in Iowa City? Choice Votes Approximate % Limiting access... 110 8% Increased law enfor,.. 60 5% Restricting special... 111 9% Setting min price... 62 5% Working to provide... 315 24% ** Requiring wrist ba.., 54 4% Limiting # of alco... 24 2% Encourage business,.. 99 8% Mandatory ID scann... 49 4% Making bar owners/... 240 18% * Other 176 14% * Total 1300 Executive summary of responses The main theme of students' responses is that City Council can't stop binge drinking, because most people go to bars to get drunk. Therefore, most students felt that drinkers will find a way to get around any rules that City Council passes against binge drinking, However, most students also felt that there are several steps that the city council can take to reduce binge drinking in Iowa City. For example, many respondents called on bar owners to monitor and act on people with excessive drinking behavior. In addition, some people felt that binge drinkers might be deter by higher fines, and that students should be educated on the dangers of binge drinking. - Summary by Chih King, UISG UISG Drinking Behavior Survey Question #12 General Comments 12. Which of the following actions by the Iowa City Council do you think would be most effective in decreasing underage drinking rates in Iowa City? Choice Votes Approximate % Limiting access... 110 8% Increased law enfor,,. 60 5% Restricting special.,. 111 9% Setting rain price... 62 5% Working to provide,.. 315 24% ** Requiring wrist ba... 54 4% Limiting # of alco... 24 2% Encourage business... 99 8% Mandatory IE) scann... 49 4% Making bar owners/... 240 18% * Other 176 14% * Total 1300 Executive summary of responses The general feeling of the University of iowa students is that even if city council takes drastic measures to curb underage drinking, there will always be underage drinking in towa City. If the bars become 21-only, the minors will still have access to alcohol through house parties or friends. However, there are several steps that the city council can take to reduce the amount of underage drinking in Iowa City. For example, many respondents cited ID bracelets and mandatory ID scanners as a good way to discourage minors from consuming alcohol. In addition, the City Council should provide alternative entertainment options for students in general, such as concerEs, non-alcoholic dance club, and bowling bowt alley. - Summary by Chih King, UISG UISG Drinking Behavior Survey Additional Comments Executive summary of responses A large number of opinions are expressed, there are many insightful and interesting comments that summarize thoughts found throughout the survey results. -Summary by Andy Stoll, UISG · . Government (UISG) Online Survey on Drinking Behavior Presented to the Iowa City City Council, February 6th, 2001 A total of 1,300 students responded to the 14-question survey. Below are the numerical responses to all questions, and attached to this packet are executive summaries of the additional written comments from the survey (the executive summaries are the gold packet). Please contact UISG President Andy Stoll at 335-3576 or Andrew- Stoll~uiowa.edu with questions or comments. !..How often do you consume alcohol? Choice Votes Approximate % Never 128 10% Rarely 362 28% ** Once a week 332 26% ** Twice a week 337 26% ** More that 3 times... 141 11% Total 1300 2. When you drink, how many drinks do you consume (one beer, one mixed drink, or one shot constitute one drink)? Choice Votes Approximate % N/A 129 10% 1 91 7% 2 219 17% * 3 235 18% * 4 210 16% * 5 or more 416 32% *** Total 1300 3. When you drink, how many hours pass before you stop? Choice Votes Approximate % N/A 157 12% 1 103 8% 2 210 16% * 3 352 2 7% ** 4 300 2 3% ** 5 or more 178 14% Total 13 0 0 4, Why do you choose to drink? Choice Votes Approximate % N/A 142 11% * Reward hard work 55 4% Relieve stress 90 7% Social activity 843 65% ...... ADDITIONAL COMMENTS To get drunk 45 3% Other 125 10% * Total 1300 5, Of those UI students who drink, do you think that a majority do so responsibly? Choice Votes Approximate % Always 35 3% Most of the time 542 42% .... Sometimes 503 39% *** Rarely 206 16% * Never 14 1% Total 1300 6. Complete the statement: Compared to other college students, University of Iowa students drink: Choice Votes Approximate % More responsibly 141 11% With equal responsibility. 773 59% ..... Less responsibly 151 12% I have no basis for comparison 235 18% Total 1300 7. Do you feel limiting out-of-sight alcohol sales in Iowa City bars will decrease the levels of dangerous drinking and/or underage drinking rates? Choice Votes Approximate % Yes 167 13% No 1133 87% ........ ADDITIONAL COMMENTS Total 1300 8. Do you feel that laws enacted by the iowa City Council limiting price specials and/or setting a minimum price for drinks will decrease the level of dangerous drinking behavior and/or underage drinking at the University of Iowa? Choice Votes Approximate % Yes 185 14% * No 1115 86% ........ ADDITIONAL COMMENTS Total 1300 9. If alternative venues (movie theaters, alcohol free dance clubs, shopping, concerts, recreational facilities) were available late at night, would these decrease dangerous drinking behavior and/or underage drinking in the Iowa City community? Choice Votes Approximate % Yes 772 59% ..... No 528 41% .... ADDITIONAL COMMENTS Total 1300 10. How often do the second hand effects of irresponsible drinking (such as taking care of a roommate, vandalism, noise, etc.) affect you? Choice Votes Approximate % Never 177 14% * Rarely 577 44% .... Sometimes 340 2 6% ** Frequently 115 9% Every weekend 91 7% Total 1300 11, Which of the following actions by the Iowa City Council do you think would be most effective in decreasing hinge rates in Iowa City? Choice Votes Approximate % Limiting access to the bars to those over the age of 21 110 8% Increased law enforcement 60 5% Restricting price specials 111 9% Setting minimum prices for drinks 62 5% Working to provide other late night activities 315 24% ** Requiring wrist bands for 21 year olds 54 4% Limiting # of alcohol licenses in an area 24 2% Encourage business to stay open later/offer late night services 99 8% Mandatory ID scanners 49 4% Making bar owners more responsible for what goes on in their bar 240 18% * Other 176 14% * Total 1300 ADDITIONAL COMMENTS 12. Which of the following actions by the Iowa City Council do you think would be most effective in decreasing underage drinking rates in iowa City? Choice Votes Approximate % Limiting access to the bars to those over the age of 21 239 18% Increased law enforcement 54 4% Restricting price specials 12 1% Setting min prices for drinks 5 0% Working to provide other late night activities 323 2 5% ** Requiring wrist bands for 21 year olds 164 13% * Limiting # of alcohol licenses in an area 11 1% Encourage businesses to stay open later / offer late night services 83 6% Mandatory IDscanners 131 10% * Making bar owners more responsible for what goes on in there bar 51 12% * Other 127 10% * Total 1300 ADDITIONAL COMMENTS 13. Which of the following actions by the University do you think would be most effective in decreasing hinge rates in Iowa City? Choice Votes Approximate % Sponsor more student run late night activities 214 16% Provide alternative activities 290 22% ** Extend facility hours (like fitness facilities 86 7% Education 127 10% Promote a more social atmosphere in student centered buildings like the IMU 323 25% ** More strictly enforce already existing rules 114 9% Other 146 11% Total 1300 14. Which of the following actions by the University do you think would be most effective in decreasing underage drinking rates in Iowa City? Choice Votes Approximate % Sponsor more student run late night activities.., 218 17% * Provide alternative activities 356 2 7% ** Extend facility hours (like fitness facilities 90 7% Education 67 5% Promote a more social atmosphere in student centered buildings like the IMU 290 22% ** More strictly enforce of already existing rules 146 11% * Other 133 10% * Total 1300 ADDITIONAL GENERAL COMMENTS UISG Drinking Behavior Survey Question #4 General Comments 4. Why do you choose to drink? Choice Votes Approximate % N/A 142 11% * Reward hard work 55 4% Relieve stress 90 7% Social activity 843 65% ...... To get drunk 45 3% Other 125 10% * Total 1300 According to the survey results, a majority of the University of Iowa students who filled out the online survey, say they drink as a social activity. A lot of responses focused on the "activity" aspect of it, such as wanting to be with friends, and many also focused on the lack of other activities in Iowa City. There were some responses that said students drink to reward themselves with a few drinks to relieve stress. The fewest responses sited "to get drunk." -Summary by Dan Patterson, UISG 4. Why do you choose to drink Choice Votes Approximate % N/A 142 11% * Reward hard work 55 4% Relieve stress 90 7% Social activity 843 65% ...... To get drunk 45 3% Other 125 10% * Total 1300 Social Activity and Being a college student A few drinks after a long day helps decrease tension and allows for a better sleep social activity and to relieve stress It is a mixture of the above. I find the effects of alcohol quite enjoyable. All of the above, depending on the day and situation i enjoy the feeling. it is in no way an escape, soemthing to make myself feel better. several of the above apply: reward hard work relieve stress social activity There is nothing better to do in this boring town. Drink with meal my friends made me Thirsty all of the above except reward for hard work i don't need it to have fun all of the above except to get drunk It's nice to be able to go out, have some fun with your friends, dance, have a few drinks to relax and forget about the daily rigors of school life for a night. Most all normal collge students drink. It's pretty much assumed at all colleges that weekends are made for partying, which usually involves alcohol and illegal drugs. to reward hard work, relieve stress and blow off steam, AND as a social interaction. A special occation, a special dinner, etc. fun I normally have a glass or two of red wine after a long day of classes to relax and enjoy with my meals. I enjoy eating red meat, so the red wine not only tastes good with it, but also is good for my heart (which unfortunately, the red meat isn't). special occasions have fun Because I like to enjoy a glass of wine or a nice beer once in a while, socially or with a meal. I never drink soly for the purpose to get drunk. I use it to Iosen up after a rough couple of weeks and hang out with friends. All of the listed answered are true for many students, plus other unlisted reasons. Most students drink for a variety of reasons. I don't believe most students can pinpoint it to one single reason. i enjoy it I like the taste of beer and enjoy a cold beverage after a hard days work. All of the above, in different cases. because I like the taste of beer it all depends on the time of year and what's going on in my life.. i have a child so i can't drink often or to get really really drunk Because I enjoy the flavor of the alcohol I consume. All of the above assume that anyone who drinks does so for the wrong reasons(all of the above are indications of alcoholic tendencies). I often have a beer or a glass of wine or two with a meal. This type of drinking does not fall under any of the above choices. communion with others during special occasions (wine with the meal) Also to reward hard work Special Occations like New Years, birthdays... To celebrate because i enjoy it. All of the above plus there's nothing else to do in this city. If there are other activities, they're not being advertised very well. to toast something, so just one drink the taste of it a glass of wine with dinner enjoy it its nice to have wine with dinner I enjoy getting crazy with my friends. It lets me not worry about everything for one night. all of the above Like the taste / is something that I would like right then Really I do it for all of those reasons but at different times. Usually it just helps me unwind and relax. it is for many reasons, not just one. i drink to have fun with friends and be social, and yes i like the feeling of being drunk as well. There are times that I just feel like drinking. I don't drink to get drunk cause I stop myself and I know when to stop. all of the above and more It is relaxing to have a couple of drinks at dinner, watching sports, etc. I choose to drink for many reasons. The reasons listed above are some of my reasons to drink. I have fun when I drink. However, I do not need to drink to have fun, I am able to control my actions when I drink. Depends on the situations. To reward hard work by getting drunk. For all of those reasons and more It's an immediate happiness, and it balances the stress that I get from school, work, and money concerns. Drinking, for many, is a security blanket; however, I choose to drink in excess because it seems as though Iowa City offers no alternative and nearly everyone I know does the same. I work for a beer distributor. I am out at least three nights a week working and generally consume responsibly each time I am out in order to promote our product. To get drunk and have fun. But I don't drink to have fun. There is a difference a mixture of 2,3, and 4 all of the above ... it's fun, it feels good. All of the above, just depends on the day Combination of some of the above. with dinner sometimes Because of the taste All of those reasons Something to do. Due to religious beliefs, I see drinking as a negative act of irrisponsibility and a hazard to the whole of society. How can you limit to just one I drink to relieve stress on the weekdays and the only way to relieve stress is to get drunk. VVno doesn't think drinking is a social activity on the weekends? Who wrote this survey? Relieve stress and social activity To relax, have fun and interact with friends. one or two drinks every now and then. Like I do, about every other week I guess, are good for the soul. I grew up in an irish family, and my dad always came home from work and had a few beers. If I go out on a saturday nite, and have one or two drinks. I do not think it is wrong ,and I drink them slowly over the course of the evening. often just one or two drinks to wind down at the end of the day or to reward myself at the end of a huge endeavor (as in an exam or thesis). but also as a social thing with close friends, but never ever for the purpose of getting drunk. i prefer to keep my senses with me! As an occassional night out with friends or my spouse. or as an accompaniment to a meal. i have fun when i sit around with my friends or we go to the bar for a few drinks. To drink something that tastes good and different then the everyday stuff A mixture of all of the selections Sometimes I just want to. not to get drunk but just because I think it sounds good. Because it's fun and it makes thing a little more fun than usual and there's nothing else to do. All of the above - its college relieve stress and a social activity....we're in the middle of iowa, there isn't that much to do one or a combination of socializing, relieveing stress or rewarding hard work because I actually like beer. Ever think of that? To have fun I enjoy having a drink now and then Wine with a meal Depends. I really like the taste of beer. When I drink, I drink because I want to, not because I feel pressured to. People who use that excuse are lame and have no identity. Sometimes I just go Out and have a beer..1 beer, yet since I may do it several times a week the city council terms it as unhealthy I have fun drinkning, and i like to hang out with my friends, and drink. We watch movies, watch sporting events, and sometimes go to parties or bars. Tastes good with meals. I just like the taste of beer. To relax and loosen up a bit To celebrate the New Year. Enough said. I have had drinks with jewish holidays and new years... but not more then one as answered previously Very rarely; although sometimes a glass of wine with dinner the taste of the beverage To increase the loveliness, communal supportive spirit & relaxation accompanying sil~ing around w/my friends, talking & just being. More than one of the above; social activity, relieve stress, celebrate, relax, meet people I don't drink because I'am here to grow as a person not a lush! I don't want to lose control, so i don't. Most that I know just do it to get drunk. I believe that I choose to drink for a combination of reasons. There are times that I go out because my friends are(social activity); times when I am finished with my classes and I choose to drink(reward); and there are times that I just have a drink or two to relieve stress. It depends on the situation. Personally, i see drinking as a social activity- i am responsible w/my drinking and do not use it negatively- such as "a release," i never have intentions to drink to GET DRUNK, and being drunk may possibly lead to irresponsible activities- not a good idea of course] to relax responsibly after a tough day or during a social occasion lots of reasons and it is not to get drunk it is to have a good time To have a glass of wine with a meal, or with friends To "get away" from everything.....ifs a way to just "let yourself go" A combo of relieving stress, reward hard work, and to go out with my friends Combination of many things, stress, reward for hard work, it gives me the ability to be out and be social, etc etc etc I drink for several reasons. Because it is the only socialy exceptable thing to do on a friday or Saturday night. And because drinking has unjustly been decleared an illegal activity for young ADULTs to engage in and I consume alachol in protest. I enjoy the taste of the beverages. I like to do it I drink once a year at my family christmas party, because there is always a lot of Baley's Irish Cream flying around and I like how it tastes. All of the above. How can you generalize (questions 1-4) so blatantly? All of the above There aren't many things to do with your friends besides go to the bars. ...besides drinking I can hang out with my friends and relieve stress. taste (food enhancement) because i can Family celebrations and/or holidays I drink because I feel like it.lhave different reasons for why I drink. Sometimes it is just to get drunk because it makes you feel good .Other reasons is because of rewards.A person should not be judge because they drink,but because of what happens when they drink. You can be 18 or 19 and act accordingly or you can be 45 and still cannot control your liquor. Sometimes to releive stress, sometimes as a social activity, always to get drunk, and for something to do with my hands between songs. All of the above Enjoy the taste good time..nothing else to do I choose not to drink because I feel excessive drinking is wrong. I don't drink at all because I feel that it would lead to temptations that I could not withstand and there really is no real good reason to drink alcohol. Especially since it has so many bad affects. Because I like to drink and it's fun. all of the above and then some Taste of beer many reasons There is no particular reason why I choose to drink. After a long week at school, it's great to go out with your friends, meet new people, have a couple drinks and a laugh or two. If it's treated responsibly. drinking is not dangerous. One needs to be educated and the education is out there waiting for someone to loot at it. I ddnk for different reasons at different times. Sometimes it is for social reasons and others to just maybe calm my nerves. To have fun, I like the taste of fine imported beers. Also, as a social activity. Because I can All of the reasons above except to simply get drunk. Social, relieve stress and to reward hard work usually wine with a meal wine with a nice meal. or occasionally with friends UISG Drinking Behavior Survey Question #7 General Gomments 7. De you feel limiting out-of-sight alcohol sales in Iowa Gity bars will decrease the levels of dangerous drinking and/or underage drinRing rates? Yes '167 '13% * NO 1133 87% ........ TOtal 1300 The majority of students who responded to the survey said they do not believe that limiting "out of sight sales" would be effective truly affective in reducing underage or binge drinking. A lot of participants cited masons such as "if people want it, they will get it," and also cited those who were under 21 would still attain fake ID's. -Summary by Dan Patterson, UISG 7. Do you feel limiting out-of-sight alcohol sales in Iowa City bars will decrease the levels of dangerous drinking and/or underage drinking rates? Choice Votes Approximate % Yes 167 13% * No 1133 87% ........ Total 1300 The students here seem so a custom to drinking that I believe they will find a way to get the alcohol Because laws like that will destroy the downtown's economy. Look at all the the restuarants that thrive on the bar crowds. Because 18- to 20-year-old adult college students are going to drink when they feel like it, regardless of limits on drink sales, bar admittance, etc. While limiting out-of-sight alcohol sales in bars may stifle a few people's attempts to get a drink a few times, it will do nothing to get at the heart of the binge-drinking problem in Iowa City and will probably only result in more trips to the bar for the designated of-age drinker of the party. It will also be an inconvenience for those adults of the legal age. Students will just spend more time at pre-parties or drinking in their dorms. If people have the money...they WILL buy the beer..it will also only crowd the bars and create high levels of tension when people get drunk and need a beer Because students will always be able to find fake id's that will allow them to consume alcohol, they will buy other places Let's face it. The bars make money, and employees who work on any given night are there to make money. Period. Especially waitresses- most likely to receive tips. Drinking is going to happen whether there are drink specials or not. If bars are more strict than students will just find somewhere else to drink. I believe that students will continue to drink no matter what the price of alcohol is or whether or not there are drink specials. My reason for believing so is the fact that that most students go out on the weekend when there are no drink specials. Because people always find a way to get around the system. Someone is always there to purchase alcohol for underage drinkers and people who tend to drink "dangerously" will do so regardless. Kids will always find a way to get booze Other people would be able to buy for you They have no real connection to each other. People will drink no matter what. people will be able to get drinks one way or another. Go out on a Friday or Saturday night. Everyone out is 18 and wasted. I can tell because I am 22 and everyone is so young that is out at most bars. If the city wanted to decrease drinking in Iowa City-it would be so easy. But underage drinking makes too much money for the city so it's gotta stay the way it is. Keep it though-if 18 is old enough to fight a war, it's old enough to drink some beer. And kids are going to drink no matter what. Keep the money in the city and away from the house parties. I'd rather see the kid's money be used to better the town that I live in. I think that there will be some improvement at the beginning but overall I don't believe it will decrease anything. If kids want to drink, they will probably due everything they can to get around laws. people are still going to find out about them People will get alcohol no matter what regulations are imposed that ultimately do nothing but punish good people and limit everyone's freedom. students will find other ways to get alcohol. friends will buy for them, drinking will move from bars to other places. Such as parties off campus which might encourage driving drunk. What happened to carding those who were buying the alcohol? One person should not be buying several drinks at one time, because chances are that they are not going to drink them all themselves, and if they are then they are drinking responsibly. Alcohol is easy to get through other avenues. most students will continue to drink even if there are no sales, they might decide to drink somewhere else besides the bar That's not to say I think it's a good idea, but it would decrease them. Students will find a way to drink no matter what the city does, whether by getting fake ID's, using older buyers, or going to house parties. You can change the rule but the amount of alcohol consumed is NOT going to change. People are going to do what they want to do. And the reality is that most people go to the bars to get really drunk. If students want to drink they will find a way, whether it is in a bar or at a party elsewhere Students will bring their drinking to house parties, which would lead to drunk driving. the students will always find ways around it College students are going to find a way to drink regardless of the sales. Because it will move the drinking from the close downtown bars to houses and surrounding little city bars. People enjoy drinking plain and simple. They will continue to drink the amount the desire whether these sales are done or not. Because they will always find a way around the law When people go to get drunk they ddnk before the bars. because the bars are too expensive. House parties are where most people get drunk If an underage person is on a mission to get drunk or to have a few beers. they will get beer. By limiting out of sight sales you just cause more of a headache to the guy/girl buying the beer for the underage person. However much of a headache buying beer for younger people is for the person buying it, the buying will continue. because it is just as easy to drink alcohol at a house party ITS LIKE THE FORBIDDEN FRUIT. IF YOU DO SOMETHING TQ TAKE IT AWAY IT WILL BE THAT MUCH MORE TEMPTING. IF PEOPLE WANT BEER THEY WILL GET IT Underage students will get fake ID's so they can drink at the bar. Students over 21 can just go back up to the bar to a different bartender to get another drink for e friend. They can get alcohol outside of the bars and drink anyway. People that drink are going to ddnk. And limiting any kind of sales in Iowa City, will only allow people to go other places for it. Students drink more at house parlies or private gatherings than at the bars. It's just too easy to get caught in public. if people want it bad enough...you are going to get it Students will only figure other means in possessing alcohol. It is impossible to curve underage drinking because peolpe always want what they can't have Seriously, the only thing that is going to reduce underage drinking IN BARS is a 21 age limit. People are still going to drink and probably more dangerously because house parlies provide much cheaper alcohol. Proposed limits will only make the bars less enjoyable for many people and puish drinking into a more volatile setting. WE WILL STILL FIND A WAY TO DRINK Students will drink regardless. At least now it in a safer, public environment than if it were all underground. if people really wanted to have a drink then it will be no way of stopping them. They will find a way to get a drink. No people are going to drink regardless of this...however by deturing bars to have this specials...will deter people from going to the bars based on expense...and this will lead to more parlies where I have foind that drinking gets more out of hand because there is no regulkation..at a bar there are boincers or even cops...at house parties people aren't as scared to go crazy_by getting rid of deals the driking will spred out and be harder to control...and it might lead to drunk driving if the parties are further away...all in all people go to bars to socialize...the drink specials help luire them in..but in the end people are going to drink_the question is do you want it concentrated in one area...or spred out...for me I would take the concentrated area If an underage person wants to drink in a bar, there isn't too much of a problem for them to find someone 21 to buy alcohol for them if they don't have a fake ID. People are going to drink a lot if they want to, limiting out-of-sight sales isn't going to have the effect that the City Council is hoping for. There is always a way around Bars are only one way to obtain alcoholic beverages. At[east when people drinkin bars they are not alone and unsupervised, they have their friends to look out for them unlike some other drinking situations. if people want to drink they will get it. Because people are going to find a way to drink no matter what. People don't really care. They will buy alcohol regardless of what the price is. Yes. I think there needs to be a tight crackdown on drinking,no one under 21 should ever be allowed in a bar, and fines for underage drinking and driving while intoxicated should be exceptionally harsh. People will buy alcohol despite out-of-sight sales and other regulations. People want to drink and it should be there choice if they want to be irresponsible or not, not the City Council Underagers would still get the drinks I think if the students want to drink they will find a way to do it. even if they aren't in a bar. People go to the bars to drink. They are going to keep drinking, no matter how much it costs. If people want to drink, they will find ways to drink. Just limiting "out-of-sight sales" will not stop people from drinking where they live, or having people who are old enough buy drinks for them in and out of bars. If students want to drink, they will no matter what. If people want to drink. they'll get it from somewhere regardless of the laws. Because people will still buy for minors, even if they have to go to the bar. Plus a lot of drinking begins before the bars where there is no control. because now people will drink at home or at parties at a much greater rate where worse things could happen to them less promotion will bring about less drinking (at leasst in public establishments) Limiting out-of-sight sales has no bearing on the amount of alcohol someone consumes. Any decrease in underage drinking by limiting out-of-sight sales at the bars will be offset by more underage drinking at other locations. People always find a way to get what they want irregardless of regulations. Because at all the bars in Iowa City even the bartenders sell to minors. They never ask to see your stamp or wrist band. Limiting out-of-site sales won't do any good. What needs to be done is having responsible bartenders who will not sell to minors at all. because people will find some other place and/or some other way to get alcohol that may be even more dangerous. If they want to drink, they'll get it whether they am in bars, private homes. etc. Students will drink at college...even if the alcohol isn't as easily available to them, they will find ways. Making it harders to obtain alcohol will only make students want to rebel and drink more. if there is a will there is a way I think the council needs to be really careful how they change the law. If they mess with the bars too much i fear that padies will become more popular and I really think bars are more safe than parties. It is only going to upset people Because people always find a way to get their alcohol. It will only hurt the bars' business at most. If students are at a bar or pub, they are still going to buy drinks regardless of the degree of drink specials. Those who choose to drink irresponsibly will do so regardless and no matter what the limitations are. It'sjust another opportunity to rebel against an unidentifiable authority. there will always be other places to go to there are many other places that students can purchase alcohol People will continue to drink in the same fashion - they'll just find other ways to do it! People do what they like to do no matter what the cost. Where will the advertising restrictions end? Will cigarettes no longer be on-sale? What about fast food? These things in excess are also bad for people. As far as the bars, I think sales are a necessary part of competitive business. just get it somewhere else Because under-age drinkers will just get drunk before they go to the bars or choose to go to more house parties, which are not as safe as drinking in bars because of driving issues, binge drinking issues and sexual assault potential. People are going to drink if they want to. If you make it harder for them to in the bars, they'll go to a party. It doesnt make a difference to them. I think the problem needs to be addressed at the source: irresponsible individual behavior and poor parenfing. Bar owners should not be held accountable simply for accommodating all entering patrons. A bookstore is not held accountable when a psychotic purchases "The Anarchist's Cookbook" and then proceeds to blow up a schoolbus. Stiffer penalties should be imposed on all drinking-related offenses, including DUI, public intox (which is obnoxious anyway), etc. Generate revenue for the city with those fines, and curb the drinking problem without socking it to bar owners. If people want to drink, they are going to find a way no matter what. I think it may hinder people for a while, but they will find a way eventually. If people want to drink...they will drink! Students will leave Iowa City's bars and find other options for getting alcohol. I heard a bus driver talking about the out-of-sight policy, and he said that students were chartering buses to go to TiptoWs bars. Not only does this show the lengths to which U of Iowa's students will go to drink, but this will also cause Iowa City's downtown area to lose a lot of needed business income. because the changes proposed will only make our problems on this campus worse. We are legal adults and our parents have sent us on to school. If they think we are capable of making our own decisions then we must be. People will always find someone who is 21 to buy for them. By out-of-sight sales, I assume you mean not advertising... in that case, possibly, cuz right now I know I have to cut back on drinking, not that I do it often, because my money supply is dwindling. Because students will drink regardless of whether the alcohol is "out-of-sight" or not. They will find a way. People will drink at every college, no matter what limits are put on at the bars. If they start cracking down on underaged drinking at bars, people will go to house parties which are less safe and not restricted at all. At least at bars there is some sort of supervision. VVnen a student wants to drink, they'll do it at a bar, in their dorm, at a house party, or anywhere else. Higher prices for drinking at bars will only lead to more "pre-partying" and less money made by the bars and city. At least in the bars students can be looked over, at house parties and dorm rooms it is much more probable that the students will drink more than at bars. It's going to happen. During prohibitition people still a way to drink. People are going to drink legally or illegally. Students will still be able to obtain alcohol and possibly drink more while sitting at home'. Also, people will possibly do more dangerous forms of drugs that can't be done in public. students are going to acquire alcohol by other means. students have been doing this for decades, I don't think anything will decrease these rates...and I don't really know what out of sight alcohol sales is...so I can't really address this specifically. If people want to drink, they'll find a way If people want to drink, they're going to seek out the alcohol, Wherever it is being served. Underage drinkers have been, are, and will always look for a way around the rules. By limiting out of sight sales, i believe it will drive underage drinkers to drink in uncontroled places more so than now. I believe this is more potentialy dangerous. People will still drink, no matter what the price is. People always find away around rules and regulations, Nearly every undrage minor knows some non-bartender person who is either 1 ) of age or 2) holds wild, raucous parties where alchohol is readily available. Because people will buy their own alcohol before they go out and get drunk at home or just spend more money to drink if specials aren't available. You won't be changing anything by limiting alcohol sales. Because the bars are already too expensive, it will just make more people more likely to drink other places. It will not decrease drinking rates. I think people will consume more becasue when drinking at home or at parties there's no on to stop you, where as at a bar they have trained workers who can tell when someone needs to quit drinking or go home. They will find other ways around it and continue to drink if they are underage. I think that people will drink, whether you limit anything or not! I don't feel that you can MAKE someone act more responsibly. If it's not available in bars, people will get it elsewhere, It is patently unenforceable. There is nothing about any of the laws that have been drafted that could ever be practically enforced. The lawmakers know this, which is why they have set the fines so high to establish a preemptive deterrent effect. But when you're dealing with an economic incentive that is so great and a population whose drinking will impair their sensibilities, you are writing yourself an impotent law and a recipe for student rebellion. the lack of sales will only draw more students to house parties where there is a lack of supervision and personel to limit drinks, unlike at the bars I don't think much will affect underage drinking in this city. People are going to get alcohol if they want it. I think the only sure bet would be to make the city 21. I'm sure people would still drink, but it would be more of an at home thing which could be safer at least. No matter what laws are passed, if people want to drink they are going to find a way to drink as much and as often as they want to. This is a tough call, if people want to drink a lot they will. If the law would decrease those levels, I don't think it would decrease them significantly because people can still buy pitchers (which is the most common for people getting so drunk, I think), or they may all have to go to the counter (or a couple more people) to get drinks. controlling the manner in which a substance is distributed does nothing to teach individuals about the responsibility of substance use. If students can't get alcohol in the bars, they will go somewhere else. People are creatures of habit and will not simply decide to be better people over night. nothing else to do i only think it will become worse because people will drink in houses- which involves driving and passing other houses- more rape will also take place Those who want to drink will patronize the local liquor store instead of going to a bar. Moreover, those who are underage and want to drink will have their friends who are 21 or over buy the liquor and drink it with him/her. people will get what they want, and it will also slow down the sales process I believe that if people try to limit "dangerous drinking" in the bars that this so called "dangerous drinking" Will only be done else Where. College students who want to get drunk will find a way. If people Want to drink regarldess if there are drink sales or not, they will. Therefore I do not think that limiting these sales will decrease anyone's drinking, If people are not going to be able to go to the bars to drink, they will just find party's to go to. There is a less chance of getting alcohol poisoning at a bar, then at a party. The bars are better supervised and can be monitered. I think that it will make it more difficult for students to purchase alcohol, therefore discouraging some of them from continuing to drink. Out-of-sight sales am an extremely simple way for minors to obtain alcohol. If people want to get dangerously drunk, or underagers want to drink, they will find the money somehow, because those people who do these things consistently, are usually not responsible anyway, because they think they have no responsibility, financially or otherwise. I think a lot of students drink because it's simply so much easier to do so rather than find something else to do. Bars are likely the easiest group to blame for underage drinking, because they are easy to define and are all grouped within close proximity. Removal of out-of-sight sales only moves underage drinking to less safe environments like house parties. Members of bar staff who I know are very good at seeing to the safety of their customers, and house parties are notorious for having a general lack of regard for guests. In all honesty, eliminating out of sight sales only shifts the problem elsewhere. and creates no real impact on the problem of underage drinking. The problem of underage drinking is more of an issue that has to be evaluated within a larger social context at a younger age than at the college level. People who drank during highschool tend to drink in college, and vice versa. We need to target the funds and energies at making high school students see the harm from excessive drinking. By the time students are in college, we should not need the City Council to act as a second parental unit. If kids want to drink they will find a way to do so. Students still have access to alcohol! people will always drink stopping one way just will create another I don't feel that there is currently a dangerous level of drinking. Therefore they do not need to reduce specials. someone wants to drink, they'll find other ways to do so. If people are going out with the intent to get drunk they will find a way to do it, such as prepartying at someone's place so they only need to buy a couple drinks when they get to the bars. Students are going to drink no matter what happens. By limiting the out-of-sight alcohol sales will just move the drinking to other places. The University has to start changing the way people look at drinking and the reasons why they drink. The University need to offer more non-alcoholic events and have the whole campus involved, Unfortunately - students will drink regardless of the dollar amount involved. If a student is drinking in the absence of a "deal" they may actually become unaware of the money they are spending due to their increasing intoxication. Concurrently, in the light of "deals" students will perhaps continue to drink beyond their limits due to the costs involved, or lack there of. What worries me the most is the idea that students will go to other locations that may require them to drive in order to get the "better deals on drinks" this could lead to increased drink and driving. People will make up for it with house parties and what not kids am going to drink regardless People are going to drink if they want to drink, they'll find a way, which will probably be in a less supervised public place which could be even more dangerous to them. People will find a way to get around it. Friends who buy for underaged friends will just make multiple trips to the bar to continue to buy for them. I beleive that the reason my peers drink is to get drunk. Many will do that at all costs If people really want to drink, they will find a way. Take it away from the bars and it will move to the dotins, apartments, and houses in nearby areas. people will drink, whether you try and make it harder or not for them It Won't cause a decrease due to the fact that if someone wants to drink, they'll find a way. students that drink drink because they want to not because of sales. to be honest people will find the alcohol if they want it anywhere Friends buy it If students can't drink in the bars, they will find someone who is 21 to buy alcohol so they can party at a private residence. The alcahol will just go back to the dorms, or off campus pady's will become a lot more popular. If the bars move to an over 21 drinking age then fake ID's will be accepted that much more easily. The students will then just find more creative ways to get alcoholic beverages. Underage drinking is a reality at this school. If students want to drink, they will find ways no matter what restrictions the City Council places on them. People will find ways to drink. They found ways in high school while they were living under their parents supervision, and they will definitely find ways in college. The downtown is a safe environment for drinking. There are police, and there are people who are paid to watch and keep the bars safe. The parties and drinking will just move to house parties where drinking is the most dangerous. Then there will be more danger to everyone involved, and most likely alcohol won't be the biggest problem. No doubt ectasy, cocaine, marijuana, and other illegal substance use will rise with the switch to house parties. people find ways to drink when they want to--*it might be an inconvenience but it won't decrease levels of underage drinking. I don't drink because of "out of sight alcohol sales" either way if i choose to drink, then i am going to drink that night either downtown or Somewhere else If people want alcohol, they will get it. Limiting sales may redistribute where the drinking takes place. But I see it the whole situation as a lifestyle choice. I'd just assume go to a party at house or apartment, because it is a lot cheaper anyway. I don't think that this would limit dangerous drinking because people will do it anyways. Also, it is against the constitution to regulate drink prices. Finally, underage drinking rates will increase in less supervised areas such as house parties and/or in the dorm rooms. Students will always find ways to drink no matter how you try to limit sales will it stop high school kids that can't get into the bars from drinking? There is not a high level of dangerous drinking, and limiting out of sight sales will have no effect on underage drinking, if they can't get it at the bars they'll get it somewhere else. By passing these laws you just make it inconvenient for people who are of age. I may be naive, but I honestly believe that limiting out-of-site alchohol sales will indeed decrease underage drinking. To me it seems that going to the bars and obtaining alcohol as an underage drinker is both easier and more fun than engaging in the same activities outside a bar (i.e. at a houseparty). "Going to the bars" is a ritualistic cycle that begins very early on for UI students. Many freshman have grown up hearing stories (from siblings and others) about the Iowa City bar scene, many come to this campus and think that is the only thing to do, and others start out going to the bars and then realize how dangerous and/or costly it can be (one of my acquaintences decided not to go as much because her friends were getting so many tickets). The bars provide a safe place to drink where activity can be monitored and consumption limited. Limiting out of site sales would probably end up making more students drink places other then the bars which usually leads to more irresposable and dangerous drinking. Beer drinking has absolutely nothing to do with in or out of sight alcohol sales. We honestly are not that dumb...even if it's out of sight, we know it's still there! There will always be house parties if people aren't able to go the bars. House parties are more dangerous. they can still have friends that are over 21 get drinks for them Those who want to drink will find ways to do it, either away from the bars or with repeated in-sight sales. Barowners will be hurt because their operations will become less efficient. There is always going to be underage drinking no matter what people do. The level of unresponsible behavior is so where near the high level that many board members are saying it is. There really isn't a problem. The city of iowa city is creating a problem rather than fixing one. The thing that everyone needs to keep in mind is that people will drink if they want to drink. The bars are at least a contained area where there are bouncers and many more peers around. House par~ies get way out of hand- and there is way to stop it People will find a way to drink no matter what b/c if students can't drink at the bars they will drink somewhere else. there will always be another way to get alcohol I think that students will find ways to purchase alcohol even if it is expensive. Students are always going to drink whether of age or not, and they are going to drink in large quantities. It is a part of college life these days. The only questions really is where they drink. If we cannot get alcohol at the bars, we will just get drunker before we get to the bars. It's cheaper that way anyway. You can limit our ablity to get alcohol in the bars, but that won't stop us from getting drunk. House parties They will just go some where else to get the alcohol. people are going to drink the same amount as they did before, it will just cost them a little more.. the bar area will just be more crowded with people going back and forth to get more drinks for themselves and for others There is no way to stop someone from getting something they want, they would just find another way of getting it. people are going to drink if they really want to. Prices won't change that. No, because it would increase the amount of drinkin9 at unsupervised places, other than bars, such as houses, apartments, etc. Simply putting something out of sight does not mean that it is out of mind. If a person wants to participtate in underage drinking, he or she will do so, no matter what is visible. People will find ways to consume alcohol whether out-of-sight alcohol sales are limited or not. Students will choose to drink or not, regarless out-of-sight sales are limiited. Underagers will just go to parties to get drunk, and then they'll drive home instead of walking home, like most do from the bars. The people that are drinking and behaving irresponsibly will do so regardless of how hard it is to get alcohol in bars. Drink sales my bring students to some bars, but most don't care what they spend on alcohol if they go the the bars with their friends. People can still buy for others, fake id's will still work. Individuals with alcoholism will still be alcoholics. Individuals that choose to be irresponsible while drinking will not modified by "specials." i don't think most people drink dangerously. And besides that if someone wants to drink they'll find a way to do it. If the alcohol is not as accessible in bars, underage drinkers may not be as likely to purchase the alcohol or may not be as likely to have others purchase it for them. Because we will find our connections to aIchohol no matter what If they don't get alcohol one way, they will get it another way - you can't contain it, If you TRY to contain it - as is the case now - it is going to become even MORE valuable and attractive, so it will happen even MORE because there is nothing a teenager or young adult loves to do MORE than what they AREN"T supposed to be doing. The sources of alcohol are many and varied, if a student is not allowed to buy alcohol from one source, they will buy from another source no matter what, so alcohol purchases and consumption would best be served under controlled circumstances, such as a bar enviornment rather than in residential neighborhoods. I think it's just a way of life for some of these people and if they choose to drink, they will regardless of limits set by the bars People are willing to pay any prices for anything if it means they are getting the things they want. If people want to drink, they will find a way. Students who are interested in drinking will find other venues. If a minor wants to drink, he or she will do so at any cost. Also, it will cause more people to throw/attend uncontrolled house padies where $5 or less will buy you all you can drink from a keg. Students are going to drink no matter what the sales are. To truly make an impact against drinking in this town, the bars need to be removed. In reality, the bars will never leave so students will always go to them. Because they will find some way to put out the cash. They may even go to stores to drink, and the bars will lose business. Half of the population is underage people anyways. People will always find ways to find the alcohoL. that is not the problem. The problem is more of a social one where people think it is cool to get trashed and then brag about it. Students wiU drink if they want to drink, Less responsibility if the lawmakers t~ to make it harder for students to get alcohol. Legislation is not an answer to the problem, it just moves the drinking to other places rather than bars. no matter what you do, you can't limit underage drinking Underage minors tend to drink more because it is forbidden. They know it is possible to get drunk through others so they drink excessively in public places instead of in the sa~ey of their own homes. anyone who goes to the bar can get alcohol, if you're not 21, just about anyone who is will buy you a drink, that can't be stopped, except to not allow anyone under 21 into the bar. Basically, anyone who goes in can have whatever they want. If people want to drink, they are going to find a way to do it. The bars are not the problem. college students am going to find ways to drink anyway.. its better for it to be in a controlled enviornment likfe a bar rather than out of control house or apt parties People are going to drink no matter what and sales have little to do with drinking, just the place where people drink. From my experience in the bars, that's how the majority of underage people get their alcohol. They send someone who is of age to get them one, or purchase the pitcher that the entire group ddnks from. Because this city is founded on underage drinking if it isn't permitted in the controlled enviroment of the bars the situation will result in more crimes such as property damage sexual assualut and even perhaps police brutality, people do what they want to do the drinking won't stop it will move out-of-sight only means that you can't see it not that it happens People will find ways to drink regardless. Alcohol is a legal substance for those of age and people are still going to go and buy it...you are just going to see increased revenues from the bars because people will pay the higher prices for alcohol...this encourages the bar owners to serve all I don't think it will help much, but I think it will stop the students who do not have very much money to limit how much they consume People will ddnk if they want to, these rules will just punish those who are drinking legally and responsibly by making them wait in long lines, pay higher prices,etc. By decreasing alcohol specials it does nothing to defer underage drinking or dnagerous drinking. Those that choose to drink dangerously will despite specials, those that drink responsibly will do so whether a special is available or not. It is stupid to punish responsible drinkers and bar goers by abolishing specials. This action only makes it look like the city council is working to decrease drinking before changing all the bars to 21, It will increase them because people will go to house parties where all the bad events happen. Because now instead of people going to bars they will be going to house parties thus increasing the amount of alcohol they drink since a house party runs around three dollars all you can drink, also they now will be unsupervised. More house parties will make this town dirtier, an example of this is the university of Illinois, where there is not a strong bar scene there town is littered with cups and bottles. because drinking is simply a part of being the age we are- we're going to drink one way or another Students will always find a way to get alcohol and drink. If the bars become stricter, students will just drink at parties first and then go out or they'll stay and drink more at the parties. If more parties arise then I think it's possible that drunk driving will increase. If these people want to drink they will find a way to do so Students will continue to drink, and find ways to drink. A better alternative to drinking (better than what the Stepping Up Program has to offer) must appeal to students to decrese the drinking rates. Students like the feeling that they will have a night on the town, so alcohol alternatives must also be present downtown on late nights. Currently, there are none. People can always buy drinks for other people, and it's not fair if someone of age is buying drinks for others of age, but just not even/body wants to stand in line. If someone really wants to drink, he or she will do so regardless of the cost. college kids will always find a way to consume alcohol, its a rite of passage, they just need to learn because the kids will just find somewhere else to drink--they do anyways! students who choose to drink under age will continue to find ways to consume alcohol no matter what the laws say. house parties will always be an unregulated environment where students of any age can drink. The law will inconvenience too many people to be effective, People that are too drunk are kicked out by bouncers or waitresses anyway. Minors will be frustrated and drink unsupervised off-campus. Minors will get beer one way or another. I consumed more alcohol in high school than in college and I was always able to get beer or alcohol. it will not prevent minors from drinking...you can still buy pitchers of beer. Or go to the four times for drinks for others. Even if it can be enforced drinking will simply change venues, into houses where it is virtually impossible to regulate. I'm afraid it will make the problem worse rather than better No, in fact I think that by restricting a bar to certain alochol sales will obly increase dangerouos levels of underage drinking rates. College students will not have problems finding places to drink, if it is not at the bars they will do so at house parties. At least the bar offers a controlled atmosphere where bounoers and security can control drunk students. i will drink if I want too, I would think that most of the dangerous drinking would be done out of the bars, however, it would limit certain sector's consumption of alcohol Students will travel to North Liberty, Cedar Rapids, etc. to become intoxicated, making the roads more dangerous for themselves and innocent travelers. This is a college town. The students that really want to will find a way to drink, even if it involves avoiding downtown. This would only shift the focus of drinking to parties, where the is a greater dsk of underage drinking and dangerous behavoir. Maybe. If specials aren't advertised, people may choose to see a movie instead of getting plastered at the bar. Students who want to drink will do so regardless of the petty laws that are passed. There will be more people around the bar to get drinks. Underage students will still be able to find someone sitting at the bar to buy them drinks. If people want to drink they will find a way to do so. I think it will just lead to more house parties. Because no matter how hard you try, if students want to drink, they can and will find a way. It's inevitable] All you this will do is allow students to have more house parties, a person of legal age can go to Kum @ Go and by a 24 pack for $15 instead of going to the bar and paying $3 a bottle. I personally feel that city officals have nothing better to do with their time and are just trying to think of shit that will make them look good in the community eye. When one wants to obtain alcohol they will find a way regardless I don't think it is possible to limit out-of-sight sales, it happens all the time. It will not change the way that students drink. They will keep their habit until they are not allowed into the bars. Students will drink regardless what happens in the bars, if they limit the availbility of obtaining alcohol in the bar, the will just go to a house party. Students will find a way to drink either way, and that other option will be more dangerous. What those idiots don't understand is that tightening the laws on drinking will eventually lead to more drinking in random unregulated areas. People will find a way to drink no matter what. If people want to drink they're going to find ways to drink. Whether it's at the bars or house parties, limiting sales isn't going to change anything. If people want to drink alcohol, they will. One solution will not solve the problem. If one limits out-of-sight alcohol sales, then people will continue to drive to parties where they can get alcohol, thus improving the chance for drunk driving. Some kids go to college to drink, if you deny them that you are opening the doors for worse forms of rebellion Regardless of the regulations on drinking, underage students will find liquor. No restriction will resolve this, only enforcement. If an underage person wants to drink, they'll find a way. if people want to drink, they will find a way. It doesn't matter what law you put in place. People will just drink more before they go to the bar People will still drink as they wish. Prohibition in the 1920's is a perfect example. When use of alcohol was made an offense of federal law, people still continued to consume alcohol, and in even larger quantities at times. If we do not learn from history, we are doomed to repeat it. This does not adequately address the horrendous problem of underage drinking on this campus. Nor will it encourage responsible drinking habits. PEOPLE WILL CONTINUE TO GO TO THE BAR TO GET MORE DRINKS AND TAKE THEM TO THEIR FRIENDS WHO ARE MINORS. ALSO THEY ARE ABLE TO GET PITCHERS TO SHARE WITH PEOPLE. Environmental change not enough to curb behavioral attitudes of the U. of I. students People are going to drink no matter what the price. I don't know what Out-of-sight alchol sales are. If you want to drink you will find another way If people are drinking now they're going to keep drinking regardless of the price. It will just create more house padies. people are going to drink no matter what. limiting sales is just going to aggrvate some and that will create a bigger problem. when bars are full people will drink just as much no matter where in the establishment the alcohol is sold. The underage drinking rates are more strongly affected by the ability to be in the bars underage. And as far as binge drinking goes, it's easier to hinge in a place with a relatively unlimited alcohol supply (a bar) than in a place with a limited supply (an off-site pady that has purchased from the bar). I've personally never been to a pady that didn't run out of alcohol at some point in the evening. It's harder to binge when there is not enough to go around. It's keenly simple to get a bottle or case of beer and drink before one goes out to a bar. All it will accomplish is to make bars a more hostile environment and less enjoyable. people will get alcohol anyway. fake id's, other people buying it for them. People would just go elsewhere than the bars to drink I think that there is no reason for all you can drink specials, but to limit a person to buying only one drink at a time is unreasonable and impractical. Many times it is much easier for one person to go up to the bar and order several drinks for a group of people. If you can only order one, then there is no way people will get to the bar, it it will become one big ugly waiting line If people want to drink, they will find ways around the rules. People are always going to find other ways to get drinks and to get drunk. Maybe the amount of people going to bars might decrease, but then the number of house parties will rise. people who want to drink, will, no matter what they do With alcohol sales. People will always binge drink!! No matter what! Remember prohibition?? People still drink no matter the circumstances! Limiting sales is not the answer[ Because students will go elsewhere to obtain alcohol, such as off campus houses. This will increase the risk that people will drink and drive. Underage students would have to be more daring to purchase alcohol from open public places Putting regulations on the bars will decrease bar sales, but this will be compensated by an increase of alcohol purchases at grocery stores. It may very slightly decrease levels of dangerous drinking in bars, but then the dangerous activity in the dorms starts increasing....its a no win situation...i think things need to be left alone...let people have a good time...most people, underage or not can drink responsibly...but there are risks involved just like any activity,.. because they will always find a way to get it if they want it. They will go to house parties or other activies and get drinks there. It will only hurt downtown businesses and the city. It's college, Kids who want alcohol will get it. They are probably safer in that environment than if forced to drink at home or parties. When you put restrictions on things people will turn to other more dangarous drugs. When I first came here the campus was not dry and there was one problem, drinking. Now I can not walk into a god damn bar without some little shit running into rolling there nuts off. You guys should stop running by this drinking bullshit, get off your asses and crack down on the real problem, people altering their dna with new drugs which is going to cost me a fortune in increased medical premiums in the future. if people want to drink, it doesnt matter if there is a special that day or if it't out of site. Alcohol is here to stay no matter how hard the city tdes to hide it. Because that is how a lot of the underage drinkers get their alcohol, People are still going to party. People are not going to stop over night. Worse case scenerio is that drinking venues will shift to unregulated areas such as apartments and house parties. If you want to stop the underage drinking problem raise the bar's entry age to the legal limit 21. Underage drinking will always be at high levels at a big university like this. it will drive it underground There is really no magicmandate that is going to be created that will stop the propensity with which college students consume alcohol. Be fucking realistic here people. If people want to do something badly enough, then there is no realistic barrier that is going to stop them from doing so, whether it be drugs, sex, or whatever else. Especially something as socially accepted and irreverant as alcohol consumption. People are going to drink no matter what is done. When the bars are punished and the community thinks the problems are being solved, they will realize just the scenery has changed. Because it's still there No, students will drink the amount that they wish to drink no matter what. If people want to drink, they'll find a way, no matter how much it is discouraged by authorities. You can't stop college students from drinking ! If you won't allow them to drink at the bars they WILL go somewhere else, but they are going to drink! i think that students will find a way to drink no matter what and that limiting sales in the bars will only cause them to look elsewhere in places where the environment is not as safe or controlled as in a bar, such as house parties. If people want something. they will find a way to get it. If drinking does not occur in bars then it will occur in even less supervised areas like residences. House parties will increase. which will increase drunk driving. People will find ways to do what they want to whether or not it's drinking. When someone is told they can't do something, that's usually when the situation worsens. This will promote drinking at house parties moving the crowds from downtown to the neighborhoods. The laws proposed fail to see the big picture. They will just start to hide and drink and then there will be absolutely no control over how much they have drank people will still go out drinking even if there are no sales B/C people are going to drink one way or another, if you make it harder to do so downtown, people will drink ~ home / parties and then you have more people driving when they shouldn't Students will always obtain alcohol, no matter the source. The alcohol and it's availability is still the same. In this day and age it is so easy to find alcohol. Limiting drinking in bars will only increase the amount of parties and other places that students will go to drink. Atleast at the bar there is some kind of limit to what someone can ddnk. People are going to ddnk reguardless. If limitations are placed on the downtown bars, students will have more house parties. The house parties are far more dangerous because they are not regulated. No security (leading to out of control fights, rape), not following fire codes, absolutely no limitations on the number of drinks a student could consume. students will drink if they want to, controling it is next to impossible .... As has been stated throughout this discussion, if people want to ddnk, they will. House parties that sell bottom-less cups for five dollars. people are going to drink no matter what, reguardless. It will only increase the number of house parties and drunk ddving. Drinking is what a lot of college students choose to do, it isn't based on prices. Besides prices are already high, if they increase more people will just stay home and drink or go to a party. The person who had the capability of buying the drink also is smart enought to know that he/she could hand off the drink to someone who is underage and then go back to the bar for more or the buyer could go to a different bar within the establishment People will still have access to beer whether it is at a bar or a house. Because students will find ways around that rule, or get into situations where the drinking would be more dangerous. if underage students want to drink- they will find a way. the laws have never stopped them before. people should be made aware of drinking hazards, making them forcibly adhere to it will not solve the problem. No, because the the people who want to drink will do so, regardless of the methods they obtain the alcohol. We as college students will always drink alcohol. If the source is limited, alcohol will become a sort of novelty item that will lead to more dangerous drinking. If students have the money to drink, they will spend it on the alcohol whether or not there are sales. I am unclear what an out-of-sight sale is to answer this more substantially It won't matter how high the prices get. Initially it may look like levels are decreasing, but in the long run, it will all equal to be the same as now. Students will drink regardless of the price. Many students are already passed the drunk stage before entering the bars, therefore this "dangerous drinking" has already occured. there will always be people who will have it, and there will be a large increase in house parties It will just cause people to drink other places Most people underage will usually have a friend who can buy the alcohol for them. people will always drink, each chooses how much. Either none, some, or alot. however no one will say that they desire an institution, to tell them how much to drink, or where to consume I think the it will decrease because of the likelihood of it being less available. It is also sending a more significant message of not as socially acceptable. People who are not of age will find a way to drink regardless. It may just mean sending the same person up to the bar multiple times. People will drink if they choose to do so. Attempts to limit access to alcohol by minors does not work. People do not go to the bars based on sales, they go to each bar to go where their friends are going, to socialize. College students will always find a way to beat the system. We are determined to get what we want, and there will always be a way to obtain alcohol. Limiting out-of-sight alcohol will only upset and annoy those of legal age. I feel there will just be more house parties and fake ids used. Even with the "one drink when you buy" rule, underagers will still get their hands on it. All this will do is waste time and energy of those at the bar and increase the already long lines at most bars, making the whole experience a pain for legal and responsible patrons. Most of the alcohol sold to minors goes through a third party, and if that sale is limited or eliminated, the use will go down. if there's one drink at a time, who's to say that a person Can't repeatedly go back and get drink after drink Bars don't sell to underage kids, it doesn't matter if the site of purchase is in sight or out of sight. because drink specials don't affect students' decision to achieve their desired level of intoxication. If someone plans to get drunk, they will get drunk, special or no special. People who want alcohol will get aicohol. And it is more dangerous for people to get drunk in private residences than it is in public. If you limit public drinking there will be more/bigger house parties (which from what I've seen also tend to increase the illegal drug use too). People are going to drink no matter what, its just a matter if you want to make profit off of it or not Students will drink reguardless People are going to go to house parties instead which can be more dangerous than going to bars. I don't know what "out-of-sight" alcohol sales are Because people are just going to drink at home before the bars. Because people will still be using fake ids and find other ways to get alcohol People who want to drink "dangerously" will do so regardless. people who drink are just going to do it anyway, even if there is a sale or not. i think it will just bring drinking back to the dorms and a lot of house parties If they don't do it in the bars they will just do it somewhere else, like at house parties or even in the dorms! The people who get drunk and cause trouble will continue to cause trouble just in other places Probably somewhat, but the people who really want to drink will find a way. How well did the prohibition work? Why aren't all bars 21 all of the time? It is totally absurb to make laws such as those proposed by the idiotic council without any scientific evidence to predict that what they are proposing will actually be successful at stopping binge drinking. Not that I think binge drinking is either a problem or something that needs to be stopped. Younger population follow cultural accepted behaviors related to social drinking aand are involved in heavier episodes of what is considered by peers to be acceptable drinking. You could change all the rules and regulations you want, but college kids are still going to drink. Unfortunately, it will possibly only decrease the amount of underage drinking downtown, due to of age friends who are willing to buy or house parties/get togethers. Many students who have chosen to attend this University because Iowa City bars are notorious for allowing underage drinking. I, for example, visited when I was 15 years old and have never had trouble getting my hands on alcohol. People enjoy drinking as a social activity. Getting rid of drink specials and advertisements will not eliminate or lessen irresponsible drinking. Students will just have to pay more money. If they want it bad enough, anyone can find a way to drink. Limiting drinks or banning cedain specials is not going to do anything but cause the ICPD to write more tickets. We all know that doesn't change anything. Education is better than legislation. would help decrease the number of people who buy drinks for others, Because underage drinkers will just find other ways of getting alcohol. If people want to drink, even if they're underage, they will find ways of getting alcohol. Because students are going to drink no matter what iowa City does. If they cannot drink at the bars, then the number of house parties will increase. Sales attract drinkers of all ages, not just those who are underage. I don't think there is as strong of a corelation between "out-of sight sales" and underage drinking as the council thinks there is. This is problem has been around FOREVER. In high schools and youcan't get rid of it. There is always a way. Nothing that your group is doing will help. College is the most stressful time in a persoWs life and going out is one of the only ways to escape the stress, don't take it away from us. it will just inconvenince legal bar patrons and bartenders People will become more dangerous by getting drunk before they go downtown and increasing the rate of binge drinking. Students are going to drink whether or not they can get in the bars...at least the bars are a safe environment monitored by bouncers....at the so-called house parties in Iowa City, there isn't a mediator or police officers around to protect innocent people] Students will find a place to drink, whether it be in a bar or in a house. At least at a bar, it's somewhat regulated. Underage kids are going to drink whether they have to pay more or even if they have to do it other places than the bars. people will choose to drink or not for themselves or b/c of other people, not b/c of sales or of rules or laws, etc Out of sight sales do not constitute the reason why drinking is a problem on this campus or any other campus. I believe drinking problems mostly arise because there is a lack of alternative activities that students will actually want to do, especially on this campus where there are bars that let underage students in and also serve them. Our school has a history of being a party school, the fact that the bars are so numerous and so close to campus is a primary reason why students come here...other aspects of our school need to be promoted! It is easy to get liquor if you want it, even as a minor, at most Iowa City bars because waitresses are willing to take orders to make money, regardless of age. People will not be detered, if they want to drink they will. I am not familiar with the term "out-of-sight." So, I will answer 'no' on the assumption that very little can be done about the underage drinking at this point in time. Drinking, as a habit, will only be 'cut off in the homes. Parents are the only people with the power to reduce the amount of underage drinking. After people mature out of their parents' homes, there is little that the city, schools, or friends can do to help. People will still find other places to drink illegally, but I still think limiting out-of-sight alcohol sales should take place. College students that want to drink are going to find a way to drink no matter what the limitations are. People will find out somehow. Doesn't matter if you keep them out of site. It's like keeping toy ads away from kids, pointless. People will go elsewhere or find ways around it Young students won't be able to get alcohol so easily. people will always find alcohol if they want fe. there's not much that can be done to stop that they will just drink more before they go out Most people i know who really enjoy drinking and are underage have fake IDs. The people that dont have fakes usually dont care to drink, so limiting sales will affect no one. Because if underage drinkers want to get alcohol, they will get it anyway. They are just more likely to binge drink or drink in an unsafe way if it is even harder to get. The students at U of l like to get drunk. If the drink sales in the bars closest to campus are limited, students will go to other cities, or have someone over 21 buy for them and then party at home. People will drink regardless. People will still continue to drink just as much. Their friends who are of age will simply make more tdps to the bar. Because it is asinine to believe that if people really want to drink that is going to stop them. Actually I'm unsure, but if people want alcohol they will find a way to get it. However, I think the decrease in sales might help. If people want to drink heavily they will find a way. Making the bars more expensive will result in more off campus parties, which results in unsupervised drinking. I think that the students who want to drink are going to find places to drink and ways to get alcohol regardless of what the University, the council, or the bars do to prevent it. Drinking in the bars provides a safer atmosphere for the students than drinking in the dorms or at house parties would. people will find ways to drink no matter what. this will only hurt business in the bars. From what I have experienced in the greek System, most drinking occurs before going out to the bars, so drinking at the bars is not the dangerous part, it's actually a safer environment to have a couple drinks because it is professionally staffed. So no, limiting out-of-sight sales will not decrease underage or dangerous drinking rates. VVhen I go out to drink I am not concerned with how much I pay, Instead, my roomares and I usually just drink more at our place before we go out. Underage kids will drink no matter what they have to pay because they think that is their only option for things to do on the weekends. People have been drinking underage since the first day a drinking age was established, nothing anyone can do is going to put an end to that, Students will find a way to drink whether you limit them or not. Especially students who are first-year students. Those students will find a way to get alcohol regardless of the consequences. It will do nothing to help the problem, just make the city more money on tickets. You need to fix the students, not the sellers. Kids are going to get alcohol, no matter what you do. Alcohol is easy to get ahold of, whether it is in a bar or not. The amount that each person drinks will not substantially be changed by changing alcohol sales in the bars, it just means that more people will drink in dorm rooms or at house padies. House parties are often more dangerous than drinking in the bars because people dont have bouncers at houses to throw out people to keep them from drinking too much, and with kegs of beer, its all you can drink for the price of a cup. No, college students will drink no matter how many ostacles they have to overcome. If alcohol becomes too dificult to obtain, students will abuse illicit drugs. House Parties People will drink no matter what the costs. It will just hurt the more responsible drinker, who will have to pay more. Underage drinking that occurs in the bars of Iowa City and numerous bars on other college campuses is not the cause or promoter of underage drinking. Students will find a way to access alcohol and party whether it be in their dorm rooms, appartments, or in bars. Students attending the bars have more opportunity for popular social activity and a harder time of accessing alcohol. When bar owners devise drink specials, they do so to help the pocketbook, not to find new and exciting ways to get the students wasted, Limiting specials will not only cost the honest, law-abiding bar-goer, but it will also backfire on the City Council, by moving the drinking away from the relative safety or downtown to the less-structured house pad,/. Therefore, I think the City Council should explore options on limiting underage drinking that will actually have an effect, and leave the legal bar patron alone. Dangerous drinkers will simply spend more money to drink and it would do absolufiey nothing to curb underage drinking. Enacting such proposals would simply make social drinking for legal, responsible adults more expensive and would hurt business for local establishments, theftore lower the amount of liqour taxes collected and damaging the local economy. Students will then decide to go drink at a house party. There are ways to get around everything They still can get them else where. Determined individuals will find away around it if they want to drink It will encourage under age kids to go to parties. Students are going to find any place to pad,/if they want to. I think it would be better to keep the bars as they are. The students are used to them, and are comfortable with them. They act more responibly in places they are used to. no, i don't think that most students concern themselves with drinking just because it is cheap, they do it when they want and as much as they want. NOTHING will stop underage drinkers. Limiting barsales (no out-of-site sales, turning them 21 or other limitations) will turn Iowa City into Ames-a town where alcoholic activities spill out into the community in the form of many, many house~parties. Because as I one who has been an underage drinker I know that if me and my friends want to get alcohol we can and most of it that we do get is from places not even remotley related to bars. Those people who choose to drink irresponsibly and therefore dangerously will do so despite the restrictions. people will still find ways. It will piss people off Students will just choose to get alcohol from other places. There are always parties all over town! its not mostly the underage students who drink, and the specials are more consumed by leagles. people will just go else where to drink. Drinking is not a new thing, college students have behaved this way for many years. It is a part of growing up. You cant protect people from every thing you have to let them live their lives. Students will ALWAYS find a way to get alcohol. There will always be dangerous drinking, and underage drinking. Such measures, if anything, will push drinking out of the bars to off-campus parties which are a more dangerous environment. Because there is always a means to obtain the wanted Your average college student might like the idea of great deals, but I have found that it is not the main factor leading to a student going out to drink. Your tipical student will drink to the extent that they want to, regardless of cost. People in college want to have fun and blow off steam. If it costs a student $20 as opposed to $5, they will still do it. Alcohol will still be purchased some way or another, it will most likely increase the use of fake ids Because if people want to drink their going to do it anyway. Limiting this will just cuz people to be less careful cuz they won't be scared to get caught by the cops on the way home from the bar so they will goto more parties and drink more in a less safe environment. Students will find a way to cheat the system, if not, then more alcohol will be consumed in the dorms. The harder it is for students to drink in bars, the more they will drink at house parties. The situation with the bars in Iowa City has put most businesses and most students in a difficult place. Students will find ways to drink, there is a wide range of ages attending the school and interspersal of ages helps make it possible for underage children to drink. At least students are in a controllable area (i.e. downtown iowa city) and not interdespersed over the entire city. bars should be 21. contrary to popular belief, many people will no longer have a way to get alcohol if they don't go to the bars. Students will find other ways of obtaining it. Or they will just pay more. no matter how much they try to prevent it, people will still find ways to get what they want. If someone who is underage wants to drink at a bar, they will find a way to do it regardless of the limitations. They can always find someone who is of the legal age to buy it for them. kids will still drink whatever you do Because if people want to drink then they will just start drinking more before they come to the bars. Underage people are still people who like their drink. If people want to drink, they will drink. because a socialist measure, such as this will cause more harm than good B/c nobody cares how much they spend to drink. It's a habbit, hard to break. It really won't matter what Iowa City does to the bars, where there's a will to drink there's a way. You can a get a drink if you want one. If an underage person is at the bar, he will be able to have a friend buy a drink for him. The friend could just keep buying drinks, even if the friend already has one. If an underage person is dead set on drinking... they will most likely do whatever it takes to get alcohol.. like start attending more house parties. people are going to drink regardless...by doing this, it will just make another obstacle for students, but it won't stop any drinking that is going on People are still going to drink no matter what....it is all part of the college experience. I have been to other universities and I believe that drinking in a bar is much safer then parties because there is regulation. Specials are not affecting hinge drinking, irresponsible people and their friends who can't make proper decisions have deeper problems than trying to save a few dollars. Most people learn of the drink specials by word of mouth. no, the bars never check ID's anyways, so people can just go up to the bar and order the same as if they were at a table It just won't happen. People will get drunk if they really want to and us underagestudentswilldrinkiftheywantto. That's just the way things have ALWAYS been. From way back when to right now and it'll probably continue on like this into the future. People will look for other place to find alcohol and the limit might even increase the number of people underage who are drinking. Preferably, educate people about the negatives of alcohol. I am unfamiliar with the meaning of "out-of-sight alcohol sales." There will always be underage drinking. Most students at this university can afford the bar prices. All this will do is make the bars more money. if you're gonna drink, you're gonna drink People are going to drink no matter what. Just like smoking...advertisers could put a skull and crossbones on the box and charge $5 a pack fo rit and we would still buy them. Underage persons will still drink, wether it be in a bar or a home. Even if an underage student is caught and fined, it won't discourage them from going out and trying again. Limiting drink specials can be preaching to the choir. There are responsible drinkers out there. It's nice to go out with a couple friends, spend a total of $9 on 3 pitchers of beer to share. You almost can't afford not to go out. Kids are going to drink no matter what. Why not just let them do it in a more responisble enviornment? How many peope die of alcohol posining at the bar. About none, the reason is because they are at least partialy monitored in the bars. If you make the bars so difficult to drink in every underage kid will stay at home a drink. Who will watch them there? How much more danger will these kids be in if they are drinking with no one monitoring them? People will find ways around it and continue to drink irresponsibly. Limiting out of sight sales will force minors to adjust the way they purchase alcohol, but it will in now way reduce the amount purchased. It might reduce the "reported ," and therefore measurable, cases. However, dangerous and underage drinking will continue regardless. They will find other ways to consume, most likely in a more dangerous place People will still get into the bars and once there will have the chance of getting alcohol. They will still drink the same as long as they get in whether they know about the drink specials or not. People who like and want to drink are going to do it regardless of whether or not there are "specials". The University of Iowa is a drinking school, students come here anticipating the night-life. Limiting out-of-sight sales will have little to no impact, I am sure of it. The harder something is the more fun it becomes to do. People are going to drink anyway, hence the legalizaion of alcohol due to bootlegging. don't punish the bars. the underage drinkers will get drinks anyway If underage people want to drink, they will pay whatever they have to, Limiting advertising will not deter them from drinking if they really want to. people are going to drink regardless of how people try to stop it. Limiting out of sight drink sales limits access to minors and allows for bar tenders the option of not selling to those whom are out of control No matter what, people are going to find a way to drink, whether through fakes, older friends, or anything. It's not hard at all. Because students who want to drink will get alcohol from somewhere. The mind of man has not come up with a regulation that the mind of man has not been able to find a way to get around. of-age patrons could still buy for underage even if they can only buy one drink at a time; also if a person wants to drink a LOT they will just keep going back to the bar. people who want to drink will do so. it's a matter of education and offering alcohol free, university sponsored or city sponsored events as options. but also keep in mind that a lot of these kids come to college and think that drinking and partying every weekend is what it is about, so they already have that stupid mindset when they get here. it's a matter of re-educating them in the first year. because i see the danger is most high in undergraduates. Because if students want to get alcohol, they will get it. Everyone has friends over 21, and most people are not afraid of violating rules governing alcohol consumption in the dorms. it doesnt matter what the bars do if they limit drink specials or go all 21 students will still drink as much and as often as they do now regardless of the location It is not going to matter, either way if a student wants to drink, they are going to drink I typically dont pay attention to the prices of what i drink I believe that that the amount of drinking will not dramatically chance. Drinking will always be a social activity. There is no way to change that, as long as students are going to the bars they will be buying drinks no matter what the price. Because no matter what laws they pass, kids are still going to find ways. I think it should be ok as long as they are not operating a vehicle. Students are students. and they are going to get drunk wherever and whenever they want. It's not a huge ordeal. Just as long as they are not harming anyone else I think it should be fine. Just let us have some fun! I mean we pay thousands of dollars to come here and to "learn", and we're supposed to not have any fun what so ever. Either we'll drink in a bar, or we'll drink in a house, or we'll drink in Our dorm rooms. There's only so much you can do. And trust me, kids will become more creative than ever imaginable. So just chill out, as long as they aren't hurting anyone it should be ok. But if they are causing problems, then it's time to crack down. More or less, if people really want to consume alcohol, then they will find alternative ways of doing so, be it fake ID's or more parties, people will drink regardless because most people are wasted before they even get to the bars If underage studens can get into the bars, they'll be able to drink there. People who want to drink a lot will do it, whether you like it or not. If not at the bars, then at house parties. 4 Years ago there was a lot more dangerous activity going on at houseparties. Now that there are less house parties and the bar scene is bigger, people are drinking in a more controlled environment. Be grateful that the students are allowing you the control over their habits that you have. Left to there own devices, the study body will do what they want, not what they are told. under aged people are going to find a way to drink no matter what, they might as well do it under supervision at a bar then drinking a huge amount at a house party. if you want to get it you will. there are always ways to get around it. It just inconvieniences people because that means more trips to the bar. so i order a drink or shot, but i really wanted four shots. So i ask for one, pay for it, take it to the table, and go ask for another one, If you want to buy for minors, you still can, if you want to get rid of the problem you should not allow minors into bars/establishments past a certain time or night that sell alcohol. Due to the possibility of consuming alcohol at other places besides public establishments. Namely, private houses or apartments. People will get alcohol from other places. dangerous drinking on a big ten campus? Get outta here! Because if they don't have acess to it they don't get drunk bars will not comply with the law and it will be difficult to enforce The people who drink know the specials after one week. Without anything else to do on campus students will always find ways to drink. There's no sense of University community here, and there are few University sponsered events. The UI should enhance the coltural community rather than try in vain to restrict alcohol consumption. As a non-drinker I am often socially isolated. I'm from a big, diverse city, and the relative lack of non-alcohol activities and variety has led me to plan to transfer. A lot of people have their friends go get their drinks for them. I think that if people want to drink they will find a way to no matter what The people that want to get out on hand Will anyways. The underage drinkers will drink before they go to the bars, and have people buy it there. The problem is not the bars. It is the attitude students have after they leave high school. They just got away from their parents, they are free, and they want to have fun, and most choose to drink. people Will either than drink a lot more before they go to the bars, and faster, or they will buy fake Id's, and use it more frequently because they themselves can purchase Ifcollege students want to ddnk, theywill. Iftheycan'tget itat bars, they will do so in appts., houses, or dorms. Limiting these sales is not going to curb underage drinking/dangerous drinking. People will always find a way around the law. No, people will get it anyway Cause it will just cause people to drink in less supervised places. Meaning more accidents and less responsiblity. people will drink regardless...they'll find a way I think the people who are going to drink irresponsibly will do so regardless of the price of alcohol. If I go out for a drink or two, I am more inclined to go somewhere that is less expensive than somewhere else. However if I plan on drinking two beers and a beer costs $2 at one bar and $1 at another bar, I am not going to drink four beers at the second bar becuase they are cheaper, or only have one beer at the first beer becuase they are more expensive. Basically, if someone wants to get blitzed, they will do so regardless of the cost. The only thing that will regulate underage drinking in Iowa City is more stringent control of fake ids or limiting their access to bars. Bars often act as a controlling source of alcohol. The fact that students are paying for each individual drink and the amount of alcohol per drink is monitored, dramatically reduces the chance of a student drinking too much too quickly and dying or getting alcohol poisoning. I believe that if someone really wants to drink they will manage to find a way. By limiting out-of-sight sales you create an obstacle in which a person must go around. Sadly I believe we are going to drink or not drink according to our own standards and rules, regardless of what the law says. Most have older syblings or friends that could easily purchase alcohol for "underage" adults, or even provide an I.D. which would allow me to get into a bar to hang out with these older people I may want to socialize with. Because, people wouldn't get it as readily as before. Iowa City bars am obviously not the only place you can buy alcohol People will always find ways to consume, most importantly in less safe environments/ways. I don't think that would have much of an effect because if people want alcohol they will find a way to get it no matter what. drinking will continue at house parties, which are unregulated and unsafe in comparison to bars. Because the Iowa City Council is comprised of old farts who feel that since they are too old to have fun, why should the young college students be allowed to. The more efforts made to tn/to stop underage drinking will increase the different mutes students go to get alcohol. If students really want to, they will find a way to get liquor regardless of any limitations set at the bars. If people want to drink, they are going to find a way. If they can't in a bar, they'll just do it somewhere else. They are not going to stop if they can't get into a bar. And most people have frieds that work at a bar so either way they are going to be able to get in and get served or they'll just have their older friends buy for them. because it has nothing to do with it. Parties will become more common and alcohol is much easier to obtain at parties without the security that a bar or another similar establishment can provide. I don't think they should change anything people will drink no matter what if they want to and they will find a way to do it just as well, limiting out~f-sight alsohol sales only harms those that are over 21 years of age. I believe that those who choose to drink excessively will do so, in or out of bars. If the option to consume alcohol is not readily/easily accessible to underage patrons in bars, they will simply seek out house parties. In my opinion, this is even more dangerous, as people have a tendency to consume more alcohol at house parties than in bars. Many will find other ways to "get drunk", i.e., more house parties. Getting rid of the drink specials, or even making bars 21 will not help the problem, it will probably make it worse. Alcohol is in supply and students are in demand. where go to drink where it is the cheapest, funnest, and easiest. Limiting sales will have severe direct effects on the Iowa City Downtown's income. If students are determined to get drunk, they will do so. Limiting the out-of sight alcohol sales will not deter them from getting drunk. people are always going to find a way to drink underage, no matter what laws are passed. There are still going to be people who drink irresponsibly/dangerously, "Where there's a will, there's a way." People are going to drink no matter what. At least having everyone drink in one place like the bars downtown everything is contained and easier to keep an eye on. if buyers can only buy one drink at a time, it will be harder for underage drinkers to get drinks BECAUSE PEOPLE STILL KNOWWHERE TO GO It might somewhat, but very little because regardless, people will always be able to find someone else who is 21 to buy them drinks "in sight." If people want alcohol, they will manage to get it. I do not think setting limits inside the bars will do much good. If you have a friend that is over 21, he/she will get you alcohol at stors, etc., despite any limits at the bars. no not at all just drink before you go and more people driving drunk college students drink excessively no matter what the circumstances. the media reinforces this fact with movies ranging from ANimal house to even more conservative and realistic sitcoms such as 90210. College students drink. Nothign wll change this behavior or even deter it. It will be MUCH harder for underage people to get drinks! Dangerous drinking- No. Underage drinking- yes a liffle, but many minors have fake ID's For most people, part of coming to college is parrying. I don't think there's much than can stop that, short of a complete shift in attitudes to toward what college life is all about. Becuase people don't go out to spend a set amount of money and drink until irs gone. They go out for whatever their reasons are and stop buying when they want to. People will do what they want to do no matter what. WE need to teach responsibility--not outlaw drinking. Drinking will be pushed into private residences, where the police can crack down more effectively on underage drinkers and proriders. If a person wants to get drunk, they will do it at any price. Drinking is going to be popular at a college no matter what the price is. Because if underage students can't drink at bars, they will just go to parties more frequently. At a party you can spend 55 for all the beer you want, and thus are more likely to binge drink, I know that the few times I have gotten very drunk it was at a party, and not at the bar, Also, drinking is fun, and people like to do it. You know it and I know it. You like to drink too, admit it. If students want to drink, they will find a way outside the bars. One reason: If people want to drink, they WILL find a way and when people our age drink, we often "binge" drink. It's not a new concept, and trying to "force" people to do as the city would like, is not going to do any good. I think that drinking is primarily a social activity; the college environment mixes 19 year olds with 21 + year olds. Thus, alcohol is available to any student who wants to drink through friends who are of age. It would make it more difficult for underage or intoxicated patrons to obtain (more) alcohol The answer to the problem lies in educating students so that they develop more responsible drinking habits; creating a more repressive atmosphere will make the problem worse. People will switch to house parties and just create more havok. you can try to limit the sale but that doesn't mean that the bars are going to follow those limits. they don't do it now they won't in the future I think it will just increase the number of fake I.D's used. And it's a stupid idea, especially if you're out on a date with someone and they offer to buy you a drink. Underage drinkers will still be there. because then there woudl be less underage drinking in bars If someone's soul intention is to drink a lot and get drunk, sales and advertising are not going to play a huge role. Because they'll still get it, not matter if it's not advertized. If people are going to drink, they're going to find a way. In a crowded bar, the bartender can't know how many drinks any one person has had, nor if they are planning on giving that drink to an underage patron. No, I believe that this will only hinder the establishments way to make money and cause overcrowding near the bar area. I don't think it matters what the laws say, if people want to ddnk, they will always find a way to do so. It's like any other illegal activity; if people want to do it, they'll find a way, no matter what. Because there will just be a lot more keggers! If people want it bad enough, they will find a way to do it. college kids drink, that's just what we do, ,,we'll do it at the bars or anywhere else we can find People do the majority of their drinking before they go out, not at the bars_its too expensive. Students will still spend the money regardless of the cost. It is an added bonus to be able to drink for a lower cost, but it will not stop students from consuming alcohol. On top of the point just made, passing a law like this would not be fair to those who are of legal age. There is still a desire for alcohol, out of sight out of mind will not work! People will see it in the media, and other places. Minors will get alcohol if they want it. Education of children before they reach teenhood is the only answer. I have been to Iowa State where minors can't get into bars and the parties there are unbelievably more wild than any bar is here It can't huff to limit alcohol sales in bars, although I feel the majority of the problems with drinking (either underage or dangerous amounts) occur in private residences (frats, homes, apartments, and so on). People who want to drink a lot will do so regardless of prices. Its easy to get a drink. Everybody knows somebody who is 21 people under-age will always find a way to drink...until you lower the drinking age If you're going to drink, limiting out-of-sight alcohol sales aren't going to make a difference people will still drink just as much, but it will be harder on them money-wise. They will still do it. it doesnt matter if underage ddnkers have to pay more for their alcohol, they will still drink it untill it is no longer a challenge to do so. Too many people have fakes or know people who are 21, they can go anywhere to get alcohol. Just because you limit the drinking prices at the bar just means that these students are going to drink somewhere else. People can drink at their houses, parties, or friends places. If you jack up the prices at the bars, that just means that you are going to have more people drink somewhere else, and that usually means unresponsibly. Think about it. Not a very smart idea. At least when they are at the bar they have to be somewhat smart or they are going to get kicked out or busted by one of the pesky iowa City policeman. Won't make it as easy to give to underagers. Students are going to get alcohol no matter what the circumstances. This is college. People that are underage will still find a way to obtain alcohol at the bars. People will just make repeat trips to the bar. It will just take them longer to get drinks. STUDENTS ARE GOING TO FIND OTHER PLACES TO DRINK THEN IN B~RS. IF YOU DRINK AT A PARTY MORE DRIVING WILL TAKE PLACE. They're still going to drink--it's just what they do! Iowa city politicians can not put that tight of limits on the bars. If prices get too high people will just have more house and appartment parties where there are NO regulations. People will know that the sales still exist, and will still take advantage of them, untierage or not. Students will begin drinking in private homes that offer less safety in some situations No, because ifa student is going to drink, he or she is going to drink. If the bars are really expensive, students will rum to house parties, reducing the economy of downtown Iowa City. Students are used to drinking underage. They will just find some other way that they can get their liquor. Students who want to drink will do so regardless of what is down to prevent it. In reality it is just making the problem worse, students will look for other sources and might travel to other cities to do so increasing the probability of drunk drivers. All you are doing is moving the drinking from a safe environment to one that is not so safe. And driving to other towns will increase drunk driving especialiy since most people walk to the bars anyway If people want alcohol, it's pretty easy to get whether or not something is limited People will simply start having parties...and then people will start driving to the parties...and then people will die from Drunk Driving! Because they will still find ways to get it The underage will find another way to obtain alcohol. Those who want alcohol when they leave a bar will just purchase it before they go to a bar. Limiting alcohol sales will not significantly change established drinking habits. If we can't go to the bars more house parties will take place which are less safe for the community because there are no bouncers to stop unresponsible people. People who want to drink dangerously will find someway to do it no matter what. because some one will always buy you alcohol people are going to drink no matter what the law does. It is not going to stop anybody from drinking if they want to drink. People could just go up to different bartenders and order one drink, then go again to another, and so on. No it will not decrease the level of dangerous drinking and underage drinking because if people want to drink they will find means to do it however they can, nothing can deter people if they are determined to drink, there are always other ways to get alcohol Converse will occur. I know that many of my friends that want to get drunk do so before they go out to the bars. One reason for this is because it is cheaper for them to drink before they go to the bars. So I don't think that it will stop people who want to get really drunk from drinking. No matter what they do, underage kids are going to find a way to get And it is really not fair to those who are legal to punish them and not allowing drink specials. Out of sight means out of mind. That means that any minors will be able to drink without being monitored, and the level of dangerous drinking will increase. Enough said. There is a reason why students go out and drink. Limiting sales is only a quick fix solution and doesnt not address the reason why people feel like it is necessary to drink. If underage people want alcohol, they will get it. Some people honestly think that all college is about is drinking. Limiting the number of drinks they can buy at one time will not prevent them from drinking. Eventually I think most people either fail out of college or straiten themselves out. It is just to easy to get alchole. We were able to get it in High School underage, why would we not be able to get in college! if people are determined to consume alcohol, they will do so regardless of alcohol sales. Underage drinkers will find a patron of legal age and convince them to buy them the alcohol. Many of the bars are operated by fraternity and sorority members. This provides a reliable source of alcohol to the respective brothers and sisters. In my case I was friends with a member in a fraternity and still received the same benefits. People will still go to bars not knowing the deals. They will still consume alcohol. The deals are an bonus. any time you try to discorage drinking at bars, people will turn to house parties, which are proven to be more dangerous due to the levels of various narcotics. also, there are usually no sober people at house parties in case of emergencies. VVhile I do feel that by making the bars in Iowa City have only a certain area where people can purchase and then consume those drinks is a possible solution, I also believe people are going to look for alternatives. The legal age for smoking is 18. Does that keep people who are younger from getting their hands on cigarretes? When I was in high school, I saw numerous people who smoked and who were underage. Limiting drinking isn't going to solve the problem. Did prohibition stop the selling of alcohol in the early 19th century? It only lead to bootlegging and making things worse. Drinking is an activity that underage college students are going to partake in. So they don't have easy access to alcohol at bars, big deal, SO they'll get someone to buy for them. most dangerous drinking does not happen in bars, nor does most underage drinking occur in the bars Because limiting alcohol sales in the bars will only make for more alcohol problems in the dorms and elsewhere in Iowa City. If students want to drink, they will drink; limiting them from going to the bars will only cause more problems. No, Right now the majority of the students go to the bars on the weekend and during the weekend there are not really any "out-of-sight" drink specials and underage students still find a way to get intoxicated. Students will always find another way to drink as much as they can. if they were legal, why would they be out of sight? Not every bar will actually be able to regulate these actions due to busy nights and also if you are only allowed to get one drink or one glass for a pitcher, the 21 year-old with the minor can still go up on seperate occasions to get a minor a drink. I know people who buy for others who are underage It won't---underage drinkers might be slightly deterred but not completely. They will just ask their overage friends to make additional trips to the bar. Limiting out of sight sales will do absolutely NOTHING except cause a huge headache for overage drinkers who are getting drinks for their overage friends. It's a ludicrous idea. People are going to find a way to drink no matter what happen. It is part of the college experience and should be expected. The majority of people who go to the bar and get completely trashed are drunk before they even enter the bar. The bars make it extrememly difficult to purchase alcohol if one is underage, and even if a person had a fake, the door-guys can spot it rather quickly. Dangerous drinking is going to occur whether or not the sales are limited. If a student can't get wasted in a bar, then they are more likely to go drink in other places such as houses, apartments, dorms, etc. At least in the bar there are some controls on how out of control people get, i.e. the bouncers can throw roudy people out, the bartenders can stop serving. no I believe so, because the bars are the easiest places for underage students to get a drink.., Students are going to drink no matter what. If kids want to drink, kids will drink. They will find a way regardless of the law. This question does not make sense. I do not understand what "out-of-sight alcohol sales" are. If you are going to do a public survey, at least ask questions that the lay public can understand, and not ones written by a PhD. from Harvard University. I believe that in a public atmosphere such as the bars, drinking can be done in a more responsible manner- and moreso, students WILL find other means of getting alcohol- illegally most likely! DEFINITELY!!!!!! People are going to drink, no matter what rules are in place. If you want alcohol, you can always get ahold of it. if you want it, you'll find a way to get it, as with anything in a capitalistic society..duh NO, because I think the students drinking will jsut find some other way or place to drink. The people who hinge drink really only care about drinking and not much else. Many ways to get drinks. People will drink if they want to drink, you can't stop that, They will find other means of obtaining alcohol. If they don't drink in the bars they will drink the their residences. It will increase private house parties in which there is no security or monitoring as there is in the bars in Iowa City. Because a person can still drink if they want to If people want to drink, they are not going to be dissuaded by the cost. They are already paying a bundle anyway. The drinking will take place whether it is in the bars or not. If there is a will there's a way. people are going to drink the same amount regardless of price. If they can't get it in the bars, they are going to go to house padies which are more dangerous!! It's generally accepted that lowering prices on anything is a way to get people to buy more-- it's a basic principle of economics. Kids are going to find ways to get beer. period. I think that drawing attention to the supposed "hinge-drinking" problem in IC actually normalizes it and makes people think that it is the socially acceptable way to party on campus. There is nothing that anyone can do do decrease the levels of drinking at the university. If they crack down on the drink specials at the bars the only people it is going to hurt is the students. This is because the drink specials save us money. I know the university doesn't care if students save money, but as a student it is important to me. People won't be able to buy for other people. But it will also cause a huge hassle when a group of 21 ers don't want to all go to the bar for a drink. people will still find a way to drink. Because if people want to drink a lot they will still pay the money to do SO. house parties and other forms of unchecked drinking will increase Drinking is a social, fun thing to do. Restrictions will only make people have to go through other means to get drunk besides going to bars. Just let us drink if we want to drink! Because people will find a way to get it. When they cant have it, the ywant it more. LIMITING THE DRINKING AGE IN IOWA CITY WILL ONLY ADD TO MORE HOUSE PARTIES WHICH WILL ONLY ADD TO MORE DRINKING AND DRIVING. I, PERSONALLY, DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH DRINKING, BUT WHEN A PERSON GOES BEHIND THE WHEEL. I FEEL UNSAFE AS A PEDESTRIAN AND A DRIVER. THE CITY COUNCIL NEEDS TO REALIZE THAT THE MAJORITY OF UNDERAGE STUDENTS DRINK REGARDLESS, WHETHER AT BARS OR NOT. I don't think that people learn from past mistakes or other people's experiences with alcohol. I think as long as people feel invincible and that "It won't happen to me", alcohol will be a problem on college campuses and with young people. People will find a way to get drinks, and it is not fair to people that are 21 and who are buying for friends that are also legal. If students want to drink, they will just find another place, a house party or something else. I don't think that it will because students will either use more fakes. attain the alcohol some other way, or go to parties farther away and drive drunk The drinking will just move to house parties. People will find a way to get alcohol despite the efforts being made to curb it. Limiting the number of drinks one can purchase will just anger the population of people who are 21 and cause more traffic at the bar. If people want to drink. they will find a way no matter what. A person of age can easily buy one drink and take it to an underage drinker. It is really no different than what happens now. Besides, in regards to pitchers of beer, how can the server tell who is drinking from that pitcher and who isn't? Because it creates a problem elsewhere. You're going to push the students to apartments and other late night party areas. I transferred from a different school and when I was there we rarely went to the bars. Instead we had after hours at the fiats (obviously not anymore in a lot of schools) and there were a lot of parties in the apartments. Including Fraternities that sponsered parties in the apartment complexes. Students aren't going to stop drinking, they're not stupid, they'll find the little niches to slip into. Because it is not hard at all to obtain alcohol. irresponcable individuals will act irresponcable, regardless of age or conditions. To act irresponcable is what it is to be irresponcable. people will find ways around it and will drink if they want to it doesnt matter, students are still going to drink People will always find ways to get and consume alcohol, whatever the age. Changing the bars to 21, and or, limiting the amount of advertising and regulating specials will do absolutely nothing to solve the underage drinking problem. The only thing any of this will accomplish is forcing students to go to more off campus parties where violence and sexual assaults are much more common. Because the activity will only move from the bars to house and dorm rooms...kids will find a way. no matter what people will drink. it doesn't matter where they get it from. they can get it. People will still find a way to buy alcohol. Always ways to get around rules like that. ~ think it will just be a pain for people who are just buying a drink for a friend with no illegal intent. Bars will still have sales and people will continue to drink even if there aren't any sales. If someone wants to drink...they are going to drink regardeless of the out of sight sales in the bars. I feel that this will just cause many other things... 1 ) Individuals will get much more intoxicated before they go out to the bars. 2) This will irritate individuals over the age of 21 immensely!!! 3) There is no way to stop young adults from drinking if they want to. In my opinion, house parties and such are more dangerous than bars because at a house, a person can pay $5 and drink as much as they want. At bars a person is obliged to spending more, and bars are more controlled due to bouncers, etc. Because that will be a rule/law, people do not respect drinking rules/laws now, that is why we have the "problem" there is no evidence to support the idea that the new rule/law would be followed more than the existing ones. Everyone will stil~ drink. If we want to drink, we will. We found ways to get alcohol when we were 14. Kids will find ways to get drinks no matter what. We are kids. No matter what restricitons are made for buying alchohol we will find ways around them. because I know nothing about what this term means and I can't skip the question Students will always be able to drink somewhere else, in the dorm, at parties, anywhere they can drink. The people drinking "out-of-sight" alcohol want it badly enough that they will find other, perhaps more risky ways of obtaining it. either way people are going to drink. They will walk or take the cambus to downtown or they will drive their cars to a party. No because the people who really want to drink, underage or not will find a way. sales or no sales 'dangerous drinking and underage drinking will persist. Its just another case of barcking up the wrong tree Underage students will get alcohol anyway they want. The law or "new ideas" won't stop them. Underage drinking will continue even with a limited out-of-sight alcohol sales. They will find ways to get around it. I feel underage drinkers will continue to find a way to drink, and do so heavily. I also feel that those who are not underage, will feel no effects by any of the policies that would be passed - they would still drink irresponsibly. Kids will get alcohol no matter what. It's just the way it is. Every species in the world finds a way to become inebriated. increasing restriction will only force people to go to more drastic and dangerous methods to attain what they desire. Underage students will drink no matter what. If it is in a bar, it is easier to control. People that are regulars at the bar know how the bar operates. NO, we will drink no matter what is changed. It will just become more expensive and less convinient to do so at the bars. It will move the problem more heavily to dorms and house parties. It won't make any difference. It may increase the use of fake ID's. college kids are going to drink, no matter what measures are taken. by limiting the situation (not a problem) downtown is just going to move underage adults to off campus areas to ddnk, in essence creating more problems. Fights, drinking and driving, etc. if people want to drink, they will no matter what If the bars do that, all that will happen are more house parties. Rapes/drug abuse is much less at the bars because there is someone to make sure that things are under control (bouncer/owners). the underage drinkers are going to drink whether people of authority want them to or not. Obviously they are, and always have and always will, I dont think that by limiting out-of-sight sales you will hault drinking. Kids will still drink, this tactic will only cause students to dig deeper into their already shallow pockets College students will ddnk no matter what. There are no but's, ifs or and's about it. And not just in Iowa City, but in colleges EVERYVVHERE. So no matter what kind of rules or regulations placed towards drinking in Iowa City, people(underaged) will find a way to drink. If not at the bars, then at house parties where it will be even more unsafe and people will drink even more unresponsibly. Students drink more irresponsibly when they are at a party and alcohol is cheaper than at a bar. Kids will still find a way to get alcohol and consume it illegally. Honestly, if kids that are underage want to drink, They will find a way. Most of the underage drinkers I know get drunk before they go to the bar in their dorms or apartments. Limiting how much they can drink at the bar will not affect their drinking habits. out of sight, out of mind Unfortunately, I think underage drinking is one of those problems that is inevitable or we would not have to deal with it year after year. The social condition has to change. because if people don't go to the bars, they will drink at house parties Most underage drinkers don't pay attention to the specials. They are still going to drink no matter what the price of alcohol. Limiting out-of-sight sales hurts those over 21 because they are the ones looking for deals, underage will just go to a party to get alcohol The more off-limits it is to drink, the cooler it will be to do so. Most people have an older friend who will buy it for them anyway. See #8 It will only cause more house parties to occur and for more alcohol consumption to take place there and in the dotms. People get the same prices at the store and will just have parties. Underage drinking is so difficult to combat, I'm not sure what Iowa City bars can even do to prevent it. If they don't want people under 21 to drink, then they shouldn't let them into their establishment in the first place. But then they would have to face the hard reality that underage drinking brings in a lot of money, and the city knows it as well. Money or human life? Hmmmmm .... Underage drinkers money is just as green as everyone elses andteh bars are in this to make money. As long as minors are allowed into bars they will drink. In addition, it would just push the drinking to other locations, Increased legislation has never. ever solved any problem. I think eliminating the specials will net alleviate the drinking problems. Students who choose to drink will do so regardless of specials. It will increase the dangerous drinking, People will go to house parties where there are no bouncers to protect you. I think that college students are going to drink if you live in Iowa city, Coralvilre, or Los Angeles. Drinking often goes hand in hand with college lifestyles across not only our country...but the nation as well. Because half this University is from the Chicago suburbs, and their parents give them ridculous amounts of money to spend. And no, this isn't a broad generalization. If people want to drink they are going to drink, no matter what. People will drink regardless people will just find their alcohol in other places. College students are going to drink regardless of how many steps they need to achieve to get the amt. of alcohol they want. There is no way that any rule will ever stop or decrease the underage drinking that occurs at ALL COLLEGES. If you make more rules all you are going to create is more problems with sneaking around which in turn will cause more accidents. More minors will start going to house parties instead of bars, and excessive drinking is more dangerous at a party, where the alcohol is pretty limitless. prohibiting it will make it that much more desireable don't luck over the priveledged because of a small handful of those who break the law in erroneous fashion underage people will just drink in homes then people want to drink regardless what the price is! People are going to drink regardless of what new rules are put into effect. it is dumb because people are going to drink no matter how much it costs. The City council is wasting time. There is always going to be drinking in a college town. Deal with it. IT is unconstitutional to tell someone how much they can sell something for. I thought this was Iowa City, now it is becomming the People's Republic of Iowa City. People aren't going to the bars because of cheap drinks, they are going to have fun and be with friends. Drink specials might make people go to a particular bar, but they will go out regardless of advertised specials. Prohibition never works. lowarts are stupid fucks that deserve to drink themselves into oblivion. The more people die, the better. Defining out-of-sight alcohol sales becomes a problem and could cause a number a people to lose their jobs. College kids are poor and it's easy for the city council to exploit that People are going to drink what they want, when they want to do it. By trying to alter the current situation, you are just going to upset the students who will rebel to this with very irresponsible actions that will look extremely bad for the UI. People who are underage and drink can get away with it because they have fake identification and or know someone that will give it to them if they are underage. When I was underage laws did not stop me. My friends got alcohol for me. My age was not a deterence. I actually drink less now, and I am of age to comsume alcohol now. People will always still drink a lot in a college town. people will just drink before they go out to the bars people will go to parties even more, which is less safe than the bars anyway Students drink because it is novilty that is concidered rebellious. Any meserment taken to ristrict drinking will make it appear that more desirable. There are so many other ways...parties, apartments,...its college! Irs like this EVERYWHERE. because people like to drink Because underage kids will always find a way to drink no matter what. It's a fact of life. Underage students will continue to find ways to drink, i.e. staying in their dorm rooms. Because students will find other ways to get the alcohol. Because no matter what people do to stop dangerous or underage drinking rates, students will still find a way to drink no matter how hard it is and the harder it becomes for a student to get alcohol the more dangerous becomes because their are more factors involved. Seeing alcohol sales advertised does not encourage those who would not participate in drinking or do so in a responsible manner to drink more. stores must do their part and check id's If the younger students want to drink they are going to find a way to do it whether or not it is in a bar or somewhere else. They will probably move to house parties which disrupts the community more and causes more uncontrolled house citations. We need to do more than with the bars, we need an entire attitude change and social atmosphere change. There is a difference between going out with friends for a social drink and getting drunk. One is done my older students and the other younger. Waitresses are currently very responsible about making sure those they serve are of age. because if people want to drink they will drink, the out-of-sight sales just help poor college students Because out of sight sales do not represent a large proportion of underage drinking, and if it is decreased then minors will simply invest in fake ID's. If not they will drink the same amount outside the bars. People will find ways to drink regardless. There are always ways around things like this. Someone may go back to the bar 8 times for a round of drinks, but they will do it nonetheless. Because legally,correct me if I wrong but underage people aren't really supposed to be drinking anyway right!But they get a hold to it anyway. You know that if you really want something that you are going to get it. If these underage kids really want to get drunk they will.And If Iowa don't want to sell it to them then they will most likely find another place who will. because people will go elsewhere to get cheap alcohol A significant number of college students are going to drink. Period. They will find some way to do it. people that want to drink will do so regardless of specials and what not I think the more laws that we enact the more a police presence will be in a the bars. With a larger police presence it will appear that the numbers are larger. (Much like now.) If people want to drink, they will. Look what prohibition did. I don't feel it will have an influence on the students who visit the bars. I feel that it would change the dynamics of where they drink, but overall it would be advantageous. I can imagine that people write in, "they'll get jt somehow or another''; I agree, yet it will in fact decrease alcohol, and at least get closer to making the businesses responsible. People are going to dink no matter ttthey are in a bar or at a house. Them are too many bars and too many students to curb any type of drinking. Kids will always find a way to get the alcohol. To think that we can keep it away from them is foolish. I belive that young people will always have a way of getting alcohol. I don't want to sound pretentious, but if they can't go to the bars, then they'll go to house or apartment parties. Underage drinking will not stop. You run a higher risk of drinking and driving also if you were to make people choose to go to house parites instead of the bars. Also, there WILL be a drastic increase in the number of fake ID's. this way people can't get their friends to buy them drinks. just so you know, underage drinking is not synonymous with dangerous drinking. your answer implies this...assholes. People will find away of getting alcohol I believe that students will pay for alcohol at whatever the cost...if they cannot get the sales from bars, they willl go to local stores to get the best deals on alcohol. There are always people who will buy for underage drinkers. If bars go 21 then there will be more outragous house parties and more chances for people to get hurt since there will be no bouncers at these parties. The people that want to drink will do it anyway reguardless of whether or not they personally can buy alcohol, This is something that has gone on for generations and is unlikely to stop anytime soon. People will find a way to get it Because the students will still drink the same amount, they will just end up spending more money. If kids want to drink they will do it. Where there's a will, there's a way. Issuing laws just gives people more motivation to rebel against them. College students will drink one way or another. Most choose to by their own free will, are not forced to and are not coerced to do so due to specials. Most college students view drinking as fun and will learn from mistakes they may make. Because its easier and cheaper for a kid to get alcohol outside of a bar than it is to get it inside. Their are enough 21 year olds in this town to buy for minors that no one has to go without beer. No because more Fake ids will arise. If those under the age of 21 want to drink, they can always find a way. I know because I was one of them. And I don't drink much at all. I think it would decrease the simplicity of gaining access to alcohol, but not decrease dangerous drinking, Those of legal age can still go to the bar multiple times to get drinks for underage drinkers. This will probably only increase the number of fake ID's used in Iowa City, Because underage drinkers always will find a way to get alcohol, and if not at the bars then they will turn to other parties where it is easier to drink even more. There are so many ways to get alcohol not just here but anywhere. Takeing away those sales will just increase the house party scene where kegs will be involved and in a setting where there is no supervision by those who are paid to do so, If the students want to drink, they'll find ways to drink. People always find a way. people will just use more fake ids and others will make more frequent trips to the bar. some people get extremely drunk because of these sales so it might help to limit them, but underage people can still find ways to drink whether at a bar or not Because if a student can not drink in the bars they will go some where elso to get the alcohol and this could be more dangerous becuase then studnets may drink and drive or become more destructive to the community Drinking is going to happen...if you don't let it happen in a controlled setting then expect it to happen in a uncontrolled setting. Maybe this will work. Students have already found ways to drink as under age drinkers. They will continue to do so. The answer is provided other alternatives to going out Thursday through Sunday evenings to drink. People will go to parties that are farther away, drink more because it is cheap, and walk or driv ehome which could result in an accident or sexual assault Students will drink no matter what...the bar specials don't even effect us very much. Maybe some people go to a certain bar for the specials, but either way we will still pay for alcohol even if there aren't any specials. This is Amercia, why does Iowa City, or even the state of Iowa have a right to say how these places handle their business. The limitations will make more house parties and no one will really care because we'll pay the regular amount anyway. Many people choose different times to go out, come to town to visit, or have town events that people come to, so you can't possibly monitor the amount sold. People go to the bars and get wasted easily whether they are of age or not. It is getting cheaper and cheaper and college students are poor. No, because students will still be able to get drunk in other social settings throughout the University including dorms and house parties. I feel alcohol sales are a product of business competition and therefore not only necessary but a smart business decision. If a underage individual wants to get drunk they are going to- despite what the bars offer. they will find it somewhere else, maybe in a more dangerous situation. If people want to drink, they will find a way (e.g. fake ideas, friends buying). Limiting alcohol sales in bars might help temporarily, but eventually drinking will resume full speed, Because people will find a way to get alcohol and limiting the business of bars is not the way to stop drinking. If the bars choose to limit these sales, then more money will go into pre-drinking, which may lead to more OWl's and DUI's. It isn't a smart idea. It is a form of prohibition and that didn't work before. If a person wants to drink dangerously they will, whether it is expensive or not. I can't see how giving a person with a drinking problem a financial problem as well is beneficial at all. If the alcohol isn't as cheap, the students won't be as able to afford it People will get someone to buy them drinks no matter what!! Kids will drink whether it is in the bar or at parlies or other. every bar has it's own reputation, we know what special is where and on what nights...it's not going to turn into a big secret without the newspapers! I feel that most of the dangerous drinking that takes place in Iowa city happens not in the bars, but at house parties. Severely limiting access to bars will only encourage more house parties, which cannot be regulated at all. people will just find someplace else to do it. It will force the problem underground, making it harder to monitor College students will drink no matter what. People will ddnk when they want and as much as they want, regardless of the costs. Underage drinkers will still consume alcoholic beverages regardless of the cost of the fine they may receive for doing so. Why wouldn't they still buy the liquor, even if it's not on sale? Kids usually find a way to drink, especially if the bar owners condone it. Passing laws won't help; the bar owners need to stop being selfish and crack down on underage drinking, it will slow down the consumption underage drinkers will still be able to receive drinks from their friends that are of age Limiting drinking in the bars will just push students to drink in private homes, where there is less security. If you eliminate a known danger, you will simply force people to find a different way to get alcohol.,. at least this way you know which direction the bullet is coming from If you limit drinking in bars, it will be moved out to house parties, across the entire city, which are harder to control, and more dangerous. Because the kids would just have someone of age go and get it for them, If your in a bar, atleast you're in a safe place if anything were to happen. If students have to go sneaking around, more problems will occur. Drinkling is almost guarenteed to increase, accidents, fights, etc are likely to occur. I think that no matter what if people want to drink they will. Out of site sales, If the management of the bar had proper control of the site this would not be a problem in the first place Drinking is a part of college culture whether you like it or not. No matter what you do to slow down alcohol abuse, underage students will find a way to get it. IF people want alcohol they will get it one way or another. I don't choose where I want to go by cost, I go there because I enjoy the atmosphere and my close friends are there. Money is never the issue when it comes to how much a person chooses to drink. If it was, then that person would not go to a bar for alcohol. Any money spent on alcohol is money gone. It's going to happen either way. I'm not sure what you mean by out-of-sight alcohol sales. It's just a change of where the students would drink. If people want to drink, they are going to dish out the extra cash to do so. Something needs to be done. They shouldn't be able to walk into a bar and give as many tickets as they do. Collge students will drink. People will find a way to drink whether it's through advertisement, word of mouth. etc. I think students drink about the same amount either way. Maybe a little more when there is a special, but for the most part they won't drink more dangerously. It simply shifts the problem from one place to another. Sure. limiting out-of-sight sales will decrease the amount consumed in bars, but the amount consumed at parties will increase just as much if not more. because they are not regulated. Because it is going to happen anyway. IF we are not in a controlled place like the bars, we are going to be out on the streets making it even harder for the cops. I feel that this effort to discourage dangerous or underage drinking is improperly focused. I don't know what out-of sight sales are. no matter what, people will find a way NOT EVEN CLOSE!!! Simply by making it harder to drink at the bars is just going to make more people go to house parties. Kids come to school to have fun and drink.. If the bars aren't allowing underage kids to drink, they WILL find another way, Students will consume just as much. if not more alcohol, at their home before they go down to the bars. People are going to drink if they want to regardless of laws. look at the Prohibition. If kids can't get the alcohol in the bars they'll just go elsewhere to get it. because underage drinking will continue no matter what rules you institute. Limiting drink sales will just make individuals drink more before they go to the bar. If it's limited in the bars, students will just find other sources such as house parties... which provides an un-regulated environment. Much more dangerous! If students want to at the bars they are usually willing to spend the money. Depends on how attentive the bartender is. If he doesn't notice that the same person keeps coming up to buy for a large group of underage people it won't change things. people will still be able to drink while at bars~for example would they outlaw pitchers too?~i don't think so-that wouldn't stop underage drinking, plus it is more of a hastie for people who are over 21 and buying drinks for their friends who are also 21 -it is much easier for just one person to do it if underage people want to drink, they can always have their legal friends buy for them. College Life and Drinking go hand in hand Students will find a way to get drunk if they really want to no, many students are drunk by the time they get to the bar if a person wants to drink and he/she cant get it at the bar he/she will drink somewhere else, Home, house party etc. If someone wants to drink, they will find a way. College students drink. Move on to more important issues. VVhat a waste of time and money. Focus on education to stress dangers of binge drinking (death/rape),butforgetevertryingto get students to stop. Idrank15 years ago as an undergrad and likely so did most of the adults who are now complaining about it. Besides, the Iowa City economy would collapse w/o the alcohol it sells. Education is good. Attempting to end it is a joke and a waste of money. UISG Drinking Behavior Survey Question #8 General Comments 8. Do you feel that laws enacted by the Iowa City Council limiting price specials and/or setting a minimum price for drinks will decrease the level of dangerous drinking behavior and/or underage drinking at the University of Iowa ? Choice Votes Approximate % Yes 185 14% * No 1115 86% ******** Total 1300 Executive summary of responses In general, most students responding to this survey do not think that limiting price specials and/or setting a minimum price for drinks will have huge impacts on the level of dangerous or underage drinking. Most comments state that students who want to drink, will drink, regardless of cost---and that it is a behavior inherent in college life everywhere. A number of comments do note that a some students will be limited because of the financial strains of being a college student. Many students also believe that people will "pre-party" more before they go out to the bars. -Summary by Andy Stoll, UISG 8. Do you feel that laws enacted by the Iowa City Council limiting price specials and/or setting a minimum price for drinks will decrease the level of dangerous drinking behavior and/or underage drinking at the University of Iowa? Choice Votes Approximate % Yes 185 14% * No 1115 86% ........ Total 1300 Because laws like that will destroy the downtown's economy. Look at all the the restuarants that thrive on the bar crowds. It will actually increase dangerous drinking because students will try to fit more alcohol consumption in the time before they go to the bars. Same as above...people find ways around it students will drink elsewhere If the bars become too expensive, this shifts the masses to house/apartment parties. Whereas bars provide a limited safe haven for those who may feel threatened by a fellow intoxicated person, house parLies have an increased potential to breed violence and/or sexual misconduct, simply because there is no hired help (bouncers/possibly bartenders) to ensure the safety of the individual. It becomes the person's sole responsibility to protect his/herself from harm, and a majority of intoxicated persons aren't able to do so. Because if the City Council makes it harder to drink in the bars, the students will move into the apartments, houses and residence halls all around campus. Ask U of Wisconsin or Minnesota if having stict bars keeps their freshman and sophomores from drinking and then tearing up the residential areas around the school. It's a pointless endeavor. Kids will always consume lots of alcohol no matter what the price. People who want to drink will either pay the new price or just find other sources of alcohol. If someone wants to drink and they are underage, they will still do so, either they will pay more at the bar or they will go to house partys, which are more dangerous. If people think the bars are too expensive, they will start going to house parties and drinking for cheaper. Again, kids will do anything they can to drink. If this means they pay more for their drinks they will. People will drink more before they go to the bars so they don't have to spend as much money at the bars. All that this is going to accomplish is running the students money supply dry. The bars are already expensive enough! The majority of it happens at house parties right now. No, I think it will cause more people fighting in lines to get drinks and if there are no specials, then bars may lose their business Eventually. Again, I don't think it's a good idea, but it would work. Students will still do it b/c it is a part of college life for some. Students who are wanting to drink on a social level will still pay for drinks regardless of their price, if that is their activity of choice. People will simply drink more proir to going to the bars. All that these fascist price limits will do is limit the ability of bars to practice capitalism. It will get too expensive and people will go to parties and drink where it is cheap Drink specials are only an added bonus. Most of my friends are not influenced to go out at night because of a drink special. The only thing beneficial about drink specials is most people will spend a few less dollars during the course of the night. Students who drink irresponsibly will continue to drink irresponsibly regardless of what the City Council does. And the same goes for students that drink responsibly. people will still find away to get drunk if they are serious about it I think this proposal is absurd. Why should 21 year old, responsible drinkers be punished? Minors shouldn't be allowed in bars anyway. The age for admission should be 21. The university should put more of an effort into sponsoring other activities that students could attend. I think people are just going to be going to the bar more often. Lines will be longer, and people will get upset about the annoyance of waiting at the bar all night. Limiting pdce specials may just push more people to other places, such as less well known bars, where the prices aren't so high to begin with. Again, most drinking is done outside the bars. People who are out to get drunk will, All this will do is make it more expensive for drinkers (responsible and irresponsible alike) to get a drink People are going to drink no matter the price. It may. Students have limited financial resources. Some who engage in dangerous drinking behavior may be persuaded to drink more within their budgets. people are going to drink no matter what the cost of the drink Like I stated before...the people who are prone to dangerous drinking levels are going to go crazy regardless of the specials...this people will be out of control anywhere.,.but at a bar it can be regulated because there are other people there..and the threat of cops....forcing bars to get rid of there specials won't stop this people from going out of control,, ,the solution to this problem is not a quick fix...to think that eliminating the cheap deals eliminates binge or dangerous drinking is a cop out...the city council should spend more time figuring out non alcoholic events and places to go that would be interesting for those who don't always want to go out and get bombed...and they should realize that there is a social problem concerning those who drink dangerously...they need more help groups or ways in which the students can learn how to socialize and drink responsibly....in the end their bandaid idea will solve the problem only on the surface...and it will never really get at the wound. That will cause less people to go to bars, it would be much cheaper to go to the store for alcohol and have a party instead. At a keg party, you can drink all of the beer you want for around $4, so why go and pay $6 for one pitcher of beer? Students drink regardless of what the specials are that night. If you watch students coming out of the bars they are just as drunk on Friday and Sat. nights when the prices are high as they are on Thurs. when prices are low. Students who want to get trashed will do it, regardless of how much it costs. People get the money to do there habits, no matter the cost Bars are only one way to obtain alcoholic beverages. At least when people drinkin bars they are not alone and unsupervised, they have their friends to look out for them unlike some other drinking situations. it may limit dangerous drinking but not underage drinking Most people don't care about the price. They could be down to their last few dollers and be faced with the desicion of going out on Friday night or getting food to last the week, and most students will choose going out. No....regardless of what your age is if there is a will than there's a way to purchase alcohol! Students are still going to drink whether or not there are drinks on "sale" or special or whatever. people drink and will continue to no matter what price People would drink at home or at parties Students will find other places to consume alcohol or turn to other substances. Students don't worry about money when they go to the bars. They are there to have a good time, regardless of prices. It might at the beginning, but soon enough people are going to find ways around the rules. People who want to drink, will drink. With minimum prices, it just makes them pay more. Its kind of like ciggarettes. Smokers pay whatever they have to to smoke. Kids will pay whatever they have to to drink. Its just how it is. Students will just drink more before they go out to the bars. As above, if they intend to drink to get drunk, they will one way or another. Please don't drink because it's cheap. It might help to slightly lower the levels of dangerous drinking, although when people are drunk they don't think about how much money they are pending. There is no way this policy would do anything for underage drinking. Same reason as above. Because the students will just consume more alcohol before they go to the bars. Limiting the specials and setting a minimum price won't do anything but upset the students who are legal to drink, and those who do drink responsibly; it won't detour dangerous drinking or underage drinking It will just Cause more par~ies at student's houses or aparLments for students to drink at and there will be a rise in assaults and rapes. The bars will making more money for each drink if specials are decreased. Limiting price specials and/or setting minimum price for drinks does not discourage drinking everywhere. It only makes it more expensive for the people who choose to drink at bars. the price is not an issue if you want to drink However, it will make ordering drinks (one by one instead of 'bulk' alcohol sales with specials) a more conscious decision. People will find ways around it. Students will still go and buy drinks regardless of price, they will just pay more. No matter what everyone has access to alcohol, so if they want to drink, they will, and in turn all they have to do is get drunk before they go to the bars, in turn not solving any problems. Those who drink without responsibility would most likely be irresposible with the consequences of spending money. It would make a difference to them in the long run of bounced checks or not paying bills. Lets face it, if your son or daughter asked for money to pay bills because they couldn't make ends meet... You'd probably do it without thinking there could be a drinking issue causing the need. a little push to find other alternatives would ceratilnly make a difference it will not make a small impact but is a start Students are still going to drink the same amounts - the ordinance will just make it more expensive! If the council wants to end these behaviors, they need to star~ by requiring all bars to be 21 years or older. I believe that would stop a lot of the problems. Many of the people Who begin drinking do so at an early age because various bars make it so easy for underage drinkers to drink at them. Again, people will do whatever they like to do no matter the cost. Not all dangerous drinking occurs at the bars Like I said, it's treating the symptoms only. I think that people will continue to buy just as much, but will end up spending more money. Otherwise, they will drink before they go to the bars, so they don't have to spend as much. Either way, the students will still drink as much as they want. People will still drink, it will just cost them more to do it. People will pay as much money as it takes to have a good time drinking. This will just contribute to college students having money problems! people will pay what they have to This is a much better idea than the out-of-sight policy because it might keep students to a drink minimum because they cannot drink a lot of expensive alcohol. If people want to drink they will find ways of doing so. It has been something college age kids have done for as long as most people can remember. People that want to drink will pay. No because people are 9oing to obtain liquor in other ways... possibly by getting fake I.D .'s or partying at houses rather than at the bars. Personally I prefer the bars because there's always someone there regulating the situations at hand. Because students will be more likely to want to spend only a cedain amount of money when they drink. Therefore, they will spend less every time they go out or they will go out less. find ways around it People will pay what they must... To a certain extent. Kids who are not dangerous drinkers, or not yet dangerous drinkers, might be less inclined to spend a higher amount of money. Regular dangerous drinkers will probably not be too bothered by higher prices because they will want to continue drinking. Students will just drink in their rooms or at house parties. There is much less drinking taking place at bars than at house parties. And a transfer to house parties will result in less money made by the city and bars. The people that go out to drink will find the money to buy the drinks. I think that this town sucks enough money out of people. Why do more to deter people from coming to the town and university. Because students are still going to find ways to drink. behaviors and attitudes towards drinking need to be changed. Changing drink prices or limiting out of sight alcohol sales is not the total answer here. It's about education; and that education has to be done before students come to the University (in high school and with their parents) and after they arrive here. I feel that if this does happen drinks will then be even more over priced then they already are, bar patrons will then drink beforehand at house padies where they are not in a controlled setting, which then could cause even more problems. Drink specials attracts patrons only to a certain extent, its nice to have but mostly these specials are on weeknights, with regard to Thursdays and most students do most of there "bar hopping" on Friday and Saturday nights, therefore drink specials shouldn't be banned because you are not only hurting the business but also those that are 21 years of age. By setting a mininum price for bars takes away each businesses right to attract customers in special ways. This is the whole point of a business, to compete and see who can offer the best deals and make the most money. Drink prices are already high, even with the specials offered and adding a minimum price on top of a cover charge would, I think. decrease the night life in Iowa City's downtown area greatly and cause some to go out of business. Then house parties will become more prevalant and more irresponsible drinking will occur because its cheap compared to bars and easier accessible. If people want to drink, they'll find a way Any city council laws affecting Iowa City bars would discourage students from going to bars, which would lead to more house parties and drinking in campus housing. This would be more dangerous in the long run because activity would not be in a controlled environment. There would therefore be an increase in drunk driving and dangerous behavior. People don't care how much they spend...they complain, but they continue to spend money. If the people want to drink they will, Not all that much will stop the person once they put their mind to it. If people cannot get alochol in a bar then they'll go to a house party and get it there. This will not eliminate the problem, but it will decrease the amount of underage drinkers at the bars, and thus citations for underage drinkers will go down as fewer students walk back to the dotins drunk. But the problem will still exist, just in different venues. All this will do is change the location of where students drink. I can tell you from personal experience I drink a lot more at parties than at the bars. At parties a cup is $3, at the bars there's usually a cover charge plus drinks that range anywher form $3-$5. They will find other ways to get alcohol. with or without drink specials, drinking at the bars is expensive. (much more so than a $4 cup at a house party) people that are going to drink toe much at the bars will do so anyway - if they can't control they're consumption of alcohol, chances are they aren't much better with a bank account. People drink because they want to drink. not because of the price of alcohol! If that were the case. everyone would drink pop because pop or water is cheaper than alcohol. I don't believe that punishing the general population of Iowa City by limiting price specials is fair OR will work. limiting specials won't help. Who actually goes to the bars for specials? Not many people is what I would have to say. Slightly, becuase college students only have so much $$, although again, if they really want to drink that would only be slightly discouraging to them. it will only bring the income of the bars down- people will just drink more in the dorms or houses specials only save responsible drinkers money, they do not promote students to drink more If anything it will encourage underage drinkers to go to house padlos--an unstructured environment. The police are more likely to show up at bars than quiet house parties. I frequent bars when there are no drink specials and still pay for alcohol there. I don't believe setting a limit for prices on alcohol will decrease or increase anything. Students are not able to buy as much alcohol as they would like because they don't have enough money for higher prices. I think that there should be a limit on some of the promotions that go on at the bars. However, I don't think that this will help very much because those people that abuse alchohol tend to drink before coming to the bars because it s cheaper and less risky. People are going to drink and get drunk regardless people are going to drink no matter what The price will only be a slight deterrent. Those who want to drink will not be affected by a price increase; especially minors. People who plan on drinking to get drunk, will do so regardless of price. All this does is puts an undue financial burden upon students the majority of students who wish to drink legally and responsibly. Alcoholic beverages in bars are already marked up by 200%. If price were a effective deterrant, people would have drinks at home. The bars are a social scene, something in which a small town like Iowa City lacks in other meaures. We, as students, pay to go there and will continue to pay, provided no alternatives exist. Most people can afford to drink without the drink specials anyway. if they can't, they may just limit their drinking to two or less than two times a week. People will still drink just not as noticably to the police there will just be more house parties where people will drink even more since itll cost 55 for a cup There is not a dangerous level. If people want to get drunk they will find a way. kids are going to drink regardless It may push alcohol consumption to other parts of town, i.e., apartments. Younger students on a budget may not be as inclined to purchase alcohol at bars at higher prices, but this may just increase the amount of drinking in non-bar settings. Actually yes and no. It will only decrease the level of dangerous drink for those who cannot pay for it. It always seems to me that college students are always bmke...until it's time to go out. They find the money or take it away from their tuition money. Raise the prices and you won't stop the drinking, but you will increase their debt and decrease their chances of being financially viable to return for another semester. if people want to drink the small price increase is not going to stop them. i am currently in a foreign country where alcohol is much more expensive and people are drinking even more The drinking in the bars may decrease. but the use of fake IDs and house parties will rise dramatically. Dangerous drinking will always happen. The bars are an open environment with groundrules in which if you take it too far you are removed. In a dorm situation the drinker is much more at risk because their are less social restrictions on not going too far. same Many people go to bars on certain nights just because of the specials and tend to take too much advantage of the cheap specials. I think that peopae will drink no matter what, if it gets too expensive in bars, people will drink a whole bunch before they go out and arrive at bars already drunk. Once again, creativity will most ~ikely come into play. People are going to buy the drinks no matter how much they cost. If they don't have enough money to do so, they will iust obtain the liquor from other places. If people want to drink, they will find a way, and if they are limited to do so in the bar scene then they will go somewhere off campus to do it, possibly leading to more alcohol related accidents. people will drink and many people will drink a lot. If someone wants to get plotsed then they are going to one way or another. No limit on drink specials is going to stop this. People will drink before they go downtown. They will get intoxicated, and then go downtown to enioy the social scene. That's what they do now, and that's what will happen if prices are raised. People are going to drink no matter what the cost is. If it's too expensive in a bar, they'll iast drink some before they go too, so they don't have to buy so much there. People will iust get more drunk before going to the bars. The only thing that these laws will bring is students realizing we are living in a police state, and hopefully start to riot It will only relocate where the drinkning takes place. Either way, I don't think it will limit how much people drink overall. I feel the vast majority of University students drink responsibly. Yes, they may drink to get drunk, but that does not make them irresponsible if they do so in a manner that does not hurt other people. Making a change in the rules for the 10 percent that have terrible drinking habits does not make sense. It is up to students in their learning to be responsible citizens to make their own decisions. Studennts will iust get more money and pay the bar fees, Otherwise they will iust take their drinking elsewhere prohibition didn't stop people from drinking. I went to UNI for my bachelor's degree and they have a far worse drinking problem than U of I Limiting the drink specials may curb dangerous drinking behaviour if there was a problem with it but there isn't. As far as underage drinking, if the underage drinkers think its too expensive at the bar they will get it somewhere else. By passing these laws you just make it inconvenient for people who are of age. I truly believe that at some point financial penalities will outweight the ability to binge drink. Students will still drink just as much, if not more. They will just find somwhere else to do it. While it won't discourage most, those with less income and money will simply go to unsupervised places to drink. People will always drink if that is what they want to do. if people want to drink, they still will, even if it does cost a litlie bit more Those who want to drink will spend the necessary money, again either at the bar or elsewhere. Once again, when I have the intent to drink- I will drink. No matter what the cost, people will pay. Students will find other places to drink--a bar offers more of a safe and watched place. i believe most of the dangerous drinking happens outside of the bars If students want to drink, they will, no matter the cost. b/c by limiting specials they will only go to other bars to drink. setting a minimum price will not affect most students. if they can afford to go to UI, they can afford to drink. many come from wealthy families I think that students will still drink, but maybe not as much as they used to if drinks cost more. It may prevent some people from drinking heavily at bars but I think that fixing prices for private businesses is irresponsible legislation. People like cheap beer. It may not be worth their money to spend more to get drunk. As I said before, people will drink more before they go to the bars. The Iowa City Council is being naive if it believes that we get the majority of our liq0ur from the bars, its just too expensive even with drink specials. If people are going to drink dangerously, they are going to do it whether or not they can get it at the bars or if it costs more. Why punish those who do drink legally and responsibly for the irresponsibility of those who cannot control themselves? People are always going to drink... there are always going to be ways to get it. The council is taking the wrong steps toward limiting dangerous behavior. if people want to drink they will. if they get rid of the specials less people will go to the bars and the bars will lose money People think twice about spending more $ Alcohol at a convience store is Cheaper than a bar, so people would drink more before goin9 out to the bars. A majority of people that drink here simply do so because they have too much money. Mommy and Daddy pay for their education, so these people can lie and say the price of books or supplies went up. Bingo! More money for the increased alcohol prices. Bars in Iowa shoulld run like businesses and the expense shouldn't be passed on the consumer to limit the prices of drinks Most Iowa Citians that go to the bars have money to spend on liquor and will buy drinks even if they are expensive. If someone doesn't have money to get drunk at a bar and he or she wants to get drunk, it would still be easy to buy a bottle and/or chug beer and drink at a party, where more dangerous behaviors exist relative to a bar with bouncers. People won't want to spend the money necessary to get as drunk. More awareness, less laws. Until McDonalds is forced to stop "super-sizing" and Pizza Hut stops sending me two-for-one coupons i will not agree that small/local businesses should comply with laws that hinder their sales. If you are considering the price of a cab in going out to the bars and that many students cannot afford to spend yen/much at the bars, then getting deals for drinks does not automatically equate getting excessive amounts of drinks. The price levels may provide some deterrent, but not enough of one to make a significant impact. Underage drinkers may spend more for drinks...more bang for their buck, so to speak. students don't have a ton of money so maybe they will only drink what they can afford I think it will tone down the dangerous hinge drinking. Students wait for the 5.00 drink all night specials to go out - then just BINGE on it. I also think that students have limited access to funds. Very few have the parents that will send them money whenever they want it - or have the jobs that pay enough to support that kind of continuous drinking... but five bucks? ANYONE can afford THAT! They need to knock it off - at least downtown. People will drink no matter what. The only thing prices might have to do with it is reducing the number of hinges per week per student, if they have very limited funds. People who go to bars usually go because of the social enviornment, many may pass up the opportunity to binge drink if the price of alcohol is put at a premium. People will just drink more before they go to the bar. I think that would only limit the drinking at bars. Most likely it will still go on other places When authority sets limits, people always find a way to pass these and stretch rules no matter what the problem is. if people are drinking to get drunk, they will pay what ever it costs. Yes and no, people can always go to parties which are even more unregulated, However, some specials just can't be ignored, like All you can drink night at Brothers. There are other ways to get drunk... They are making it worst by making prices high...If they want to drink, they will find money personally think that lowering the drinking age to 18 or 19 would help sotp binge drinking, It would become less of a forbidden privUdge. Not everyone uses their head when they drink. A $5 all you can drink special does not seem like paying for 2 beers to some people. Some students may fell like they "have to get their money worth." If alchohol is more expensive then people will not be encouraged to drink as much as they could drink with lower alchohol sales. Did the government tax on cigarettes work? No, and for the same reason, artificially high prices for alcohol will have no effect but to make the industry more lucrative for the bar-owners, This solution attacks a symptom of the disease, not the disease itself. It will just cost more to drink, but won't effect the amount people drink. Many people will end up drinking before hand, which is cheaper and then go to bars, therefore it doesn't stop drinking at all. I think they will, but not by much. These programs only make it harder on the pocket book, and imply do not directly affect the situation if some one wants to get smashed out of their mind they are going to do it. it will only make it harder for legal students such as myself to enjoy the company of friends no more ordering a pitcher for your buddies I think the problem will just be transferred to less regulated places such as house padies and off-campus. More people will be having parties and other problems will then arise. people will drink regardless People WHo wish to drink will drink anyway, What these laws do is push people into buying their own alcohol and drinking at home or at friends homes wish increases the amount that they consume. Again, the students will have to spend more money and probably will be less likely to drink as much. people will just go to parties Specials do not promote binge drinking-lack of knowledge and peer pressure do. Contrary to oe of the councilmaWs belief a drink special is not like a buffet where people will overserve themselves. College students are not like fish who over eat themselves to death. People can judge how much they have had but some choose not to act on it. It will only increase house and apt. gatherings and they are much more dangerous. most students don't have much money to begin with- they won't want to spend more See above, The national law of having the drinking age at 21 has not stoppped or decreased any drinking, I don't think any Iowa City law will stop/decrease it. STudents will just consume more alcohol before going to the bars. I would think most problem drinkers would not be swayed to not drink simply because they would spend ten dollars (or whatever the amount) more when they go out. because the drinking scene will just turn from the bars to house parlies where police have even less of a chance of controlling excessive drinking the price of a drink has no factor what so ever on how much i drink. if the cost of drinking at the bar becomes to pricey i think that you will find that most u of i students are smart enough to pro-game before the head downtown so that they can achieve the level of intoxication that they desire w/out having to pay the high prices associated w/dowtown Alcohol is an inelastic good for college students. People will just spend more of their tuition money, no matter what the price. People who pay outrageous cover to get into bars now will be able to afford expensive drinks. The same people will be going to the bars and drinking the same amount. This may increase the number of parties in apartments and in houses rented by college students. Students will still buy alcohol....what make the city think that more expensive drinks will curb drinking? It will just take more out of already tight student budgets Underage students will stop going to bars and go to house parties. These parties are in an uncontrolled atmosphere which can be very dangerous to students. At least in a bar there is some difficulty in buying a drink if you are underage, at a party no one cares. Also, a law such as this would only decrease the amount of revenue going into the Iowa City community, instead of the bars making money it will be John Doe at his house party earning the cash. If a bar would charge $5 for a drink, students would rather go to a party where $5 at the door would mean all the alcohol they could drink. If a minimum price were established in Iowa City, it MUST be a standard at all bars in this community, not just bars which college students frequent, which I cannot see iowa City residents being too happy about. that will just be making the bars more of a money making business It seems that most students who are out to drink will do so by virtually any means- so they will accumulate the money somehow'p People will do so even more privately where there are fewer controls It might. If beer were free, you might be more likely to drink it because there is little imminent cost. Personally, it wouldn't change my behavior, but I know a lot of people would drink more if it costs less. If students want to drink, they will. They will be more likely to drink before going to the bars so they won't need to buy as many drinks. It may limit the amount. I know that for myself I like to hit the bars with the good specials. As far as it limiting underage, if they are going to drink, they will find a way to do it. People will still spend the money they will just put more money into the hands of bar owners. People will just drink more before going out to the bars. Students wiJI probably pay whatever they have to, or start having house parties where alcohol will be cheaper or students will bring their own. Same as above. Might help a little because people can't afford to buy as much alcohol, but there will still be a problem. Students will drink regardless what happens in the bars, if they limit the availbility of obtaining alcohol in the bar, the will just go to a house party. Again, eveNone is 21 or knows someone who is. This will not stop people from drinking alcohol. The only way to prevent people from drinking, is starting young. For example, keeping and reinstating the DARE program in elementary schools. Those who want to drink will find the money and oppertunity to drink. NO, this just means that we will have to pay more to drink. And people who want to get drunk, will still get drunk, but now they won't take a cab home because they can't afford it, now they will drive home. People will not go to the bars if the drinks are too expensive, instead thay will go to parties and drink even more because they don't have to pay to refill their cup. If someone wants to drink, they will be able to do it. Whether at a bar or a friends house. People are gonna pay whatever price they have to. Students here who want to drink will regardless of financial incentives. People will go other places to consume alcohol. Underage people who want alcohol will pay any price. Once again, most students that are going out to the bars frequently won't care if the price goes up. They're still still going to get the drinks and have a good time. people that go out on nights that there are no specials, or to bars that don't have specials drink just as much as when they are at bars with specials. They just have to pay more. cheap prices encourage more drinking, especially for students who often have a limited budget to spend. It is ridiculous to not allow young adults of legal age to buy drinks for each other. Specials save students money. It should help decrease binge drinking, because it removes the incentive to drink as much as possible for as little as possible. But it won't help the underage drinking issue. when you are under age, it dosen't matter what the cost is. it just makes it so you can't afford other stuff but you still drink The higher prices may cause people to buy one or two less drinks, but they will still be drinking obsene amounts of alcohol. I don't know to what extent, but I think that the number of drinks a person purchases at a bar will decrease if there aren't certain drinking specials, Everyone knows that a good portion of college students are poor, so they won't have the money to buy a ton of drinks at the bar. No, then you will just be giving the bars more revenue to advertise even more to the students while making students angry and drunk instead of just drunk! People have too much purchasing power First of all, I oppose this because it's a violation of free entreprise. Secondly, this will lead to more alcohol being purchased at grocery stores and less in bars. If specials were limited then you're ruining everything for those who are of age. Nearly every freshman and sophomore has older friends who are willing to buy their equally intelligent, experienced friends the same thing they are buying for themselves: alcohol. The major problem with binge drinking in Iowa City has little to do with the age limit. There is a serious lack of alternative activities for college students, pa~icularly those freshman and sophomores who live on campus and do not own vehicles. Equally non-existent are adequate and effective treatment programs for alcohol abusers. Criminalizing alcohol consumption for one person aged six months younger than his friend does NOTHING to stop that 20 year old from going out to the bars next weekend. The system in place for punishing and "rehabilitating" alohohol abusers is illogical, and that is why it simply doesn't work. Same reason as above it will not solve the problem of underage drinking. Same reason as above. If you want to help the underage drinkers, trying to stop them won't help, Educate them on drinking safely. People will throw more parties or binge drink at home then go to the bars resulting in probably a larger drinking problem and the lost tax revenue generated by Iowa City will be forced to come out of my pocket so leave the scene alone. Even if the the city gets rid of price specials on alcohol at the bars, people will find ways around it. For example, they can get drunk at their homes then drive to the bars, which increases drunk driving. The best way to stop underage drinking is no way at all, I think that the Council should worry more about the reasons behind people binge drinking and less about price specials. Raising drink prices will only cause people to may more to get drunk, it will not stop people from participating in drinking. Students will always find a way to drink when other activities are not available to participate in. Unless the price was set really high, students will still pay that extra premimum to enjoy, what for some is a legal activity. The only people who won't want to pay more will be 21 year olds and up. cheap drinks encourage irresponsible drinking If the bars get really expensive, people will start buying beer at the convience store and get drunk before the bar. and some people here have a lot of money so that does really matter Same as the last answer. All this mandate is going to succeed in doing is making students drink more before or after they are at the bar, or spend more money. Everyone will still be just as drunk, beleive me. People are going to drink if they want. No, if students want to drink then they will no matter if it's cheaper to just pick up a twelve pack or go to the bars. see above response i know that i personally would not be affected by such actions. as stated before, it would be even easier to drink in private residences and those places do not have the control or safety that can be enforced in a bar scene Kids in Iowa City are going to drink, getting rid of greek parties put a financial strain on the student (55 at a frat party or 505 downtown on a given night)and getting rid of drink specials will just make the student pay more, he or she will still drink, dont kid yourself Price specials do not have a material effect on the amount of alchohol students consume. Also, if the prices at bars for drinks are too high, people will just find cheap booze and drink before they go downtown. People will always find inexpensive ways to obtain liquor, They may consume alcohol before they reach the bars and still drink at bars but spend less money because they have already been drinking at home. People are goin9 to drink as much as they want no matter how the city tries to delegate it. The city has no right to decide how many drinks i can buy when i go up to the bar. A person of legal drinking age has the right to go up to the bar and buy as many drinks he/she chooses. The businesses will either re-word the specials or increase the volume per dollar More people will just find it more cost effective to go drink in the dorms or at peoples houses People will just drink at home if it gets too expensive to drink at the bars. students will pay the price no matter the cost All this will do is effect those of us who enjoy happy hour b/c of the low prices, people will drink no matter what the cost, for them it is the "cool" thing to do Only the limit on drinks bought would help decrease underage drinking. Even that can be avoided, and is hard to enforce. Again price really doesn't make a huge difference When you are out drinking money is no object. Kids do stupid things and making it more expensive is only going to make it a bigger profit for the bar owners. Speacals should be kept in place. The only was to curb underage drinking in a bar setting is to card everytime someone purchases alcohol. Student will find other places to drink, most students that go drinking can do so because they have plenty of money, adiusting prices will make the bars more money.... who actually asks how much drinks cost?!? If people want to drink to much money will not be an issue. no, we wil~ drink even if it is expensive but, which will suck, but drinking specials do not influence my decision to drink either way. Underage drinkers don't care how much they spend at the bars. That's what student loans are for. All that does is punish the bar owners. If people want to get alcohol then they will get it, at any price. Mostly no-people will then probably resort to house parties and there could be a lot more drunk driving. Those who choose to drink, will drink either way. I don't seem to think that people are all that dangerous, but by limiting specials, students will search for other forms of cheaper alcohol. For example, house parties where generally a person pays five dollars for a cup and as much beer as they can drink. Those pa~ies are far more dangerous than any bar that I have ever been in. although drink specials may draw an extra crowd to a certain bar- it is hardly the reason for dangerous or underage drinking. It's like shopping- people are attracted to sales, but if there are none- they will still go to the mall, they will help only to a certain extent. but again people should be made more aware of the problems associated with drinking. It will just make people angry that they have to pay more for drinks, so a possiblity is that students will "pre-party" more, and then go to the bars c~runk or much closer to being so I do believe that many students drink more because it is cheaper at cer~ian times, however it will not in any way prevent underaged drinking. If anything, it will increase the dangerous ~evel of drinking. By drinking in a public place, students are in a safer environment then drinking out in the country, at an apartment party, in some bizarre location. Further, what will really happen is peopel will iust binge drink before going out to the bars. Again, kids are going to do it, no matter what the cost. house parties will increase drastically and it will cause more vandalism due to house parties in residential areas Students want to drink, they will do it whether the specials go or stay. If they can't drink at the bars, they will just get their alcohol other places All that will do is make more money for the bars because kids are going to drink whether it costs 1 dollar for a drink or $4 it will make it more dangerous, females are safer drinking in public then at private parties. a reletivily localized area of consumption lowers the potential for drunk driving It is unfair to those who are 21 and the underage people will find a way to get the drinks no matter what price they are. Most college students are broke and if they don't have a bar to frequent with a bunch of "specials" the less likely they are going to go there in the first place. If person wants to drink to excess, the cost will not influence them or stop them from doing so. People right now for the most part consume enough alcohol before going to the bar so they do not have to waste their money there. Minimum price will just increase the outside of bar consumption. as individuals who like to drink, us college students will drink when ever and however much we want to to. Limiting drink specials and making it more expensive will not lower the amount of alcohol consumed. rather it will our social lives more expensive and make more money for the bar owners. This is will also encourage more house parties. As we al know, going down town to a some what contolled situation in bars is a lot safer then walking all over town to find random house parties where there are no regulations and no safety percausions. If the students want to get drunk, they are willing to pay more money for drinks if they have to. Setting minimum prices for drinks might discourage some from drinking so much, but the majority of students will pay the higher price or buy alcohol from somewhere else other than the bar. I think that when you are underage, you would pay almost anything to get alcohol. It is all about getting the alcohol, not how cheap you can get it. Being at a legal drinking age, I will be discouraged from going to the bars because I won't be able to afford to buy any drinks. I feel that limiting specials or setting minimum prices for drinks again will hur~ more the legal/responsible patrons of bars, many of whom are college students, and like myself dont have unlimited sources of money. People who are out to get wasted and act stupid will do so no matter how much it costs, those just looking for a good social activity already have to pay cover charges and now may have to pay even more for an evening out with friends on the town. Money is less of a problem than jail time or fines. Two dollars will not make someone who wants to drink decide not to. If people want to get "wasted" they will. Laws aren't going to change that. That's the problem here. The Iowa City council feels that laws are the answer. The way to fix a social problem stads with the individual not with laws. because drink specials don't affect students' decision to achieve their desired level of intoxication. If someone plans to get drunk, they will get drunk, special or no special. People who are going to drink irresponsibly are going to do so whether it is illegal or not. Perhaps initially, but what needs to happen is that underage people need to NOT get in to the bars. Drinking is legal and those of us above the age limit shouldn't be punished for the irresponsibility of others. It will force students to drink in private areas, which is considerably more dangerous than an underage drinker possibly having access to alcohol at a public venue. Also, bars often control the amount of alcohol a certain person has, and in attempting to "control the control", many people will drink in more secluded, un-controlled areas. if you want to drink you will The bars are a much more controlled environment to drink in, and if the bars are off limits to a majority of students, they won't quit drinking, rather drink at house parties, which are much more unsafe and prone to sexual assaults and fights, rather than having bouncers and police officers to keep order and safety. No, this is the most asinine idea they could have come up with. Essentially, it punishes everyone over 21 with higher prices and will eventually affect the income of the bars when less people go out and go to house parties instead. 1. Students will still be able to drink at home / parties / other unsupervised places. 2. Minimum prices just penalize everyone's wallet without doing anything. Either way people will drink reguardless. i feel that people are going to drink no matter what the special. If people want to get drunk, whether they are of- or under-age, then that is what they are going to do. A limiting of price specials or a minimum price of drinks will not decrease this in any way. people can buy alcohol in the grocery stores and in gas stations. It is just as cheap, if not much cheaper to do that anyway. Probably somewhat, but people will find a way to get alcohol if they wish. People come to college to drink. That is a social desire that is ingrained in students long before they come to Iowa City. First of all, there is nothing wrong with it other than the baseless claims outlined by the parternalistic administration and city council. Secondly, kids are going to drink while in college somewhere. You can either have them do it in bars or at houseparties and in the dorms. By the way the dotins, frats, and sororities are DRY only in theory, not in practice. Is the so called "drinking problem" better now than it was when the drinking age was 197 If it is "out of control" now as so many like to say, then making it harder to drink at the age of 19 certainly has not been effective in the past so why would making it even harder now be effective? There is no BASIS for the council's proposed plan. The alcohol will be available by other means, such as liquor sales. same reason as above. while price specials do promote drinking, i believe that most of the people will drink regardless of price specials, A binge drinker is a binge drinker. Students will continue to drink, and will pay almost any price to continue consuming alcohol in local bars. Some students will stop going to bars and instead will drink alcohol in private homes where it will be even more difficult to combat underage drinking. All it will do is drive the beer to house parties. At least in a bar the staff can somewhat monitor their patrons. People are still going to drink, Regardless of whether you limit specials or set a minimum price, you are just causing students to spend their financial aid a little less responsibly. People who want to get drunk will spend the money to do it, no matter how much it is. Regulating prices will just hurt the bar owners and take money away from downtown Iowa City. We have a fun and unique downtown area and I would hate to see it ruined just because a group of people think that the students are harming themselves by consuming alcohol. Students will pay whatever price they have to if they really want to drink. No because then people will just start throwing tons of house parties and that presents more problems. 1) the panic is widespread. Whenthe bars get out everyone is right there in the Ped Mall, The cops could totally go to town with tickets if they wanted to. With house parties they have to find them first and then there is more of a chance for drunk driving. 2) Bars are in a sense controlled atmospheres. There are bartenders to cut people off and bouncers to kick people out. At house parties its drink all you can and as long as you don't break anything most people don't care if there is a fight. Bars are actuallyhelping a little. Either that or all the people living in dorms would drink there. And that would casue a lot of people to get ina lot of trouble. From RA's to student's. Nothing that you do is going to stop it. House parties will begin to thrive and then the residents of Iowa City will begin to be irritated. College studetns will still drink alchol no matter the price or the location, the Council shoul difguro that out I think it is ridiculous to limit price specials and/or set a minimum price; these actions will only burden those of age who already struggle with larger financial needs and enjoy only a few drinks a week, Students will drink more at a par~y due to a one time fee for alcohol. Instead of paying 2 buck for each drink, they can pay 2-5 bucks and getting totally sloppy and have no control. The bars, whether or not there are specials, are still much more expensive and limiting than if they were unavailable to minors, If kids want to drink, they will find a way. If you're just concerned with drinking at the bars then yes, But students will always find alternatives to drink such as drinking more/pre partying before they go out or just have 'house parties'. College students are poor...simple as that. Making alcohol more expensive means that they can't drink as much of it. Although I strongly disagree with drinking as a practice in general, I dont believe that the ICC's actions will decrease the level of dangerous drinking. That is not to say that underage drinking should be condoned,it just will not be stopped through the actions the ICC took. Most students I know that drink would be able to regardless of higher prices and drink limits. They are not short on available money. Students will find other ways to get alcohol. Limiting pdce specials or setting prices for drinks is not going to help because it could possibly make those students who are 21 not frequent the bars as often and sales would decrease possibly putting them out of business in the long run. People will still find other places to drink illegally. Also, limiting price specials and/or setting a minimum price for drinks 'punishes' legal age drinkers and should not be put into effect. If the prices are raised in the bars, then people will just get more drunk before they go to the bars, that way they won't have to drink as much once they're in the bars. Because there is VERY little to do in this town late at night other than the bars! Provide something else FUN, especially within walking distance for students to do late at night and on weekends. it will be much more expensive to drink 1 ) Because students will just a)spend more or b)drink something cheaper. 2) Because it is unconstitutional and will be voided soon after enacted. cost doesn't matter if you really want it If a person wants a drink they will buy it regardless of the price. It will not limit underage drinking but it will limit binge drinking because it costs too much money without the specials to get really drunk. NO, because for me personally, price is not the issue. People will drink regardless. The threat of a fine doesn't stop them. Such actions would punish responsible and irresponsible drinkers alike. People are basically willing to spend money to drink. Specials are just seen as an added bonus. When it comes down to it, people will still drink the same. Its a very good idea. Sometimes I think bars don't care about how much a person drinks, but rather how much money they make and more drinks equalIs more money. Its Sad. Students will drink how much they want to drink, regardless of cost. People will go to padies and buy kegs which will increase overall consumption No. More off campus parties wilt occur. I think that dangerous drinking behavior occurs most in the dorms or at house padies where students don't have to worry about running out of money, having to walk home, or running into Public Safety. Price setting at the bars will only punish students who are choosing a safe atmosphere to consume alcohol. people will drink no matter the cost. They will either stay downtown if the prices remain the same, or they will find parties causing themselves and others danger. It is cheaper for most students to drink before the bars on their own than pay bar prices. So, I feel that setting a price floor would not stop students from purchasing alcohol at the bars, because most students do not buy more than a drink or two at the actual bar. Usually on Friday and Saturday nights there are no deals and that is when most people are the most drunk, Usually deals are given during the week and that is when I drink the less and maybe will go out for only 1 or 2 drinks just because they are cheap. Students will find a way to drink regardless of what the Iowa City Council decides to do. Just cost more money to do anything in an already high priced town. Its just going to move the partying out of bars and to off-campus houses, angering residents. Students are cheap! People will drink more beffore they go out Once again, house parties still will exist and they'll now be cheaper. If students want to drink, they are going to any way. If not at the bars, then at houses, at apartments, at dorms. i don't care how much it costs, it is all about being young and having fun. This may decrease the amount of BAR sales, but the students (believe it or not) are not dumb. They'll just drink more before they go to the bars. In the end, they get just as much alcohol. It's just like raising cigarette prices won't keep underage teenagers from smoking, they just deal with it. This idea is a desperate attempt by City Council to control something they can never, and will never control. The problem is not the cost or number of sales of alcohol. The problem lies in the hands of those would choose to abuse the privilge of going downtown and enjoying time with friends. This includes both underage drinkers and those 21 and over because if someone wants to it is easy to get drinks. More house parties will begin. At the bars students are also somewhat watched unlike at house parties. Enacting these laws will make students argery and they will want to start to drink more just to rebel. I know myself personally and my friends will pay extremely high rates for drinks. When we're in the mood to drink, a few extra dollars is not going to make a difference to stop us. If students want to drink they will find the money. If people want it they will pay whatever they want to get it. you shouldnt take privlages away from people who are 21 just because of underage drinking. Minors will drink no matter what laws are in place, nothing will stop that. Its just a fact of college no, for the same reason above. Dangerous drinking practices will just move further off campus and away from the ped mall. Problem drinkers will not balk at spending an extra $10-20. Also, not everyone buys their own drinks. Other specials are still allowed, and will continue to be used effectively If somebody wants to drink an obscene amount of alcohol, they will do it regardless of sanctions. And your typical underage student will still find ways to drink, whether it be through house parties, or having people of age buy for them. it just means that when people drink they will have to pay more money that could be used somewhere else For people who drink alcohol has no price too high. People just pay for it anyway and it will cause many more studnet loans to not be paid off. Money is not much of an object when alcohol s involved. They will simply piss off students, bar owners, and citizens who object to illegal goverment control over businesses. The amount of money college students have to pay for alcoholic drinks definitely influences the amount of alcoholic beverages they will drink or whether they will go to the bars at all, It will help lower it, but again, students will find ways of obtaining the alcohol. Usually, when people are going out with the sole purpose of getting drunk, they will take a large amount of money with them anyway. The city would not be able to set a minimum price for things such as shoes at a shopping mall, it is left up to the store to decide how much they want to charge, just the same as it should be up to the bar owners to decide how much they want to charge for drinks. Has raising the price of cigarettes cut down on smoking? Absolutely not. People will pay to get what they want. This under minds the freedom of trade for businesses and is unconstitutional. everyone will go to parties No, and maybe. The effects exactly are hard to predict but those you regularly drink "dangerously" will continue to do so. VVny make the bars a hard time for those you enjoy a drink once in a while. And for those who go to local bars for shows to be hastled constantly by police and high prices. You can always get a drink If someine is planning on drinking, they will. People wil~ just drink in there dorm rooms or at house parties, also, it will just mean that alcohol costs more, which will just mean more revenue for the bars Patrons will consume the alcohol in equal quanities regardless of the price, also underage drinking will not be affected because older students can always buy for them. It'll just increase the amount of house parties because it'll be cheaper to buy the alcohol at grocery stores. people will just find another way to drink As far as I know, the majority of students at Iowa are pretty "well off." Meaning they can afford alcohol. On top ofthat, when you take away the bar scene and take away that more controlled atmosphere (it is pretty controlled with the policed there) then you allow the house party scene to increase. House parties can have more drug use and there is less chance for a police bust. Drugs or alcohol? Which is worse? People will continue to get alcohol, legal or not, no matter what. I believe that drink specials probably increase the amount an individual drinks on a given night. On the other hand, I believe that alcohol consumption in bars is generally more regulated (there are more "authorities," like bouncers, around, who can check IDs, diffuse confrontations, and possibly even refuse to sell to an intoxicated customer) than drinking at a private party. I do not support the idea of "minimum pricing," on the grounds that it seems a little too regulatory. Any move to limit ddnking in bars may well have the effect of increasing the amount of off-campus, private parties. This was the pattern at Iowa State. Alcohol purchased for private parties is always cheaper than alcohol in a bar, even with drink specials. I believe the City Council should be careful not to overly restrict access to bars. The drinking will continue off-campus in private residences. The Iowa State campus and Ames are more decentralized, and bars limited access (1988-1992 timeframe) to 21 and over, which led to the very common practice of off-campus private parties, with the problems of noise in residential areas and completely unregulated drinking (short of the police breaking up the party). Money is not an issue when most students drink. Even if they don't go to the bar it is cheap to go to parties where it is easier to get drunk. If people do not rely on the bars as their source of entertainment they will go elsewhere that is cheaper. People will go to house parties where they can get an almost unlimited amount of alcohol for $5. A lot of people do not go to the bars to get drunk. they go there to be with their friends and have a good time. The only other option for students are private parties. People are more ept to drinking more dangerously at these places than in the bars where someone (bartenders, security) will look out for their safety. Like I said earlier, it won't matter how much you wantt o charge for the drink, the underage person will still want it and pay any price for it. I have been bribed by underagers to purchase alcohol for them, they have offered me $20 to buy them a 12 pack and I could keep the rest. If they want to drink they will, same as sex, drugs, and smoking. This could have some effect on the amount of alcohol consumed simply because kids will not boahie to afford to drink. But it also raises the question of fairness to the bar and once again the harder it is to drink in the bar the more kids will drink a home with little or no supervision. That is too simple of a solution to make a large difference. I don't think that limiting specials will make a large impact. People will still shell out the extra money to buy alcohol, Has increasing the price of cigarettes led to a reduction in smoking? If anything it will encourage hinge drinking. I, being over 21, will just drink more before 9oing to the bars so I won't have to pay as much. However, the economic consequence on students will be severe. All the drink special do is make the choice easy for the students as to which bar they will go to for that night. Of course everyone wants to save money, but it is not as if there were no drink specials people would choose not to drink. People will still pay for the alcohol.... it won't matter to that many people if they don't have specials. See answer above. There are people who like to drink and people who do not, They will separate themselves naturally. Alcohol consumption and abuse has been a problem throughout all of time. No legislation in our contemporary society is going to change that. People don't care because the majority of students here get their money from their parents. I have a set amount that I spend when going out-raise prices and I can't buy as many drinks. The only way to decrease underage drinking will be to raise the age of bar entry to 21. Fewer students will have access to alcohol and engage in alternative activities. anyone can get alcohol. you do not have to be 21. People will drink more before they go to the bars in order to save money. Very little, probably not a noticable difference, though. Because drinking is a part of college whether you want to admit it or not. The laws that may be passed might decrease sales in the bars but it won't stop students from getting it from other places... and they will get it from other places. If people want to drink to excess, they will. Cheap beer might attract them, but if the masses want to get drunk, they're going to get drunk even if they have to pay an extra dollar a pint. because things like dollar shots and whatnots encourage people to drink more, and get drunk faster and earlier in the evening so that by closing time they are completely wasted. most young people don't know that if they are drunk by seven pro, that means stop drinking; instead they think that they have more time to keep drinking. They will just buy it elsewhere. Kids are going to drink whether there are specials or not. At the previous institution I was at, all the bars were 21, it just made the kids drink in their rooms or somewhere else Again, if underage kids can get in, they'll still drink. Enacting more laws won't stop it; more laws will simply hamper those who are at non-student oriented bars legally. There is such a taboo on alcohol that students are going to experiment. If the drinking age were lowered (or done away with), and parents were willing allow their children to learn to drink responsibly (ala in countries such as France), that would help with later drinking problems more than anything. But enacting more laws making alcohol harder to come by simply makes it more desirable to kids at an age looking to rebel and distance themselves from their parents and childhood. People, not me, are already paying $5-10 just to get in the door. Do you really think that raising prices is going to affect how much they drink? They'll just go to the bars one night a week instead of 3, but spend 3 times as much on that one night. Raising prices is just another way to shake the money right out of the students pockets into the bars and the town in general. Students are not some golden goose, flown in from Chicago or Madison here to finance a town with very little industry except for the college. People will find someone to buy them alcohol at a store. bars will just change the way they word or sell beverages, instead of two for one, they will just make drinks bigger. Like i said before if you want it, you will get it. Due to limited budgets, college students may choose to consume less, but this will not likely lead to an elimination of drinking. all that does is make it more expensive to drink I think it could cut back since most students are poor. beer will always be $3.99 a 6-pack, and there will always be someone willing to buy. This might defer sales from the bars, but net alcohol consumption will be unaffected. No, it will only Cause students to drink harder liquor in order to get drunk within their budget. It will also be unfair to the patrons of bars that are not included in this concerned group. It is stupid parents that are giving the money to their kids and not knowing what the money is going towards, All the students will do is ask for more money from their parents. I don't think it really matters what the price is, if they want to drink they are going to do it. Students always find money to drink. The last thing we want is students working more and studying less jn order to fund their binge nights. You are just going to put students more into debt and they will just find cheaper ways, such as drinking at home, and this only hurts the waiters and waitresses and bartenders. There are many students at the university, both those of age and those underage do not pay for tuition, rent, etc. themselves. If they are getting their money from their parents, they will not care how much a ddnnk costs. Because an increase in how much it costs to drink in bars would cause an overall decrease of bar attendance, same as above: Bars often act as a controlling source of alcohol. The fact that students are paying for each individual drink and the amount of alcohol per drink is monitored, dramatically reduces the chance of a student drinking too much too quickly and dying or getting alcohol poisoning. I believe that bar owners have the right to set their own prices and that it is up to the consumer to choose to drink responsibly. You can't blame the cost of alcohol for a person's irresponsibility, you can only blame the person for their actions. Perhaps in the actual bar because people aren't stupid._they'll just have to booze longer and in more quantites BEFORE hand. Most people do not drink because of drink specials, it might play a part in where they drink but they will still go out even if there isn't any drink specials It will just make the bar owners richer than they already are by making the kids pay more for what they are going to consume in one night anyway. If prices are higher or specials are decreased then students will drink more before going out and nothing will change, if not get worse. If people want to drink they will, price isn't that big of a concern for a lot of people. people will drink more and more before they go to the bars, and wont buy drinks, if they are that expensive, which will hurt downtown businesses. Because the Iowa City Council is comprised of old farts who feel that since they are too old to have fun, why should the young college students be allowed to. The bars are a great place to meet people and hang out, even if the prices are raised or specials aren't advertised, students will still go there and buy drinks. If students want to drink badly enough, they are pretty much going to buy drinks anyway despite cost increases. No because bar tenders usually charge whatever price they want to anyway. If you know the bartender you'll get cheap drinks whether there is supposed to be a set price or not. It will only make kids broke, they will buy the drinks no matter what the cost to them is. It will also promote house parties which is even more un controlled. Parties are more dangerous and will clearly become the alternative to bars. they will find other ways to get it like before they go and it will just hurt the bars more these laws will only violate the rights of those over 21 years of age, Again, see my answer above. I believe that setting price requirements/laws will only encourage people (underage and those of legal age) to attend house parties, which typically are conducive to excessive alcohol consumption. As stated before students will find other places to consume alcohol. In many cases students will find places that are not supervised by sober people, as bars are. Far from it: it is easier to get more intoxicated at a house party: kegs and $5 dollare all you can drink. The city is trying to stop fiat rates for all you can drink, well they are all around us at keggem! They are only a few blocks away. It will just force people to spend more money on drinks. I feel that this is not right. The university should not have the power to tell a privately owned business what they can and cannot do. It might decrease dangerous drinking levels because people will have less of a reason to drink dangerously if some certain special is not so cheap - people won't be starting out the night wiht the mindset of "1 can drink a lot tonight b/c it is only x amount of dollars." But it won't decrease underage drinking. People go to the bars whether or not there are price specials. For example, 21 pitchers for $21 on someone's 21st birthday is a nice special, but if the bidhday girl/guy has a bunch of friends taking him/her out for her birthday, they will all chip in so they can binge drink, even if there aren't specials. Limiting specials won't limit binge drinking. cause just drink before going to the bar and more people driving drunk ALthough I drink on rare occasions only, every student I know, literoily, primarily works over the summer to save money in order to spen that income on going out (to the bars or parties) the next school year. People will drink as much as they ever did...they'll just spend more money. if a person is focused on getting drunk they will. If that means drinking more before they go out, then that's what they will do. People will just buy more beer prior to going to the bar. Plus people will continue to buy beer no matter what the price is. First, what specials? AIchol prices at the bars here are outrageous already!! Second, if drinks at bars get more expensive, students will just go to parties more frequently. At a party you can spend 55 for all the beer you want, and thus are more likely to binge drink. I know that the few times I have gotten very drunk it was at a party, and not at the bar. Most people I know who drink dangerously do so in a palce outside the bars. Students have connections to cheaper alcohol through friends over age 21 who will go and buy it for them at the grocery store. These "connections" are far more dangerous than the bars. If it gets too expensive, people will find other ways to help balance out the cost, by drinking before they go out, perhaps. The bars will lose revenue, but at least the city council will feel good about themselves. Prices have no bearing on why people drink. If students want to drink they will pay the prices regardless of the circumstances. By limiting prices or anything of that sor~ will just cause more house parties and such, which in turn will cause a greater overall risk for students involved. This is because at a house party there are absolutely no limitations on how much you can drink. This is a dangerous consequence because this type of activity is how people die of alcohol poisioning because of irresponsible drinking. The issue of rape becomes a greater possibility as well. When someone could slip a date rape drug in a woman's drink and then carry/escort her to a single room in a given house is a horrible thought, but these things happen and they are in fact reality in some cases. By setting drinking prices or trying to control how bars regulate the sale of alcohol could cause serious and dangerous consequences for every party involved. Two-for-one or all-you-can-drink specials encourage over-drinking if a person wants to drink they are going to drink, no matter want the price of the drink is. besides that most people go to the bars already drunk ie~ they did it at home the bars are just places to keep that high maintained I think it will just encourage students to go to more house parties-parties that are unsupervised and where "getting drunk" is the main attraction. Most people's parents pay for the colleger's life anyway. The parents would be more upset having to pay more for their child's college life. because college students are often rather strapped financially For much the same reason as the previous question and I don't think it's fair to punish the ones that drink responsibly but don't want to spend a lot. Most people, if they really want to drink, will do so regardless of the price. Students will be less anxious to spend money and will chose to get drunk elsewhere. I don't feel responsible legal drinkers should be punished for problems caused by underage drinkers. If you look at the amount of drinking that goes on you will notice that price is not an issue. These students are using loan money and credit cards, even their parents money to get alcohol. Limiting specials is not going to do much. Money is clearly not an obstacle, I think this will end up punishing all people who drink; not just those who do so irresponsibly. Again, anyone who really wants to drink, underage or not, will find a way. i think the danger will still be the same, ,,it just won't be chaperoned by bouncers Students do not have a lot of money so having the drinks be more expensive may help them at least drink less at a time or less often. For the same reason I stated above. Students will pay either way and unfair consequences will be brought upon those of legal age, Now it will just become a more expensive addiction. By making drinking excessively more expensive, I think we can decrease the amount of alcohol Consumed on campus. If students stop drinking at bars, they will move to house parties off campus. This will create even more dangerous situations with less supervision. There is no closing time at parties and no bouncers to break up fights, etc. People are going to drink no matter what. Thats why places that have no specials still stay in business. You can control when people drink. It wouldnt be such and issue of the council would stop making it one If you're going to drink, you're going to drink Kids aren't going to stop drinking...they will just find alternative ways to do so,.. Driving to another city for example. students will find a way to get alcohol no matter what happens. Most students have friends that are 21 people will still drink just as much, but it will be harder on them money-wise. They will still do it. people only bring so much to the bar with them a night. If a 3 dollar drink goes up to 5 dollors, people will not have enough money to drink that much, Students don't always care how much a drink costs-the Union charges $4 a drink and it's one of the hottest bars. Once again, people will drink somewhere else. They will travel to other bars in other towns. You are only asking for more problems by doing this. More house parties, more drugs, more vandalism, more sex, more rapes, more everything ....... Prices have nothing to do with it, People will just be drinking more at home. Students will consume alcohol at home with friends if they want a cheap drink. People will still find ways to drink. It won't have much of an effect except upsetting those who do drink responsibly and drink in moderation but don't deserve to pay excessive prices, STUDENTS ARE WILLING TO PAY ANY PRICE FOR A DRtNK The behavior will no longer be at the bar but instead out in the public and also private residences I don't know where the Iowa City Council gets off in t~ying to "play parent" to all the supposedly alcoholic students in Iowa City. I guess we aren't adult enough to make our own decisions,...so we can't really be responsible for our actions, right? I am disgusted that this topic has wasted so much time with the Iowa City Council, but I'm sure it's far from over. Students will just get drunk at their own places instead of the bars. There are many ways around laws such as these, If people are willing to pay as much as drinks cost now (which isn't reasonable) they'll pay for them if they cost even more People will simply start having parties,,.and then people will start driving to the parties...and then people will die from Drunk Driving! They'll still buy it anyway I think it will becasue they can limit the amount of alcohol you can purchase. people will just drink before they go out and more house parties will happen If the bars are too expensive then the students are going to buy their own alcohol, and drink before they go to the bar, People will find alternative ways to drink. I don't think price constitutes the choice of whether to drink or not, it just constitutes the choice of what to drink. NO! I think by pushing drinking out of bars it will increase the amount of dangerous drinking behavior because students will still find ways to drink and will probably have to travel farther to get alcohol since they can't get it at the bars. They will walk to places or drive which will cause more drunken driving and cause more intoxicated people to have to walk home late at night which can be very dangerous when you are out of sorts. Drinkers will simply have less money to buy books. This is a place of higher learning and although not the Tipple college of business that doesn't sound like fair business practice if you mandate prices, Students will purchase more potent drinks to achelye desired results of previous weaker drinks. People like to get drunk before they go so it doesn't cost as much. It wouldnt' do anything. It may stop the social drinker, but not someone who wants to get totally trashed. This is an unfair law, it is not fair to those who are legal for one and really it is a establishments choice on what specials to have. People will drink with drink specials or not. Drink specials are like a night at Old Country Buffet, you just can't stop. It's a matter of economics, if you drink more, the cost per drink goes down. So it is to the students' advantage to drink as much as possible. Enough said. No, all this will prevent open market competition and should not be regulated. The price doesn't matter to college students. Limiting bars will just make more people drink in the dorms. Of course, if you place laws that limit drinking, u would hope that it would decrease the level of dangerous drinking behavior, otherwise why would a law like that be implemented? The dangerous drinking will be most likely occur prior to 'going out'. I would drink more before I went downtown so I would not spend as much money. I imagine house parties would become more popular with the underage crowd if things were really tough downtown. People will still buy alcohol at any price. The bar scene IS the social aspect of college. Take that away and the amount of people that would want to attend this school will decline. possibly...I feel a large reason students are drawn to bars during the week are te direct result of wel~ known drink specials. However, there js still the question of whether or not "~egal" students should be punished. The price isn't why people drink. If people want to shell out more for alcohol, then they will. It's plain and simple. As I said before, people who want to engage in this sort of activity will find a way. It doesn't matter the venue, it will happen. If students want to drink, they will. Most of the time, the price doesn't really matter to them. No, students will just get more intoxicated before going to the bars. Also, getting rid of drink specials will only make more students poor, not less likely to "binge" drink It will drive students to drink at private parties which is more dangerous because it is not monitored. People will still spend their money and still get drunk be it at the bar or at home. Limiting a bussiness's sales and specials is unconstitutional and is what occurs in a socialist society. We are still a capitalist society, right? people may not drink as much, but if someone wants to get drunk or drink underage, they are still going to do it Money is no object to many drinkers-drinks are already expensive enough and that doesn't seem to bother underagers. People will just pre-party more and drink in their homes before going downtown, If people want to drink, they will degardless of drink specials etc. I don't believe it is even in the jurisdiction of the City COuncil to have any type of regulation over that. The more they force the bars to raise their prices, the more the students will drink elsewhere before going to the bar. The fact of the matter remains that a large majority of students do not frequent the bars because of the high cost of drinnking out and instead attend house and apartment parties. If undersage drinking is allowed, it will be abused. Students will pay the prices as long as the drinks are still available... Students are going to drink no matter what. If kids want to drink kids will drink. I know of people who are completely willing to drop $3000 a semester on going out and drinking. While such ordinances might make a difference for some, for others who have made it their priority to get drunk, we'll have to accept their decision and make the best of it. Money is not a factor for so many of the students that you are targeting. Their parents give them money, or they earn it at a job. It is the decision or sacrifice that these people will make. They will drink on weekends and eat crackers and Ramen noodles for the rest of the week. Expensive or cheap, college students are going to drink it's unfair to increase the prices for those of us who are 21 and over and responsible drinkers, when there are PLENTY of other things that can be done to decrease underage drinking Because instead of going to the bars where there are a lot of patrons, and bar personnel that are concerned with safety, people will go to house parties to drink. No one checks ID's, and there are many places where a girl can get cornered and raped in a house and no one would see. Also, no one is overly concerned at a house party if someone passes out. If large amounts of alcohol are not available legally, it will push alcohol consumption away from downtown, to unsupervised house parties. more house parties, including those at greek houses, more problems within the res halls where the majority of underages drinkers live... People will pregame in their rooms, then just have two or three drinks at the bar to lower the cost. The students will just cease from going to the bars, and start drinking more at home, or in the neighborhoods around campus. I think that it may help slightly but not enough to cause a noticeable difference because it will just piss us off and we will become more unresponsible for what we do There are two problems with this: One: It won't work. Nobody who I know who drinks is ever dissuaded by the price of drinks. They laugh at this idea. Most of them would rather drop their dorm meal plan than give up drinking. Those who are broke will just find someone who is of age and has an apartment. Two: The IC Council can't handle the responsibilities they have now. They can't afford, from what I hear, to enforce this policy anyway. They would have to raise taxes first, which is going to make most people far more angry than having the bars downtown. Besides, this is a free country anyway. We have far too many laws as it is. Limiting the special won't affect any amount of drinking just the price for drinking the same amount. They won't stop students from drinking, they'll just cause them to spend more money on it Even though I do not comsume alcohol all that often, i still feel very strongly that the city council should not be able to tell the bar owners how much they can sell their alcohol for. That is regulating their business!! The sales are based on the idea of consuming large quantites of alchohol- as if that's what's normal and even expected. If it gets too expensive the drinking will move to house parties. House parties are much more dangerous than bars, a higher occurence of sexual assault and an unmonitored situation where fights, extreme binge drinking etc.. are more likely to get out of control in my opinion. It will not affect the level of drinking at the bars at all the only thing that it will do is cost me more money in a night. It will probably cause a lot of people to drink more before they go to the bars. It might. However, it also smacks of state planning to the extreme. People are going to drink no matter what the expense. Look at what people pay just to get fake ID's Because then people will stage more "house parties" which is an even less controlled environment. People will be less likely to spend the extra money. house parties and other forms of unchecked drinking will be substituted, bars are safer environment All it will do is possibly make business owners upset because the government is telling them how to run their businesses. If people want alcohol, they will get it. The city council is doing this to save face with parents and others, and to show that they're not soft on underage drinking... It's really a political thing, not really much to do with us students.. I say this as a resident of Iowa City ( I went to City High and everything) Drink specials are not the problem, its the people who give them to the people. We have the money!!!!! Oh well!!!! THIS LAW WILL ONLY INCREASE HOUSE PARTIES, UNDERAGE DRINKING, AND FAKE ID'S Specials such as 21 pitchers for 21-year-olds simply equals hinge drinking. I don't think that limiting access or advedising to alcohol diminishes its appeal. In fact I think it makes it more desirable. Drinking is an adult thing to do. We are in such a rush to grow up and try things that have been forbidden to us, that the appeal of alcohol is only stronger. These limits are only making people go somewhere else to drink. At least at the bars it can be regulated. People are going to house partys where they will drink the same if not more because it is there and no one is watching over how much they consume. If students do not go out to the bars, they may have to drive to get to a party. Afterwards, they may get back into the car and drive drunk. With the bars as they are, most students can easily walk to and from the bar, eliminating the driving hazard. Students will find a way to drink, that will just decrease the amount of business that bars get. If people want to get drunk then they are going to get drunk, no matter what the city council or the University do. By raising drink specials you will just hurl downtown businesses because more people will drink at hoome or at apartment parties. The drinking will just move to somewhere else besides the bars. No- people will always pay the price for alcohol. The cheaper price is not the encouragement to drink, the fact that there is nothing else to do in this town, is. people will drink no matter, the specials are just an added bonus No because many if the drink prices at bars increases, people will drink more before they go out to the bar. That way they won't have to drink as much at the bar, and they will save a little more money. Same reason as above, unless you make this a dry county, the drinking will go on. People can still behave stupidly, they will get their own alcohol and then go out to the bars, but they will just get drunk before hand. rate at which an individual consumes alachol does not vary with the cost of the product The price of the alcohol is not what is causing people to drink. They are drinking because they want to and almost all would be willing to pay a higher price for the alcohol. Also, limiting the number of drinks one can buy will not stop dangerous drinking because one can always go back to the counter and purchase more drinks, or the waitresses will end up making more trips. i feel price is not a big issue when students drink at the bars-they will pay to drink it will have no effect People in Iowa City do not tend to care what the price is to get drunk (monetary or otherwise), they just do it. Eliminating competition will do nothing to deture students from drinking. This will only put bars out of business. Besides, the U.S. is supposed to be based on Capitalism. If we regulate prices we are no different than the communists overseas. Because the activity will only move from the bars to house and dorm rooms...kids will find a way. i have witnessed that those who want to drink do. it doesn't matter what it costs. I have seen people spend $80 in one night(granted they were legal), and that is because drink prices are already high, it can cost nearly $5 for one drink. that is insane. If you do raise the prices higher then you will just have more people coming to the bars drunk. they will drink at their apartment or a house party because it is cheaper. Possibly, but probably not because again, people will find a way to buy the alcohol Because the bars are usually too expensive to get drunk at anyway. People drink in their dorms or apartments with alocohol that they bought elsewhere, and then they hit the bars to go dance and have fun. People will drink anyways! If they have to pay more at the bar for alcohol, they are just going to drink at home before they go out. People will drink if they want to. They just may not d it in a bar. Bars will find other ways around the law to attract more business(eg instead of "All you can drink," "15 beers for 10 dollars." people will drink no matter what the cost This might work because spending more money could be a turn-off to some people. People are going to do what they want to do, if it gets too expensive to drink at the bars alternatives to drinking at the bars will surface would still drink. People will pay $10 to get into bars. That's crazy. So, of course they would pay if they had to. This will encourage kids to attend more house and apartment parties, in less stable and supervised environments. The rules set forth for drink specials only make us pay more for the alcohol. It is only punishing the law abiding adults that drink legally. If people want to drink they will regardless of the price unless it is extrordinarily high. They will just complain about it but not stop I know a lot of people who only get rip-roaring drunk because irs cheap when there's a special. They get it all out of the way on the one day of the week that it's cheap. If it wasn't so inexpensive that one day, they would not drink as much. limiting the prices will not doing anything for the underagers because many of their parents give them money, but the older students who have to work will be affected. Limiting the # of drinks a person takes will affect the underagers, but they will find another way. When people begin drinking and they are drinking to get drunk, money no longer becomes an issue. It's not until the next morning that the person finally realizes how much money they have actually spent. From what I have seen, there are as many severly intoxicated people at bars with drink specials than at bars with really expensive drinks. Raising the price of drinks would put a damper on those of-age drinkers who drink responsibly, and like to save money doing it. There is not enough for students to do. It's a favorite past time. These law makers need to remember their younger yearsH! If someone really wants to drink dangerously (or do so without realizing such), they will. Many people I know drink heavily before even leaving home, then more when they get to the bars. First of all, telling businesses what price they can sell their product at seems very un-American to me. Don't we live in a society that thrives on capitalism? Also, restricting specials in the bars will force people to consume alcoholic beverages at home or at house parties. This is even more dangerous. At least when you're at a bar, there are bouncers to keep people in line. All the placement of laws will do is drive the drinking into the neighborhoods around campus. If people want to get drunk or drink they will somehow People will pay whatever they have to to drink. Limiting drink specials will not stop drinking, it will just frustrate people. It will only move the problem away from the bars. It will be spread out and less controllable. People will still consume the same amount of drinks regardless of the price. Setting a minimum price will also decrease competefion between bars which is really bad for business and the economy of Iowa City. once again, rather than going out and drinking i would just sit in my house and drink more, and then go downtown later so i won't spend as much money at the bar. like stated before, it they want to drink, they will- they will always find a way All that will do is make the students drink more in the dorms. Also, when you do become 21 you do not just have much more money than when you are 20. People that are going to get drunk and fight are going to do it no matter how much alcohol is. And underage drinkers are more responsible then some of age drinkers due to the fact that they dont want to cause a scene and get arrested. i think this law could cause more drinking in dorms and houses. It will only hurt the bars business and the community. For the most pad, kids that are actually well-off enough to go out to the bars and drink will not care about their degree of spending. They will sacrifice other things to help supplement their drinking money. i think that people are going to drink the same amount no matter what. just because it's cheaper doesn't mean your body can handle more alcohol. students know how to limit themselves. Yes and no...It may discourage 'dangerous drinking behavior' but probably will do little to curb underage drinking. I don't feel, though, that setting price controls on drinks is an appropriate action for the city to take. I have observed many underage drinkers intoxicated before they even enter a bar. There are too many other ways for them to drink and do it dangerously. I don't think the Iowa City Council can do anything to change that. because people want to drink and will find a way to do it. If that means house parties and getting alcohol at various other places, so be it. Most underage drinkers don't pay attention to the specials. They are still going to drink no matter what the price of alcohol. Limiting out-of-sight sales hur~s those over 21 because they are the ones looking for deals. people are going to drink however much they want People will just sell plasma more frequntly so they can purchase the numebr of drinks they want. People don't care about prices. They are looking to go out and have a good time. There is no limit when you are tt'/ing to have a good time. People will pay for it even if it is more expensive. It's not going to make underage drinkers not drink, it's just going to make them poorer. It will stop as much drinking at the bars, but not overall. People will have their own parties where they will drink just as much for probably cheaper which causes a much more uncontrolled environment. Again, those specials are supposed to be targeted at people who are of age. It really won't matter if those specials are taken away. Underage drinking will still take place. It may be pointing out the obvious, but people who are of age are much responsible drinkers. What a concept. Those who desire to binge drink are for the most part, underage! The city and campus needs to recognize just how easy it is for underage drinkers to get their hands on alcohol! People still drink even with the possiblity of a 150 dollar fine, paying an extra quarter won't have any effect. The majority of students who can afford to drink excessivly in the downtown bars in the first place aern't going to mind paying more. NO. It will also anger drinkers who are of age because the specials are in place for them. It is not their responsibility to watch out for underage drinkers. I go out on Wednesday to get dollar drinks at the Airliner, But I ALSO go out on Fridays and sometimes Saturdays. ~ pay for $4-$5 dollar drinks then....price is IRRELEVANT to those intenting to go drink at the bar. Limiting drink specials is not the answer. If people want to drink they are going to drink. My friends sometiems don't have enough money to drink, but somehow they manage to find some more, and it will be the same way if you raise the prices and eliminate specials. People will drink more at their houses, dorms, etc. and then go to the bars. some people will find other ways to drink It would only change the majority location of the drinking scene to houses or apartments. Same as above!!!! more binging will just take place outside of bars - the price of a case of beer will not change Drink specials are always a big draw for heavy drinkers. While people like my simply use them to save a few bucks, others use them to get more booze for less. i think it will increase student bankruptcy rate people are gonna drink, deal with it people who want to drink usually do so regardless of the price - if they're really price conscious. they don't go to bars anyway -just drink at home. Students are just going to drink more before they go to tbe bars then. But they will still pay the outrageous pdces at the bars for their drinks. I have never heard anyone say, "This drink is more expensive. I think FII just quit drinking." Some students will still pay for a regular drink price or drink before the bars and not buy drinks at the bar Because if the set a minimum price limit on drinks, then people will just drink more before they go to the bars, which will in turn increase the drunk drivers. It is against the law to do so. Gas sations are barred from doing it along with other companies. It won't take to long before the city ends up in court of it. i feel it is not the right of the city to set a price for a businesses product because this is not mother russia Again, I think this is going to cost the students extra money and make them very upset. They will respond in ways that will deface the IC community and the UI. I have rarely heard of someone going to a bar and not drinking because of expense. A lot of people who drink on Wednesday and/or Thursday nights do so because it is much cheaper than on the weekends. Personally, I have no problem with price laws, the only proposed law that bothers me is limiting alcohol purchases to one drink per bar visit per person. It will just cost more for everyone to drink....not slow alcohol consumption. people are 9oing to buy the drinks no matter what they cost people will go to parties even more, which is less safe than the bars anyway people drink a lot b/c its cheap. If you want to do it,and have a problem your going to do it anyways! People usaly stop drinking when they run out of money Once again, there are other ways. When people go to any college, alcohol is always on their minds-it's all about ther freedom. College students are 9oing to do it ANYWAYS. People won't feel like they have to get their money's worth during drink specials if you're gonna drink you're gonna drink, no matter the price, For the underagers, they're at the bars for the thrill, the price won't matter; for those of age, it will make their night out a bit more expensive, but they'll still go. because the city council is trying to impose on our right to make our own decisions and i don't believe what they are doing. a lot of people feel this way I personally haven't noticed any change. Even if the bars are abolished college, and i stress college, kids are going to drink. Every college in America has undreage drinking. I do not think that this law is fair to the businesses at all and as always people will find ways of getting around it. Because students will come up with the money to drink regardless of how much it cost if they wantto drink bad enough. No matter what the cost people are still going to drink and it might limit the amount of times people go out, but their still will be that one or two times a week that students go out and drink, probably more heavily. most drink specials don't save the student enough money or make a big enought difference in the price of alcohol to affect their habits Those who want to drink irresponsibly will find a way to do so regardless. people will be more inclined to drink to beat the system Students will go to parties instead. People who drink to excess are going to do so no matter what laws the city passes. If they can't drink at bars, which is a reasonably contained and well patroled area, then they will drink in the dorms, or in residential areas. This would endanger residents of both these areas. People will find new and probably less controlled atmospheres to drink in. Students will still find a way to drink. If the bars get too expensive, then they will move to house padies, which in my opinion are more dangerous. Unless you decrease these kids allowances or whatever type of money they receive than there will always be a way. Setting rules will not teach responsibility. That can only happen through the people unclefaking such actions such as ddnking more than they can handle. Staff the solution by staffing with the problem, not in a roundabout manner that could negatively impact those students who go to the bars to have a good time (even *gasp* without alcohol), not to get completely plastered. High prices haven't stopped students from buying Playstation 2, why would it stop them from drinking? We don't drink because there are specials at the bars, we drink to socialize and have fun. Price settings won't change anything. There will always be complaints about this. For smoking ad bans, there are still complaints. If we stick to our guns and say that we don't want the ads, and that there is a justified reason behind it, let's do it. People are just going to drink at other places and in turn decrease the prosperity of the local bars. Most of the money making its way into the economy of such bars are from the pockets of students parents. Price isn't really a concern when people are spending sixty bucks a night to have a good time (which I have seen). People will find alternatives. Most people spend their parent's money or use credit cards when they drink, so prices are somewhat irrelevant. and if the the bars do become too expensive, house parties will take their place. It will cause people to drink more outside of bars, and most likely cause them to drink more For the same reasons as answered in question 7, underage drinkers will find other resources for obtaining alcohol. If they cannot easily obtain alochol from establishments, they will go to other places (grocery stores) to get the alcohol. If people want to drink they will drink, reducing specials will not stop people from drinking. Students will still consume the same only now they won't have money for food and gas while the local businesses make a killing selling price inflated alcohol. You don't punish everyone because there are a few who are out of control. Other methods should be considered. People rarely spend their money at the bars anyway. Most pre-drink People are going to consume the same amount of alcohol. The only difference that will occur is that the bars will make more money in the process, and in return the state will as well.... It's all about the money! price is not an issue. ill go to the store if it is cheaper Drink prices are already pretty high in many bars and people still pay. Although drink specials do entice some students to consume more. People will pay whatever they need to for their entertainment and socializing. College students will purchase alcohol at other locations such as Hy-Vee in order to make it cheaper to drink before going to the bars. The "problem" does not begin or end in the attainment of the drug. The cultural stimulus is what needs to be focused on-our responses and education to alcohol and the responsibilities that come with age. There will be more house parties No, because people will predrink more heavily before going to the bars. People over 21 drink too-- this hurts those old enough to buy. Making drinks at the bars more expensive might limit some drinking behavior at the bars but when students can't afford to go to the bar they will just go to a party instead which doesn't really solve the problem. Still people will find alcohol and drink as they see fit. If not at the bar then at an apartment party...also people will just pay more drinks if they want to (the kids at this school have money). i just don't think that the student body will care. They will still drink to drink. It may help, but underage kids will still find ways to drink and people of age can still drink dangerously People never think of consequences beofre they do dumb things If you're going out to drink the price is not going to stop you from drinking...it's horrible the city council thinks they can do what they did. For the same reason that apartment rentals go for so much here: these little rich shitheads can afford to pay any amount of money to "go out." Students will find alcohol no matter what. If taws pass, they will try even harder. limiting the price specials could help... for example, the 21-pitchers for $21 is AWFUL, and underage people usually get some :) It may work. Again it may slow some drinkers up but if they want to drink bad enough prices won't stop them. Absolutely not, prices have nothing to do with it. Kids here get all the money they want...money is no object. People will pay whatever, and don't really care how much it costs. It is actually benefitting the bars, not the students. If people want it bad enough, they'll pay whatever the price College students are poor. They don't have the money to spend to get wasted if the drinks are more expensive. No matter how much it costs people who want to drink will and raising prices and limiting specials will just anger those of us who are of age and do drink responsibly. This will not decrease the number of people who drink. People who got to the bars to get "drunk" are still going to do whether the price is $5.00 a drink or $1.00 The city council should stay out of the business decisions of the down town commerce. As stated above, if an underage person wants to consume alcohol they will. The price that drinking age individuals pay should not be set as a punishment by the city. Price doesn't necessarily hinder students who abuse alcohol. Slightly, only slightly! It will not take affect right away, but eventually people will not have any more money to spend on alcohol, but when they do go out to a bar, they will go all out and really splurge. Price is not really a deterrant. Most students can find money for drinking. if they want to drink they will People who want to drink will do so; a price special will only lure them from one bar to another, or from home to the bar. more poepie will just drink at home but i hope they do enact laws Students will just end up spending more of their money on alcohol then despite no specials. It will decrease the encouragement of underage drinking, but there is no guarantee that it will actually decrease the drinking itself. If people want to drink, they drink. Infringing upon the rigths of bar owners to sell at certain prices and people of legal age to buy at certain prices is not the way to go. Once again, this is not going to discourage the underage drinkers as much as it will serve to annoy those legal drinkers who are enjoying their alcohol responsibly... this will only lead to a greater consumption of alcohol in the individuals place of residence, where supervision is far inferior When people decide that they are going to go drink, they go and drink. In Canada, drinks are three times as expensive, but it doesn't reduce the amount that people drink, jsut increases the amount that they spend to do it. If someone wants to drink they are going to drink, it doesn't matter how much it costs, they will find the money somewhere. I don't think it will make a difference. If a person wants to get drunk, they'll do it. Also, keep in mind that free drinks ssometimes ARE served to anyone. How can you regulate that? Student will spend the money go out and have some fun I'm just wondering where that extra money goes? Does the bar get that increased revenue or will Iowa City decided to increase a city tax on alcohol sales and have more funds? Drink specials are not the reason people binge drink. I think that people will drink just as much even if they have to pay regular prices. It would just change the location of where people drink. NO, I think that there will be more house parties-for cheaper alcohol and then the "binge" drinking will get way out of hand. I mean, how often do you hear of someone dying of alcohol posioning at a bar? How about at a private residence, At least it would be easier for the cops to hand out public intoxes when the majority of people are congregated downtown. People will just find a way to bring alcohol in from other places, Every weekend you can find someone who is going home and who can bring you something back. It's naive to think that changing a few prices in town will have any effect on Ul's alcohol related activities. Limiting prices at bars will only divert students to other places. House parties would become more of a problem. It is better to have drunk people at a supervised venue then avenue that isn't supervised. People will just end up spending more, they won't care. For the same reasons stated above. I think that moving the drinking to unregulated parties where the specials are ALWAYS $3 or $5 for all you can drink will actually increase dangerous drinking behavior. Because kids at this school will pay anything to drink. It doesn't matter what the price is (within reason). Students only choose the bar on the drink specials. not how much to consume. Kids will still drink. whether it is at the bars or in dorm rooms. apartments or wherever. if they aren't at bars, people will find house parties to go there, which could even be more dangerous because they are driving there instead of walking to the bars All it will do is create huge lines at the bars and most likey kill the bars profits. Kids will just come to bars already drunk!! The only thing it will accomplish is making bar owners less money! People who drink will continue to do so and it's not a major problem the city council should devote time to. Cause it will harm business for bars and liqour stores from their older customers. Most people have the money to spend. Again people will just "pre-party" more Often. The specials allow students, who are in most cases not financially stable, the ability to enjoy a good time at the bars at a reasonable price. What needs to be done is the enfomement of the stamps, not prohibiting underagers completely. This will decrease bar attendance and increase keg parties. The high prices will drive students to buy at baulk from other sourues rather than 1 or 2 drinks at a time. Price specials may lead students to a certain bar, but the amount they drink is usually consistent to anyother night w/or w/out a special. To a certain extent yes, but once people start getting a buzz it doesn't matter how much it is. a lot of iowa students could care less on how much things cost-they'll just end up buying the beer at hyvee or something and drink before they go out-and the whole thing is not fair to punish people who do drink responsibly based on the actions of a few drunken idiots it doesn't matter whether they raise the price, if people want to drink alcohol, they're going to ddnk. the only thing that implementing a price floor would do would bring more money in for the bars. Drinking is a part of American Culture...there will always be way around any particular law Because students will drink more before they go out and it will hurt many businesses in downtown Only if this includes bee~alcohol sales in grocery stores...but this would never fly with the city at large. Alcohol is everywhere, so it will not change. If anything, it will get worse because people will go against the rules. Again, this is a stupid focus of both the city council and the administration. Focus on education on the dangers of binging - not on attempting to end underage drinking - it will never happen. Focus on designated driver programs instead - like free soda's, coupons, etc... increase penalties for drunk driving... that's a LOT more important and workable than trying to end underage drinking... UISG Drinking Behavior Survey Question #9 General Comments 9. If alternative venues (movie theaters, alcohol free dance clubs, shopping, concerts, recreational facilities) were available late at night, would these decrease dangerous drinking behavior and/or underage drinking in the Iowa City community? Choice Votes Approximate % Yes 772 59% ***** No 528 41% **** Total 1300 Executive summary of responses Yes, alternate activities to the bars would be affective in lowering underage and binge drinking rates in Iowa City. It is important that these activities be well publicized, constantly scheduled, and at times that reflect students behavior (i.e. activities that start after 9 pm or so and continue until 2 am or later). It is likely, that these alternate activities would not affect those students who were extreme drinkers or who specifically went out to get drunk, but these activities would have an affect on many bar patrons who are simply looking for a place to be social and have fun. The most common suggestions included (in no particular order) a bowling alley, non-alcoholic club, late-night movies at a modern day movie theater, buses to Planet X or the mall, and more concerts. -Summary by Andy Stoll, UISG 9. If alternative venues (movie theaters, alcohol free dance clubs, shopping, concerts, recreational facilities) were available late at night, would these decrease dangerous drinking behavior and/or underage drinking in the Iowa City community? Choice Votes Approximate % Yes 772 59% ..... No 528 41% .... Total 1300 An alchol free club might be cool Planet X Closer to town, STOP Un. of IOWA from being so corporate with its IMU rooms. The center of student life is the place to buy books and look for a job. THAT'S IT make the university take some responsibility by making the center of student life the IMU and not downtown The bar scene is part of college life and part of the adaptation to students making their own decisions I would like to see 24 hour bowling alley. Ever,/time i go there it is PACKED with people. I think this would seriously decrease the number. I think it would give students other things to do besides go down town College kids like to drink, fact of life. To them, no alcohol == no fun. More shows or special events such as the recent casino night give students more of an option concerning ways to spend their free time. Everyone is pretty accustomed to drinking. It is what people like to do "socially" to have fun, it will still happen, if not at the bars, then someplace else (houses, dorms, etc). Many find or think that alcohol free events are "stupid", many alternatives are already available, no one is forced to go "party" it is a free and willing event. Because people would rather have a good time at the bars socializing with everyone else rather than sit in a room and watch a movie that they could watch any night of the week in their room People who drink, drink because they want to, not because they don't have anything else to do. College kids don't drink because they are bored, they drink when they want to and when they want to do other things they do. Drinking isn't a last resort. it is what they want to do. People want to go out on the weekends and unwind. people are going to drink no matter what. But if you built this stuff, a lot of people would go. So maybe it would help a little bit. I think that there would be more improvement with this policy than with the others. Often. many students head to the bars because there really isn't that much else to do. Improved shopping in Old Capitol, more concerts (free and paying), movie theaters that have deals for students so that they aren't paying seven dollars to see a movie at seven in the evening would probably due well. It may help, but only to a certain point. All ofthe suggestions are good ideas. If Iowa City had more of a selection for entertainment, such as bowling, putt putt golf, and etc, then the underage drinkers would have something else to do this will allow students something more to do on days where they aren't drinking alcohol/smoke-free clubs,(streetJped mall dances), concerts, plays, recreational places, cheap movies I Would like to see a bowling alley uptown with a lot of pool tables where student could go and have a good time. A movie theater uptown would also be nice. Alcohol free dance clubs would definitely not work and shopping late at night would also not work as an alternative venue. Actually, I just lied. I don't really. I would love to see these kinds of activities, and I hope they're implemented, but I don't think it's going to keep people who want to drink from drinking. Any of the above would be great. I'd particularly like to see free/reduced bus rates to Coralville mall (to movie theater, etc). people would still go and find somewhere to drink no matter what Of course more alternatives will entice people, but there are still those who wish to just get drunk. I would like to see more alcohol free dance clubs and recreational facilities. Karyoke clubs, comedy clubs, etc... But I don't believe that alcohol free events would attract U of Iowa students, maybe highschool students of Iowa City would participate though, more concerts, keep the field house rec center open late I believe it may decrease the problem, but only minimal. I believe that college students will prefer to drink even with alternative activities. College kids are college kids. We are going to drink and have fun no matter what. Iowa City is a great town as is, adding to it is fine but taking away from the atmosphere here, ie: only 21 and over bars, would take away from Iowa City's uniqueness. I don't believe so. People will most likely drink before they come to these events, I life to go out and have a few drinks with friends. I prefer to be in a bar where each person can decide if he/she wants to drink. People just need something interesting to do. An alcohol free dance club and concerts would be nice. Maybe. I think that these would be great for students that are looking for other forms of entertainment, but for the students that want to go drink, it probably won't change their habits, nor should it, if drinking is what they choose to do. alcohol free dance clubs with LIVE bands, more theatre performances - perhaps in the englert some people feel pressured to drink when they just went out looking to go dancin' and having a good time More good concerts, discounted movie theaters I think it would definitely help. but the thing is, is that there would have to be a large variety of places. Having just one additional place is not going to make a big defference, because for instance, people won't want to go to a concert every night, as they do the bars. I can honestly say that I don't think that an alcohol free night club would do much good because if people want to dance I still believe that they will go to places people they know will be. Drinking is a unique activity that would be impossible to duplicate to the point of effectiveness. I think people are dying for an alternative to bars and anything would be better than nothing I don't think it would curve drinking, but I would like to have some of these activities, such as concerts and midnight movies avalible to me. But those predisposed to drinking for fun will always go to bars. The lure is 'letting down your guard'. You can't always do that in other settings. Obviously they would decrease dangerous and underage drinking, but not by much I go out to the bars every weekend because it is the main way to socilaize...and I can't tell you how many times I have said that I wish there was something else to do downtown...that didn't cost you an arm and an leg...I would love to see some more nightlife that didn't envolve getting drunk....all of those things listed above would be great...and bowling would be really big :) Pretty much all there is to do in IC on weekend nights is go out to the bars. I think an alcohol free dance club would be a good idea. i say because it probably would it depends on the person. I think having late, late movies and/or any other kind of activity like this would probably do it. A larger movie theater downtown, a jazz club, amature club Drinking is a choice that everyone has to make for themselves. If they choose to drink then the avalibility of other activities isn't going to keep them from drinking. Because it sounds lame to say "I'm going shopping" at 10:00 on a Friday night. I think that no matter what there is to do, drinking will be one of the top choices. I think if we had more bands (Dave Matthews-Dixie Chicks) We need MORE nightlife Such venues would likely decrease ALL types of drinking. I think alcohol free dance clubs and concerts are a great idea. People would drink before going to these places. Most people have alot more fun at bars than other activities wheather they drink at the bars or not. I like all of the above ideas Depending on the appeal of such establishments they could have an impact on social life for the university students. As it stands the bars are the only place to go if you want to interact socially with others. If other opportunities for this were available, it would decrease drinking. The problem with this though, is you would have to figure out how to a lot of people to go to other activities. No one would go if there weren't people/friends there. To some extent, I think it would decrease under-age drinking. Late night concerts and alcohol free dance clubs would definitely bring in some of the under-agers, simply because part of the reason they go to the bars is to dance or hear a live band. There should be more alternative venues available but those who drink too much now will probably carry on doing so. If people want to drink and can't go to the bars. They will find another place to do it, such as a house party. People also go to the bars to listen to the music and dance. I wanted to answer possible but I couldn't. Alternatives might work if there is a definite attempt to change the student culture. This could deture the dangerous drinking because it would give students another avenue to relieve stress or have fun. Personally I'd like to see alcohol flee dance clubs, and movie theaters in Iowa City. That is not interesting and fun for students on a consistant basis The university does a pretty good job of coming up with alternative ideas they however always seem to be at the same time. Tonight is a very good example. I would like to go to the basketball game, mingus big band at Hancher (both of which I have tickets too), and then casino night is happening in the dorms. Why couldn't casino night have been last night when there wasn't as much happening? This is constantly happening to me that all fun university events are at the same time. LEARN TO SCHEDULE!!!!!! Nothing is open past 9 p.m. except for bars, Pancheros, Taco Bell, and Walmart. It would be great if there were more movie theaters downtown that were open late and that gave more than 4 movie choices. Having a theater inside a mall that closes its doors before 8:30pm is a pain because it is not easily accessable. More shopping and movie theaters would be great...there really isn't anything at night to do in Iowa City except go to bars for those students who don't have cars. kids want to drink, plain and simple; More CONCERTS, movie theaters, and recreational facilities But it's highly probable that boredom is one major cause for recreational drinking. More things of distraction may be of value. But if someone is going to drink, they'll just show up drunk, but at least they won't be driving or vandalizing. It gives people more opportunities to do something besides drink, and see other peoples toes. I would encourage implementing other options considering Iowa City is largely cornpromised of students. I would go to the dance clubs(depending on the age limit, but like stated before if they want to drink they will do it, so no matter what its not going to solve any problems alcohol free concerts / indoor music fests / food fests / amateur theater - theres hardly anything downtown other than bars Yes, to a certain extent. People who drink out of boredom might choose not to drink, but others would still drink. Cheaper on-campus activities (Hancher, theatre performances) or nighttime social activites might help. Late night dance halls, where youths can hang out and just chill; get it out of their system. Be realistic; kids are going to be kids. I strongly believe that if these alternative activities were available, fewer people would go to the bars, hence fewer people will drink. I like going to the bars to dance (and not drink), but I am allergic to smoke in large quantities, so I don't go very often. As for what activities I would like to see, the ones listed above are a good start. Basically, just places where people can hang out with their friends and meet new people without the pressure of being drunk. I think the biggest hit would be an alcohol free dance club, because that is why many people go to the bars is to dance. Concerts would also be popular, I think. I think Planet X in IC would be a good choice, but it is hard to get there if you don't have a car. Maybe the cambus could have a Friday/Saturday night route that goes to that part of town (Planet X, Walmar~, Coral Ridge Mall, etc.) People without cars are really inconvieniced in this town, and cabs are expensive. People are always looking for alternatives. It would be great if the Fieldhouse was open until 1 or 2 am. the "dangerous drinkers" probably won't partake in these alternatives The people Who would take advantage of these venues will more likely be those who don't drink at or or very much. They will be the ones who appreciate alcohol-free places. People go out to the bars to get drunk. It is rediculus to think otherwise. It's not like it happens on accident that someone consumes 10 beers. It is thier choice. The people that want to go to the bar will always go to the bars. Yes because coming from a big city, Iowa City is BORING!! I'm kinda sick of just going to the bars during the weekend. I do not have a car, and if more entertaining activities were available in close range (as in walking), I would definitely expand my pallate. Because not every student will want o do the same activities. A LOT of different activities would have to be provided on a daily basis and I doubt the university has the time or money to offer options to every type of student. Hopefully the young people will soon leam that dangerous drinking is not "fashionable." Adult party goers do not welcome. and will often shun, extreme drunkenness. A variety of concerts, interactive game activities (basketball, laser-tag, etc.), late dinner playhouses, and dance clubs might give young people alternatives to later evening activities. It's college, when the weekend rolls around the majority of kids want to let lose and drink. Students will most likey drink before going to any of the listed venues. More concerts Because most students will not be interested in doing those types of things. Those were things we did in grade school and high school. There already are plenty. If people want alcohol, they'll get it regardless. alcohol-free dance clubs with live bands, concerts where no alcohol is sold However to only a certain extent. Just like going to the bars every weekend gets boring and old, so does movies, which tend to be highly priced in itself, shopping, which gets expensive, concerts and recreational facilities. And personally I don't think alcohol free dance clubs will flourish at all in Iowa City because of the ones that already exist. People enjoy the social aspects of the night life at the bars...not just the drinking Venues like that would not decrease DANGEROUS drinking. I think they would be useful in deterring new or occasional drinkers from going to the bars, but people that go out to get really drunk would still do so. Prob not as much as the community would like to see though. The atmosphere of the bars is really what people are into, not so much the drinking, although that goes along with it. It would give the people who go out socially another place to go other than a bar. I would like to see more concerts or dance clubs. More concerts, more movies showing downtown, more night games. There would be more places to go. simply. I would like to see concerts(maybe more familiar names?) more movie screens, a place to just go and dance or hang out without alchohol...more restaurant OF cares that stay open later. If there were nightclubs where you could dance that were fun, unrestricting, and open late, I think it would provide students who don't drink to have something to do and probably attract some drinkers I don't think so. Going to college and parrying go hand in hand, No matter what it's gonna happen. I think teh university already does a good job of offering alcohol free events already. I would love to see non-alcoholic late night venues because I feel that there is not much offered at this university for those who do not drink. However, I do not think that it will deter those who want to drink away from drinking. If people want to drink, they will. Once again, I think that those who want to drink WILL. Those who don't will be the designated drivers or will FIND the alcohol free activities on their own. These alternative venues would be unpopular precisely because they don't offer alcohol. Students aren't drinking alcohol because there isn't anything else to do. They are drinking alcohol because they want to. more students would participate in these activities instead of drinking, recreational centers open later hours and more Current movies showing at the movie theater I believe it could help. There isn't much to do in this city right now. More things could help. Such things as movie theaters or alcohol free dancce clubs. It's always good to have other things to do than go to the bars. Iowa City needs one of those dollar theaters!!! The Night Games at the Field House are good alternatives also. Perhaps it would somewhat. However, drinking is an activity that is often combined with other activities. Recently, a co-worker remarked to me that she "didn't really do anything without drinking," I believe she is twenty years old. It's a problem that won't go away just by cracking down on bars. Howevere, if people were given other late night alternatives, there surely would be a portion of people that might choose not to drink, not to go to the bars. It's worLha shot. Besides, the nondrinkers can always use more options in the leisure department. people are going to drink no matter what- if they want to then they will-- i think iowa city has plenty of things to do at night if you do not want to drink- including going to the bars- there are other people there and they can dance- they don't have to drink sure, but it wont happen there is nothing but bars in Iowa City. However, people should stop getting drunk not because there is something else to do, but because drinking alcohol is a dangerous habit. Iowa City is net the Mecca of fun by any means and having a bar on every corner and a mall that has no stores, leaves only one thing to do, drink. I would like to see more local movie theaters, not just in Coral Ville. DEFINITELY this option should be strongly considered. The number one reason students ddnk so heavily at the UI is that "There is nothing else to do in this town". It would be good to see an alcohol free dance dub, A paintball arena would be nice to have in town as well. Also, it always seems that the Coral Ridge Mall plays more of the top movies, and it is a bit of a hassle to find a dde out to the mall. There are already plenty of activities planned at night in Iowa City, and only those who don't drink, or rarely drink, go to them. People in Iowa City drink for lack of better things to do on late nights. Unlike the University of Wisconsin. Madison, our Union closes around 11:00 p.m. and events it holds are focused on creation of conference revenue instead of social activities. I go to Madison's campus often to see concerts by bands on friday and satuday nights, to hang out and have fun. If the University were to step up its pledge to students, by improving its own late night resources for students, we might not have such a major problem. Iowa City's down town is also to fault for net having any late night hang outs that don't focus on bar revenue. Bowling alleys, large pool halls, or a real dance club are activities that aren't accessible to students living on or near campus. The bars are all they have. Can you really blame them for all congregating there? This is college, people want to party not just sit around watching a movie. People at the university enjoy going out to the bars more. We already have these alternative venues and people still choose to go to the bar. Personally I would appreciate more alternatives, but I don't really enjoy the bars as much as most people I know. so I really can't comment on if it would have an effect on the behavior of others. You have to give alternatives to students in order to give them other things to do besides going to the bar to drink. I would like to see late night movies, bowling, alcohol free clubs, concerts, and recreational facilities, Students want to drink. Too many students have this notion that drinking is part of college, to that end they feel compelled to participate. Number one would be a dance club (which didn't let h.s. kids in!) ... movie theaters ... better stuff at the old cap mall ... cool bands ... anything! concerts would be nice college kids will always drink to get drunk Yes, but only to a degree. Iowa City is already a vibrant community with alternatives. I believe that most young people that claim that "there's nothing else to do" are simply making excuses for their irresponsible behavior. However, more alternatives than those that already exist are always welcome, and may prove to be helpful. It really depends on what you offer, how much it costs. where it is, and the other people who will show up, I would go to a non-alcoholic dance club if it had the same atmosphere as the bars. I would also go to concerts and the like, I do already. But those things tend to cost even more money than drinking and many college students don't apreciate the arts. the people that were going to drink will still be at that bars Drinking is way of life for many people and that will not change. The people that will go to such places will be the people who don't drink in the first place, Drinking is a part of life. sure maybe some people will drink less, but I dent think the percentages will change that much. It seems like a huge waste of money for a 1-5 percent decrease. definately more concerts would decrease this. I would love to see more concerts like matchbox 20 was here this year Recreation centers for sports such as basketball, swimming, volleyball, bowling or billiards. Depending on the cost. The problem with that also could be that people would just get drunk before they participated. Unfortunately, the element of alcohol or excessive drinking is a difficult one to deter. It could quite possibly decrease underage drinking by an uncertain percentage. (e.g. skate parks/rinks, concerts, bowling, etc...) There are lots of times that my friends and I want to get out of the dorms and do somthing, but we don't have cars. Right now, we can see a movie or occasionally go to a concert. However, the great majority of late-night activities within walking distance center around drinking. If there was a bowling alley close by, we would definitely go there. Maybe, It doesn't seem like there is enough to do socially late at night besides go to the bars. I think that iowa city really doesn't have too many things to do besides go to the bars, so opening up other things would maybe lower binge drinking, but at the same time, those that want to drink will and those that don't want to drink still enjoy going to the bars that are currently opened and have a good time there, without the pressure of alcohol. What is considered dangerous drinking behavior, if you are fighting in the Ped Mall you should be arrested, if you pucking in a public place you should be arrested. But if your minding your own business, the fucking pigs should leave you alone maybe. more concerts would be good. It would definitely help. Obviously, certain people will drink no matter what entertainment is available. I'm not sure what to suggest. Perhaps look at what other college towns have to offer and throw those ideas at Us. I think that a lot of people at this univeristy were former athletes and would glady participate in night activities of basketball, football, or any sport. This would generate a lot of interest, I believe. Students drink for many different reasons. Just because you give them other thing to do doesn't mean they won't drink before these activites. would it have stopped anyone 10 years ago from going out and drinking? I think that alternative activities would help decrease both, but only a small amount. If people want to drink they are going to find a place to drink regardless of alternative activities. I think eventually these venues would help, but they CANNOT be presented as blatantly "alchohol free alternatives." If this label is pushed, students will be repelled simply because they feel targeted. I waited until I turned 21 to go to the bars and still found PLENTY to do in Iowa City after 11 pm. I think the problem of students saying there is nothing to do has more to do with their upbringing and less to do with what Iowa City has to offer. I grew up enjoying concerts, movies, reading, and just socializing in a non-alchol environment. And as such, I think it is a difficult task for the city or the university to instill an appreciation for non-bar activities if that foundation isn't already there. Herein lies a major difficulty with the "binge drinking" problem: to really fix the problem the culture must change, which is a much greater task than simply tightening up laws or offering alternative venues. It may help slightly just by giving more alternatives. However those who want to drink will still do so. While admitedly few, there is definitely students out there who would take advantage of those things. It would give something else for students to do. A Planet X would be a lot of fun. A dance club that is similiar to the bars but without alcohol would also be nice. Those who do not want to drink don't, even if they are at the bar. Those who do want to drink would ignore any alcohol-free alternative venues. movie theatres, coffee shops open later At the very least, students would have a choice to make, whereas it is debatle whether true alternatives exist to drinking now. I'd like an GOOD arcade, bowling, concerts, etc. Because people love to have fun at the bars even with a few drinks. that is why they go out. They might, I personally prefer the bars, but I think that it definitely would steer people to do other activities. I like the concert idea. These type of facilities are already and have been in use by many University of Iowa students. Enhancing these facilities are not going to prevent alcohol use anymore than it has been preventing it now. Many students drink to reward themselves because they can due to age and that is what they want to do. Other venues don't provide what those students want i think underage students having an alternative and worthwhile activity will at least sometimes choose an alcohol free activity. b/c students like to drink on the weekends and if these venues were opened they would not use them It would help because most of the people go to the bars because there's nothing else to do. If there were alternatives, I'm pretty sure people would go for that. Concerts and dance clubs are good ideas and so are movie theaters, but we need these in the downtown area where everyone Can get to them. It would provide more entertainment for those in the non-drinking community, whom I think are the major advocates for these things, but to suggest that it is going to curb drinking is slightly ridiculus. If I had to choose between a bar or any other social venue, I would choose the bar. Doesn't matter what the venue is, but it cannot be childish. People will drink because they think that they are adults. The place in question must allow people to smoke, like most bars do, or it will inevitably bomb. For the same reason above, if people want to drink and get drunk, they are going to do it. They will find other ways than the bars. Because the people who don't drink are already finding things to do and those who do drink are going to be at the bar. Some thing else for the students to do... they won't be drinking, concerts from well known bands such as the red hot chili peppers. Offers more options than just bars. I avoid IA City at night. Because alcohol is not offered at those venues. Anyone who says they drink because there is nothing else to do lying to themselves. people are set in their ways and they see drinking as the most fun way to spend their free time.. it relaxes them and it's fun bars are a part of college life, don't take that away from us. also, there are several students that don't binge drink, why punish them? People who drink, that I know of and have observed do so simply for the basic result of feeling buzzed or drunk. These people feel that without alcohol, no fun can be had. If there are alternatives closer to the UI campus, people would actually have a choice on where to go rather than just the one choice of going downtown. I would like to see movie theaters that show better movies than the ones they show at the Old Capitol. Dance clubs would also be a good choice, because I believe that many people go to bars in order to socialize. Concerts would also be a great idea, because there are not enough bands that come to iowa City. An expansion and renovation of the Old Capitol Mall People have nothing to do late at night with friends but meet at a bar or party. Late night recreational facilities are a great idea: lazer shows, lazer bowling, concerts, Go Karts, comedy shows, late night mini golf, a Velcro wall; I think people would take advantage of late night theatre, too. It would give other cool alternatives to do. Concerts, movie theaters, alcohol free dance clubs are good. Try to advertise them as cool, not "Alcohol Free!". That sounds uriccol and childish. The alcohol free part will be understood. I attended a small private college in Iowa that provided such activities (Graceland University). The evening activities provided an alternative. Many students wanted to attend, so they either would not consume alcohol those nights or would consume less. I think alcohol free dance clubs, concerts, recreation facilities, free movies, dances, entertainers (e.g. comedians) would really help. Well, again you are not going to make people change their behavior. However, having more of these activities available would certainly give people options. With information and choice available it certainly seems that you would target some undedcided people as well as open up a new market for those who choose not to drink. It would also serve as an preliminary action geared towards getting teenagers/underage people involved in social activities not based in drinking, they have to be close to campus though more choices mean fewer people at the bar alcohol free dance clubs, comedians, pool houses concerts Dance clubs without alchohol I doubt it will change it - it isn't out of a LACK OF ALTERNATIVES like everyone claims.... it is a choice. If you are bored late at night - you don't just DRINK to stop the boredom - it is an excuse and a weak one at that the drinkers use to accuse the city of being the ultimate reason they are driven to drink "YOU MADE ME DO IT!" says the man who beats his wife kinda thing.,.. lame. People want to "hook up", and alcohol is a big part of it, Iowa City needs a really cool after hours club that plays hard core house music you can dance to. None of that Fieldhouse dj crap. Nothing will ever replace the bar in college culture, but people seeking social activities for purely social reasons may look elsewhere for interaction other than bars. It is too difficult to change people's behavior patterns. if people are used to drinking they are going to continue to drink. I think there need to be more options for underage bingets. Many drink because they feel there is nothing else to do. Sometimes you feel like going out, but not necessarily to the bars. This would provide other social opportunities for students. Alternative activities will give "night owls" something else to do. As it is right now. there is nothing to do after 10 in the downtown areas except go to the bars. Adding late night movie showings or bringing a facility like Planet X to downtown would provide alternative activities to students who do not have vehicles. Alcohol flee dance clubs are usually lame, we already have movie theaters, shopping.,. Concerts usually encourage it seems to induldge in unsafe drinking/drugs... Recreational facilities? they would have to be pretty nice and expensive. More concer~s and alcohol free dance clubs Would be most effective. People would get drunk before them but a few hours away from alcohol would also sober them or make people tired. No one wants to be bored or have a ugly weekend after hard classes. They want to party. Students associate college, parties, and aJcohol. I even remember hearing about the parties my parents went to in college. I personally think that lowering the drinking age to 18 or 19 would help sotp binge drinking. Drinking is the only thing to do in downtown Iowa City in the evenings. I would like to see more live music. it will give a safe alternative to drinking We could have bowling, more places open late similar to the Java house where people can get together in a casual public environment with out alcohol, or a late night movie theater, people would be less apt to drink. Right now our entertainment options are limited to the bar scene in downtown Iowa City. I think if they were just as much fun as the bars, they may be somewhat helpful. The IMU is not quite the "gathering place" that the University would like it to be. Old Capitol Mall, if owned by the University, would make a much better student union. Right now the IMU is just a conference/meeting center. Only the ground floor is devoted to students. If I had other things to relieve stress, I would pursue them. I like athletics, movies... but all that stuff seems to cost too much -- monetarily and the time and effort it takes to get there... alcohol free dace clubs Absolutely! I think that the reason so many people begin drinking is that it's so easily accessable. The bars are pushing it under everyone's noses. It's being served to everyone on a silver platter. ~ think that if there were that many alternatives as easily accessable that far less people would be pressured to make the choice to drink. Right now people have to look for that's as consistantly available as the bars/alcohol and people don't want to do that. people like to drink its a fact they do because they enjoy it. Take prohibition a small group tried to impose their beliefs on a greater whole and it did not these self serving ideas won;t help ether BO James had an alcohol-free night and it was a flop. There just doens't seem to be that much intrest. I would like to see more concerts from well known artists Education and resposivible examples are the only tings which will curb this alledged problem. Most students seem to say that there is nothing else to do but go out and drink so I definitely think alternatives will decrease the drinking. I think that all the alternatives listed above would be good, especially dance clubs since a lot of students just go to the bars to dance. we do live in the most active and liberal city in Iowa but we are no where close to offering the alternative venues available in other cities like Chicago or Denver or Boulder. Another issue being skirted is that in these towns there are many things to do which avoides the "there's nothing to do but drink" notion. However, you will find that these towns do have a big bar crowd that resembles any city (including Iowa City). Alternative activities (besides library chat with Mary Sue on Friday nights) would spread out the population that normally would settle to go to the bars. The people who go out want to drink, if you were to open non-alcohol actvities these would be a lose. because it doesn't matter what you do people who want to drink will, those who do not won't. The government tried this once it was called PROHIBITION. Spoding events open. When the university does do something, they always make it cheesy and corny and then no one wants to go to it. it seems like drinking is the only thing to do downtown in the evening concerts, discount movies I think alcohol free dance clubs are a good idea. A lot of people. especially underage people like to go to the bars now just to dance, so if the alcohol were not available there it would help. Although any extracurricular activities that the city or University may come up with need to be very well advertised. If someone wants to drink, he or she WILL drink. I said above, people like to go downtown in the evening. This might offer a good alternative. The dance clubs, shopping, etc., are good alternatives, but there is little guarantee that these will solve the problem completely. People say the only thing to really do on the weekends is to go party, so the logical line of reasoning would be to provide alternatives to drinking. I think a discount movie theater. a rec center, and alcohol/smoke free dance clubs would be good alternatives. i don't think that it'll help. but for those who don't drink, the late night activities would be appreciated. More late-night shopping and concerts that are orientated towards students. people can't afford to drink all the time, if there was a cheaper form of entertainment I am sure many would go. Nightly concerts would be great, or even late late night movies, People don't want to go to those kinds of things drunk, or they wont get their money's worth. the people who drink dangerously and cause the majority of the visible problems in i.c. are the people who are going to laugh at any attempt to offer alternatives to drinking. people who don't already place alot of emphasis on drinking are going to be the people who access these alternative venues, not the problematic drinkers Additional entertainment and sports. The students who drink do it as part of their social life. I am from a small town and drank in high school for a social activity, I will always drink as a social activity. It is just what I am accustomed to. Concerts would be great as would more readily available recreation and excercise opportunities....there isn' much to do in the winter time in Iowa City. College students who drink will find places to go. These alternative venues would appeal to students who are not currentely drinking only. it minght give people other things to do, but it wouldnt be as fun The people who drink will still do so. This wouldn't affect those who aren't in this high-risk group. more to do Dance clubs, additional downtown movie theaters It may but with late night traffic, it brings potential problems. Try it and see what happens. Personally. I would love to have a rec center stay open until midnight, that would be fun! I think that it would at least give students an alternative to drinking. Univ of Iowa has the only student union, that I am aware of, that closes early. Wisconsin and Iowa State have activities within their Student Unions that go late into the night on weekends. There would be more opportunities for students to do other things. Movie theaters, shopping, concerts with various types of music, bowling alley ..... Yes, to an extent. Some people would make use of such areas, but there are alot of people who want to drink. For those I do not think there is an answer. If they are not able to go to the bars they will find a pady. For alot of people drinking excessively is a part of the college experience. It has been for quite a while and it seems to be becoming part of today's culture. There are those students who could find better things to do now but still choose to drink. They will continue to do so no matter what other activities are offered. Nothing will every stop these so called DANGEROUS behaviors! Students go to class all week and need to blow off some steam. Most of these alternative venues are available and people still drink. Going to the bars is just part of college. The people who are drinking, want to drink, and will do so no matter what It might decrease drinking, but I think it would help students who don't go to the bars have more fun. I think having more concerts and cheaper movie theaters with more choices would be good. The dollar theatre in Ames is a popular place for students, I think Iowa City would benefit from having one. Concerts, recreational facilities Possibly, but only if it is coupled with changing the entrance age of bars back to 21 only. I think that alcohol free dance clubs would be great, and concerts too. A little, but students will always drink, and always want to drink. College students aren't interested in those types of activities. Possibly. More coffee/water/juice places with live entertainment It doesn't matter what other alternatives are in place, people who seriously want to drink, will. Drinking holds more of an interest for underage people. More support for University programming would greatly benefit this alternative objective It may possibly decrease the dangerous drinking behavior to some extent. An alternative is a better way to curve drinking habits than to forbid it. Example people who smoke more often quit when there are other things to disperse there cravings. Alcohol consumption in bars is social, so if other social activities occur, people will do it. Yes, to a point, but there are still those people who want to go out and drink in a bar setting. Maybe, because at times it does seem that there is really nothing else to do. I am not sure what, but maybe just things like bowling or movies. This will not affect current drinkers but may offer alternatives to new students and alter their behavioral patterns so that alcohol doesn't become a necessity. Alcohol free dance clubs is the best idea posted. This is college, not junior high school. To a limited extent. Will never totally replace it. I think that these types of venues would help to a cedEain extent. Places like Planet X might help, but then there is the problem of people going to the bars and then going to the alternatives. Drinking is in the culture of students, and students think it is a Jot more fun to drink then to do other activities on the weekend. The culture of the students would need to change first. aJthough it might a little, the people that want to drink are going to...there really is no stop to that. young people want to have a good time while drinking. They have been watching grown-ups drink in bars their whole and our society treats drinking as a grown up thing to do. The only way to curb underage alcohol consumption is to immitate Europe and have no drinking age. I wish there were more cheaper, and better movie theaters in Iowa City, but I don't think this would deter students drinking. They will continue to do so, regardless of the rules that are imposed on them. It probably would help both, but as the Iowa City city council has already allowed the bars to dominate downtown, this is a long range solution to an immediate problem. cam busses to planet x. the coral ridge mall open. rock concerts. More live music acts They may limit the number of times people drink by giving them an alternative, but they will not completely keep people from drinking. Those that binge drink are probably the ones least likely to engage in alternative venues I think it would be great to have other venues because iowa city offers nothing but booze, and nothing else, such as movie theaters, bus times, or bowling allies stay open long enough, or are not convenient to those who don't have cars at night. there are so many bars, and it gives us non drinkers nothing to do, and when organizations want to have parties, they don't want them to be in the same old drinking spots. I Would like to see dance/night clubs, bowling allies, the cambus to keep longer times or city buses, etc. I think people that hinge drink will not be interested in other activities. These venues may discourage social drinkers from going out, but the amount of binge drinking will not significantly decrease. I still think venues that are aJcohol free for people like me who do not drink at all. Kids will probably just get drunk and go to the concerts or whatever all drunk. Happens all the time. only if people chose to go to these venues. Possibly giving others an opportunity to do something else. It might decrease the drinking just by giving another option, although there will always be underage drinking. I would like to see more concerts in Iowa City. These are not related to the core issue. You're sure to get at least one person to go, so that one person would cause a decrease, but overall, the decrease won't be large. the people who over-consume are goimg to do so regardless of the other activities available I think you would see a slight decrease....I think it would be short term though because concerts are cool but you cant have good ones that are going to draw a lot of people very often, so when there isnt a concert going on, people are going to drink at the bars.. ,.and a dance club without alcohol would be awesome if it was an actual dance club...there are no true dance clubs in Iowa City...youd definitely draw some people with that...so even a little decrease would be good i guess so a dance club would be cool Yes, I think it would. We are young. We have energy. We are living the most carefree, and yes, irresponsible times of our lives as undergraduates at this university. However, that doesn't mean that all we want is booze and a good time. This is also the time when we are learning the most about ourselves and our individual positions in society. Downtown Iowa City caters to one thing and one thing only after 10 p.m.: drinking alchohok The UI knows it, the City Council knows, and for God's sake the ICPD knows it. Providing alternative activites/venues from the bar scene may not stop underage drinking in Iowa City, in fact, it definitely will not. But it just might give us students a place to go after, say, one or two drinks at home or at a bar. Often my friends and I ponder what to do after having a glass of wine early on a Friday night. Since there is rarely an answer to that question, rather than going home and playing board games or watching TV (both of which have merit on the appropriate occasion), we go to another bar for a change of scenery. And what are we to do at that next locale but drink? Please, please Iowa City and UI, provide us with cultural outlets by which we can entertain ourselves en masse without the aid of alchohol and/or drugs. I would love to see alchohol-, smoke-free dance clubs with good underground electronic DJs in Iowa City, for instance. There are a wealth of artists and entertainers more than willing to provide their services to our community. Let's give them that chance. a alcohol free dance club(s) because some people go out just to dance but when they get into a bar they see other people having fun with alcohol so they want some too, Many c011ege students come here to ddnk and party while they go to school. You just can't control this. They want to go to bars. Dance dubs will result in increased drug us and people love to get drunk. probably not. Unless the city sponsors free concerts and have naked girls at these alcohol free events. Because the people who go out drinking to get drunk want to be doing that anyway. What it -would- do is give the people who don't drink someplace to go instead of hanging out in their apartments/dorms trying to avoid the drunk people. More concerts and it would be good if the coffee shops were open later. only if under 21 students could not get into the regular bars because of the age limit This is the only option I can see that will have any effect on underage drinking. because i do not feel that there are a lot of other big social things to do. i think a bowling alley would be cool Yeah, I think more options would make more people do things other than drink. You still have to realize that they are going to, though, and probably would at these events as well. Only a few people would change, not everyone. No, on the weekends all I want to do is let loose and party. Once in a great while I may decide not to drink one night out of the weekend but those are few and far between. There would be toerh things to do! Iowa City is becoming like one huge bar. I have friends at other schools where they have alternatives to drinking, yet they still choose to drink. all of those options are already closely available either on campus or nearby yet most students choose to go to parties or drink on the weekends. I think some people drink because there is nothing else they feel they can do for entertainment, Kids that want to drink are going to drink Students would sometimes substitute these activities for the bar. Maybe. We've never had those things available, so I don't know whether they would work or not. Game Night at the Field House seemed to work a little, but a lot of people don't live close to the FH. It's not accessible. The only problem with drinking in Iowa City is that the city council is blowing this way out of proportion. It would have to be a gradual process and it would have to be located downtown There appears to be "nothing better to do". The dance clubs would help, but not necessarily. The main reason most people go out to drink is to either a. get drunk or b. hook up with someone for the night Bowling all of these would be great, and would help a little, but the lure of the bars would remain. I think that it would just provide more places for people to drive drunk to. The bar is part of the university life. So is drinking in my opinion. People are spending all this time and money on something that seems to be an impossible task. Offering other choices on weekends will do some good but what is to stop people from doing this dangerous drinking before doing these other things? Any other social activity would reduce the number of students who drink socially. Planet X is a great venue, and the Englert theator is another great venue. they would to a very limited degree... people go to bars because they have alchol. not because they have no place better to go.. college students want to party and have fun, and alcohal enhances that fun, but having other non alcohalic places to party would be fun as well. the problem is, there is no other fun places besides the bars. If scope did it's job and got good college bands to play here instead of arena crap like the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, maybe people wouldn't drink so much. Also, the Bijou offers quality coffee oriented entertainment. It is part of Iowa City culture to drink the night away and when they are unable to buy it at the bar then they start going to "after hours". In theory the places that were mentioned above would be the best solution to the problem but the likelyhood that people would actually go to them is slim to none. People are pretty much set in their ways of the way they like to do things and that just isn't the thing to do these days. For a while any way. As soon as these got boring, students would go back to the old routine. I would like to see more concerts around here. i think it would be a good idea to promote more non-alcoholic events available to students. Concerts are always good. they would encourage more people to go out and not stay at home and drink. concerts well, actually i don't think a lot of people drink because of a lack of options. again, if they want to drink, then they'll drink. i do think those sort of alternative venues are a good idea, however, for the people that think the only thing to do in iowa city is to go to the bars The people that want to drink will, reguardless, other options would be good though, to give those that dont something to do. Most definitely. People complain there is nothing to do. Seems like very little is being done about this problem. If the community and the UI are so concerned - DO SOMETHING. There's not much else to do in Iowa City, unless you have a car and are able to drive to Coralville. A bigger movie theater with newer releases or ice skating rink would be cool. Students are going to drink regarless the atmophere (meaning bar, house pad-/, public resturant). In reference to your examples above-alcohol flee dance clubs are not going to happen and if they do, they will go bankrupt due to lack of customers...shopping and recreational facilites are not even up for debate...concerts definately will not stop students for drinking-they will drink before the doors open. If Iowa city had somewhere that wasn't a bar and had concerts there more kids would attend this activity. They do it occasionally at the IMU but the sound there sucks and they never get good bands. Also there is not good movie theatres in Iowa City. All that the theatres show are lame big budget movies from hollywood. dependes people would rather spend money on alcohol, however if it were cheeper, or free almost anything would work Probably not because it is getting too expensive to do most of these activities in this town anyway. I don't think so. If people want to drink, they will find a way. Establishing more alternative venues can't hurt, but the crowd that you see in these venues won't be the same folks that are causing all the problems now anyway. It will be those who don't go to the bars to begin with. As long as they are not too expensive. these venues can assist some but the bars will still be very popular. but if they are more expensive then bars, or have too much of a "babysitting" or "parenting" atmosphere they will not be successful Most students go to the bars for the purpose of drinking. Alternative venues would not decrease the number of student drinkers because those who want to drink will only go to the bars. They will not want to go to other facilities if they intend on drinking. I think it will be a help to some students, but I also think other students are thinking "Hey I'm in college and I want to party." But we definately need some alternative ideas for underage students. I feel that this would have an effect on underage drinking in iowa City, especially alcohol free dance clubs, not just alcohol free nights at bars, and recreational facilities. The question is not what to offer, most alternatives are already in place, they just need to cater to the schedule of many students on the weekends, which means later hours of operation on weekends for movie theatres, the field house, and old capitol mall, if it ever gets any stores in it. As for dangerous drinking behavior, I repeat myself from my last response. There are always going to be a minority who want to get real drunk and act stupid. These people will also find a place to do it, whether that be the dorms, bars, or off-campus house parties. I know that I am always looking for something safe and fun to do. If I had a place to go where I would not be threatened by drunk boys, I'd go. I would like to see some non mainstream movie theatres that show noncurrent and independent movie theatres Alcohol-free bars, as well as SMOKE-FREE bars. Because we are in college now, and peer pressure doesn't force us to drink. If someone likes to drink, they will drink on weekends, and if someone doesn't like to drink, they will avoid it. Stepping Up and the City Coucil underestimate our ability as adults to make our own decisions based on our lifestyles. maybe, especially w/freshman. inexpensive activities as listed above The most part is now. people are in college, this is what they do Late night movies, clubs, and just places like Serendipity located closer to downtown, like the bars are. they need a shuttle to the mall at night!! There are other things to do other than drink already, but keep stuff open later any alternatives could have an effect, Although I think the effect will be small. People Will still drink to drink. no, because most towns have those, and most teens just choose to drink anyway because it is what they are accustomed to If the venues were alcohol free, people would just drink before they go to them anyway. I would LOVE to see Iowa City attracting great bands or performers, and it would give us constructive things to do. Honestly, there is nothing to do in Iowa City. If there are festivals or concerts my friends and I go. However the numbers of these are SMALL. Drinking is usually just something to do to pass the time and see friends on the weekends. Yes, but again the people who really want to drink and party will anyway. More options for outlets would be useful. more theater and cultural activities would be nice. A society and government, which do not glorify alcohol or make it an issue through law would also help. I don't think it is appropriate to equate underage drinking necessarily with dangerous behavior. Many underage drinkers do not partake in so called dangerous behaviors. Not really sure this will have a positive impact. I am not really a part of this younger crowd. On some nights you could possibly cut down on the drinking, but it wouldn't be a permanent change, It depends heavily on how "hip" these other places can become. No one wants to go to a place that is considered a drag. Some kind of alcohol-free concert or dance clubs would be attractive to students who are underage, and would also be very attractive to those students who do not like to drink. There is currently nothing really available in terms of evening entertainment for students who do not drink. Given the price of drinks and cover charges more students may decide to choose a lower cost alcohol-free event than a night at the bars. Reduced price movies, dances, cncerts, etc would all be good alternatives. If people wanted to do that sort of thing instead of drink, they would. if they don't want to drink when they go out, they don't. Plain and simple It would give an alternative to the bars for hanging out and having fun. I would like to see alcohol free dance clubs, concerts, and recreational facilities. Again, the people who want to drink are going to drink, regardless of the number of "healthier" alternatives. "Dangerous" is also a relative term and I don't see why or how the level of danger in someone's actions should be determined by another person or group of people. NO. If people want to hang out in an alcohol free environment they will. People drink because they want to not becasue of lack of options. We are not teenie boppets any more. I would rather go to a club and dance than deal with dumb young drunks People will do what they find fitting. IF they want to go to a movie, they will go. If they want to become intoxicated then they will do that as well. Having alternative venues would not necessarily decrease "dangerous drinking behavior." I don't think that any non-alcoholic place is going to stop students from drinking. but, for non-drinkers, it would be an excellent idea to have a non-alcohol dance club that way they don't have to be around alcohol if they don't wish to!! but only a little after a long period of time, b/c people will get bored w/non alcoholic events once they have been used to drinking The best way to stop underage drinking is to just keep them out of the bars and have alternate places for under 21 people to go. The Quad Cities has a club like this and people actually go to it. As long as clubs let in those under 21, there will always be underage drinking no matter what alternative venues are given. However, if a 21 yr. old only law was passed, then only I believe that if movie theaters, and alcohol free dance clubs, and concerts were available there would be less drinking problems. Besides going to bars to get drunk, some students go there for the social aspect. Creating alcohol free events, such as dance or sports clubs, would decrease underage drinking. Because, it is the culture, not the bars' fault. Raise the price and students will buy less books. I think some of the drinking would decrease during these times. But, I also think that many of the students will just "reallot" their drinking times to other nights. I would like to see more concer~s and cheaper movies, like the dollar theatres in Cedar Rapids. Right now there isn't much to do around here, so most students turn to drinking for entedainment. If there were more programs available, more students would get involved in them and it would lea to less drinking. I think most people drink because they think irs the only 'fun' thing available to do, There are not many alcoholic alternatives in Iowa City, only too many bars. Most college students enjoy drinking with friends, it's a social activity that I don't feel too many students are willing to give up. If there are other things to do than go out to the bars, students will do it. Especially other types of clubs. If they're alcohol-free, that's just fine. Make them smoke-free while you're at it too. De~nately! !! I wish there were alcohol free dance clubs! I think that any entertainment alternatives that didn't involve drinking would improve the drinking problem drastically!!! How about a DECENT concert venue? If Ames can bring good bands, why can't IC? college student drink face it they will either drink or go somewhere else like a house to drink I Would like to see a non-alcoholic place similar to Gameworks in Illinois Somewhat, but I dont think that the bar scene can be entirely replaced with alternative venues like the night games and shopping Actually, alcohol doesn't bother me. Let's outlaw tobacco. I like dance clubs, coffee houses, pool halls, and cheap movies. Although I don't believe the problem is that prevelant, it would be nice to have other options down town. Because the people who take advantage of these sorts activities are not the ones who are out drinking every weekend. They are the people who are looking for something to do other than sitting at home and be bored. People who go out every weekend are not going to say "Oh my God, these alcohol free activites have changed my life and I will be forever sober." No one's mind works like that. I think it would help a lot, with the exception of addicts who have a disease that will not permit them to stop using/abusing until they recieve proper care. I think more advertising of AA programs would definitly help the problem. Night venues... midnight bowling, DANCE CLUBS. board game nights, casino night was fun!, a street dance would be cool, Our society sees alcohol as "bad", and as long as people consider alcohol to be bad, students will continue to want to drink, even if they are underage. People (especially childen and young adults) love to do things that they are not supposed to do. I think that all of the attention on the downtown bars encourages students to go there. It's a challenge to them: they think "1 wonder what I can get away with". People would get drunk and then go to the venues. Movies are already offered pretty late at night. Concerts may help, but the University seems to ruin that for us (i.e. last concert scheduled at Carver cancelled). Plus people who live in the dorms do not have any means of transportation to most of these things. The bars are just a shor walk away from any of the dorms. I would do other activities, but there are many who drink for recreation. A great idea would be to show first-run movies right on campus at (say the IMU or somewhere on Pentacrest) late starting time such as midnight or 1am. I'm sure there are several people that never drank before they came to school here but began to drink because there was nothing else to do. Only if they are totally free and you give prizes for going It wouldn't completely stop the problem; however, it might curb underage drinking if there were alternatives such as dance clubs available. Sports facilities, shows, movies, anthing with entertainment value. Unless maybe it involoved recreational pharmecudicals. Having alternative venues would keep people that want to stay away from alcohol occupied, but many people like the environment of the bars. Not because they can get drunk, but because they can socially drink while they enjoy things like dancing. I think alternative activites would decrease the amount of dangerous drinking because they would take the focus off of strictly drinking and put more emphasis on the chosen activity. I think it could go either way, some people might and some people drink to get drunk so they arent' going to stop. I would like to see Conceals, rec fac., substance free clubs alcohol free dance clubs Alcohol free dance clubs would be a good idea. It would have to be accessable only to college students to affect University of Iowa students. I know that neither I nor many of my friends would attend a dance club where younger people were in attendance. The other problem that may arrise is drugs such as ectacy are more popular in clubs where alcohol isn't available. If a student, wishes to get drunk with his friends he or she shall; the area has ample non-alcoholic activites available. Offering more alcohol-free events in the city would help a little, but if underage persons and/or dangerous drinkers want to drink, they are going to. There is nothing that the city or local law enforcement can do about it. I'd love to see an alcohol free dance club. PErsonally I hate drunken frat boys rubbing up against me all night. Drinking will always be present no matter the activities Anything besides pubs. Often people attend bars for social activity; alternative venues would aid somewhat. I would like to see more concerts and clubs promoting live music. Students are always going to drink. If students want to drink, they are going to do it. If students don't want to drink, then they won't. Alcohol free places would be good for students who choose not to drink. i always go to game night at the field house when it is offered. This is college, not high school I personally would love to have a club of some sort that didn't involve alcohol in the establishment where you could just go and have fun and not worry about someone spilling thief beer on me. People don't want to do these things. These are the things they already do with friends when they want to. When students reach the weekend. they want to go downtown, not shop. Cheaper movie theaters and malls close by. like maybe making a large study area/coffee shop at old capitol mall All of the above plus bowling lanes closer to campus People who want to drink, want to drink...they will not be satisfied with an attempt to replace their fun. I think it would help those who go to the bars b/c "there is nothing else to do" The answer is yes and no. Yes becasue it will give people something to do other then go to bars. No, because people will still drink before going to these venues (i.e. concerts, dance clubs, movies..) because drinking is just something college like to do. It is a part of the whole "learning experience." Movies, recreational facilities. But, only on an extremely small scale Theaters, concerts There might be a few people that would take advantage of them. but lets face it: college students drink to relieve the stresses of college life. While those things mentioned above are at times appealing. your average college student will leave those activities for when they are out of school. The people that would go to an alcoholic free dance club are not people that are contributing to any alcohol "problems" any way. it would offer some alternative; concerts and recreational activities concerts alc-free dance clubs I'm white and i cant dance and have a fully good time unless i drink a little to relax. People go to drink a little and dance a little and just have fun. I think it would decrease the sheer number of people going out to the bars. In many cities they have dance clubs where alcohol is not served at all. This may be a possiblity. College kids want to go out, give them options and they'll take you up on them. Late night movies, all night field house facilities, and other sports facilities. Just anything to vent stress in a healthy way while being able to hang out with friends. It's possible. I am actually skeptical. but I would like to see more venues for nondrinkers. I think the nondrinkers are being ignored in the attempt to lessen the drinking. Venues would be concerts, club type places, someplace fun to go goof off and yet have a great time. If a person wants to go out to the bars and get drunk, they are going to do so regardless of any other activities that may be available to them. there is not that much dangerous drinking._the adults of this town did it when they were kids so they should deal with it Any of these. None of them exist at the present time at night (without driving). People who want to drink would just go to the places that do serve. People are not forced to drink, they drink because they want to, just like they would go to a movie if they wanted to. people who drink are going to drink Venues are fun yet restricting drinking, the lightest of recreational drugs, will increase the usage of other drugs. It would give people something else to do besides go to the bar. Student that drink would probably drink before these alternative venues, or sneak alcohol in. it would give younger people more choices of things to do on weekends.. they just may decide not to drink one friday night.. and who knows.. they may even continue to have fun without alcohol. more concerts and plays. ..maybe bowling or something too? iowa city is pretty limited, and without a car it makes it hard to get to movies, shopping, concerts, etc. College is a time of experimentation and freedom so whether this expression be through drinking, drugs, etc. high school type activities (concerts, dance clubs. etc) will be unpopular. It would give people a choice of what to do instead of limiting them to house party or the bar alelima. A real dance club or a discount movie theater (where they show new releases after it's been out a while for $3~, instead of $7) would be a worthwhile undertaking. as long as it is interesting, people will probably go there Seriously, kids enjoy drinking. Heck, I don't drink and I wouldn't really go to an alcohol free dance club because irs more fun at the bars. Concerts are the best idea, but they would be too much money. Yes, definitely! People basically go out that late for social purposes and when social entertainment is available without the alcohol, people might feel less pressured into getting drunk. But then again, the individual impact depends on a person's reason for drinking. This may work if the activities were fun. It might create some alternatives to the "party school" atmosphere of UI. Many students will continue to drink, but any alternatives would give those "on the fence" an alternative. Those places are lame. Times are changing and not many students want to those places. This would provide more options for students for things to do on the weekends. There really aren't many alternatives to going to the bars, Like I said in the last question, a great deal of students go to the bars just as a time to relax and spend time with friends. Perhaps some bars could have an alcohol free night, or if they have multiple levels or rooms, designate one as alcohol free and in order to get into an alcohol room you must show proof of age and alcohol is neither served or alowed in alcohol free rooms. Think about it kids grew up watching animal house and when they come to college they want to experience that is some way. There are plenty of things to do now that is just some old mans excuse or that of a student with little imagination. I think that there would be a decrease but it depends on what kind of other entertainment is offered. Most people go to the bars and srink simplybecausetherearenootherformsofenetertainmenthere. Alcohol free Dance clubs, or simply just dances, and movie theaters would be a good start to trying to decrease dangerous drinking behavior. we need more quality concerts Yes, definitely, because when you think of it, about the only thing people do on weekend nights is go out and drink. There aren't enough other interesting alternatives. Saturday night at Coral Ridge doesn't cut it for people. Many people say they just go out to dance, so I think an alcohol free club would be a start if someone would take the risk to start one. It would affect it minimally. Iowa City has a culture that encourages alcohol as its main source of entertainment. Those who want to drink, will. If not at the bar, at house parties. The University needs to provide concerts and other bar entertainment. If anything, the University should host events with alcohol and make sure that everyone merely drinks responsibly. I would much rather go to a University event and have a beer or two then go to a bar and blitzed. I am not saying they are a bad idea. Anything that is an alternative to drinking in this town is a good addition, but the people who want to go out and get drunk are not going to change their minds if there is a new movie theater Alcohol free dance clubs and more movie theaters. Rec facilities would also help out... more variety would reach a broader audience. They might decrease it marginally. Once again, too many students come here wanting to drink, thinking that is the only way to have a good time. Drinking is ingrained in the culture of the University of Iowa. People tend to really like to drink, so they'll probably drink beforehand anyway. I fell that all ofthose ideas are good ones, and I would personally really like to see an alcohol free dance club here in Iowa City. Rock Concerts!! (like an amphitheater that brings in big names), This would definitely help decrease not only underage drinking but drinking of all UI students. The best thing that could happen would be to turn one of the movie theaters into a discount theater. Either student discounts offerred or $2 admission, and make the last show start around 10 or 11 pm on the weekends. At this stage in life it is normal for most students to test their limits and alcohol Consumption is an avenue Students see as a means to test themselves Move an alcohol-free dance hall for young adults into the space left vacant in the Old Capitol by JC Penney. Very little. People like to do those things. but they feel that the alcohol just makes it more fun. Plus, there will be those who go to these alcohol free venues drunk just to be rebels. i'd like to see skate parks and theatres, Somewhat possibly. If there are other alternatives of what to do. you don't have to go to the bar every weekend night. I think the I-Max theaters sound really cool, and maybe some sort of recreational facilities. Alcohol free dance clubs. Not everyone who is underage goes to bars is looking to get drunk. When I was underage I just wanted to go dancing. it is probably very tempting for a minor in a bar serving alcohol to drink. even if their motivation for going was just to go out and dance. If there were places to dance without alcohol, it might curb the underage drinking. Just make sure the non-alcohol places weren't just for underagers. I'd rather go to a non-alcohol dance club than a bar full of slobbering drunks. alcohol free dance clubs. or if one night a week/month or whatever the clubs like Q bar and spor[s column all got together to offer an alcohol free night with fun events and such. it would tell people that yes it is possible to go to a club and not get drunk and still have fun. Yes, it would help discourage drinking because currently, when you ask yourself "What is there to do in Iowa City?" About the only thing that comes to mind is going to the bars. There needs to be a variety of late night opportunities or else drinking will continue as the favorite late night activity, if kids want to drink they will, regardless of alternatives. A good theater might be a good option to have in iowa city. There is no way to prevent people from going to a concert drunk... People will just drink before then. i think the programs offreed in the dorms are a great thing. however, those who have moved off campus are not able to hear about these things or they are not allowed to participate. I dont think there is much "dangerous drinking" as it is. If drink specials and out of sight sales were eliminated it would create a much worse situation than there already is. It would drive more people to house party's increasing drunk driving, Also, with the bars, atleast it is confined to a specific area. It may help teenagers still in high school, but not university students. I do believe that some students drink for lack of other things to do. It's an easy way to have fun. Given alternatives, a certain portion of the student body may choose not to drink when they otherwise would. This idea beats the hell out of just raising the prices in the hopes of bankrupting the students to the point of sobriety. We are in college, we want to drink. this is a difficult question. I went to a private school for two years before i transferred here, it was a dry campus, and only alcohol free clubs etc. We just had lots of house parties, and then went to the clubs after we were already drunk. We hung out for a few hours and danced, then went back to the parties. The only thing it will do is increase the amount of drinking and driving incidents. Students would have other places to frequent where alcohol is not a staple. Some people don't want to drink but just want something to do so they drink. I think anything else that is open late at night would help a lot. College students like to drink beer. After learning (generally firsthand) why overindulgence is a bad idea, they generally start drinking responsibly. Becuse there so few fun recreation late in Iowa City It would divert attention away from the bars scene. However, for younger students. the allure of the nightlife will still draw them in. I sit at home ever,/night doing nothing because I don't like and don't agree with the downtown scene. It would be nice to have somewhere to go that didn't promote drinking. I think many others would also leave the downtown scene if there was something else to do in Iowa City at night. I would like to see a nice movie theater and recreational facility (even though the field house is nice, it's not open very late on weekends). The best idea is for the university to by the old capitol mall and turn it into a non-alcoholic hang out with a bowling alley, a good food court, a movie theater, and any other activity that college students might enjoy. I'd like to see more movies and legit theatres and some dance clubs. Perhaps the school could sponser workshops in international dancing. Again, I think promoting diversity and multiculturalism would help increase knowledge and student diversity while decreasing drinking. For such a liberal, open-minded area. the level of diversity is alarmingly It may give people more options of things to do instead of just always having to go to bars because it is there only choice. I think that they like it the way it is. lazer tag would be nice. but like I said people will just drink at home go to these things then hit the bars. Students are going to do what they want to do. It would give the students something better to do. I am very disappointed with the fad that Iowa City draws very few large act concerts. If there is a fun activity, people will go to that, it is something different, and people can drink whenever they want. I would like activities that are free, like musical concerts, or comedy shows, or karoke put on by the students. IT'S COLLEGE!!!! It's just a fact, that college students drink while in college for various reasons. and it doesn't matter if thera are "alternative venues", kids are going to drink. People will drink regardless. It is not possible to stop want people want to do and that is to drink. New Movie Theatre Concerts! Cause people would have more choices. Movie theaters. students will go, but they will drink before hand Slightly, because often there are few options other than dancing/drinking at the bars presented. From what I hear people saying, the only reason people go to the bars in Iowa City is because there is nothing to do. In my opinion, I would have to agree with them. There is little to do in Iowa City. Anything that is not drinking related requires a car or is not open late enough for students to enjoy it. Someplace that is as accessible as downtown that you could paintball or do fun things like that without it costing as much as a U-Bill. People would still drink if they wanted to. The University needs to support more concerts and better movies at Bijou to get students to decrease underage drinking A concert late at night? What else is Old Capital for! I say the university starts renting out space in there for alternative options. But late night concerts and movies would work for me. People do not like to go to places that are there only to enforce prohibitionar~ thought. Dance clubs will turn out instead of having alcohol consumed, more dangerous party drugs such as ecstacy will be consumed. I don't think many people would go to the other places, the bars are a social thing...it doesn't matter if you drink and it doesn't mean you will drink if you go there. You go to meet people and have fun with your friends, there would then be alternative activities for everyone Because the Iowa City Council is comprised of old farts who feel that since they are too old to have fun, why should the young college students be allowed to. We need better movie theatres with more screens for more movie options. They would help decrease the problem, but not completely. Concerts and dances are fun, but people usually drink before they go. The bars will be packed, and plus decreasing the amount of people only slightly decreases the amount of bad actions. If something interesting was actually offered it may help the problem. the bars are what make iowa city the place to be on the weekend Actually, my answer to this depends on the alternative venue provided. Although I have noticed that those students who do not wish to drink usually find something else to do, venues that do not openly reek of the Stepping Up Program (which not very many people find effective or enticing, regardless of alcohol consumption). I think that it would reduce the problem because there would be something else to do. Right now in Iowa City it appears that the only way to have fun is to drink. It is a horrible attitude to have, but what is being done about it. There is not that much to do other than go to the bars. Occasionally there is an alcohol free event, like the recent casino night in Hillcrest. But, these are few and far between. Who wants to sit around and wait for these once a month things to be planned. I think that adding venues to downtown Iowa City would be a great idea. Live music would be a plus as well as late night shopping centers. Also the only movie theater in walking distance always seems to show the dumbest movies that are out. If it showed better movies, maybe people would see a movie instead of going to the bars. College people everywhere will drink all the time everywhere no matter what. Its just a matter of where they go or how much they have to pay to get it. Nothing can curtail or distract students from drinking and having a good time doing it. This isn't high school. It would give people the chance to have fun without drinking. Concerts would be wonderful!! They might a little bit, but I'm not sure what will work Drinking is part of college. When people come to college, many of them also check out the party seen and believe it or not, it has a lot of pull when a person is picking a college. because people want to drink Yes, because there is not much else to do around here that is cheap and on a regular basis. Late night movies and alcohol free dance clubs are a great idea. I know at least a lot of my friends simply go to the bars to dance - and not touch a drink all night. I answered yes, but I really mean MAYBE. It would depend on the type of activity and the kind of people who go there. Non-alcoholic dance clubs would be a nice addition to downtown. cause there are more people that drink than dont' drink plus it's really expensive to do all the recreation things here I would do them more but I don't have money too It should be more like uni where everything is flee tO USe This would help some students on some occasions. It would definitely not eliminate the problem by any means. I would like to see some of these ideas put into action because when Friday night rolls around I cannot think of many alternatives to the bars because ntohing is open. However, once again, you must consider that I do not drink often anyways and these alternatives may only cater to students like myself who are not part of the problem you are addressing. Still, some ideas would be shopping, Planet X type of establishments for college students, or just keeping anything open later at night. Concerts, sports competitions, possibly shopping...would be fun. Everyone loves music so concerts are good. Back home we have a 24hr fitness club where a lot of people play basketball real late. Also, most of the people I know go to the bars to dance, so a dance club sounds good. Maybe a local radio station could run it. Or, perhaps students who mix their own records could have their own night to do the music and advertise themselves to get more people out there. Alcohol free dance clubs would be a good idea. Most of those are already available and those that aren't always available-like concerts-don't deter drinking. You can't create alternatives for people that want to go out to the bars. They go there because they want to, not because there isn't anything else to do. Yes becausethere is nothing else to do in IC besides to go to bars, Dance clubs Would be fun. Don't know what I would like to see. Drinking at college is considered a tradition in a way, and it is hard to change something so set in stone in a short period oftime...if at all. I think it would help only if the activities sounded exciting and were cheap. I would like to see all of suggested activites. Personally, I would rather be in an alcohol free environment. It's true that not everyone shares my point of view, but I feel a good majority of people would opt for a fun non-alcholoic event over the bars if it were available and affordable. One can't tell for sure, but it sure wouldn't hurt to try. It's not that you have to drink alcohol to have fun, but often times it can help make a boring time more interesting. Things like a closer bowling alley, late night theaters (with up-to-date movies), alcohol (and SMOKE) free dance clubs and more good concerts seem very appealing alternatives to smoke tilled bars downtown. The reason for drinking at a bar is because there is nothing else remotely aftrecfive to do. After 9 pm in Iowa City, unless you have a car there is nothing to do in Iowa City besides going to the bar scene. Alcohol-flee dance clubs 18-21 year olds need something to do. We have at least 12 bars in the near Iowa City area...is there anything else to do besides drink??? It might help 2 or 3 people, but everyone else wants to go out, have a couple of drinks and have a good time. Truthfully, the best way to do it would be to legalize drinking for 18-year-olds and get rid of all this bullshit. yes if they were places that offered a realistically enjoyable alternative. I would like to see more clubs and social activities on campus. I would like to see more late night movies and concerts. As far as an alcohol free dance club-I doubt it would get much business, unless it was for afterhours only. more alcohol free dance clubs, but they have to have good music and a fun atmosphere or it will become a flop. Maybe some card games or games where someone wins something like money. A queer coffee house would be really awesome. A dance club, billiards, and bands playing in venues that do not serve alcohol. I think it would give alternatives to people, who just want something to do on Saturday night. However, it is not going to stop people who really want to drink from drinking. Perhaps, I'm really not sure, but it would provide some alternatives to the bars. If there were a variety of things to do in Iowa City, people might be less likely to use drinking as a sole form of entertainment. More shows or cares would be nice. This may give the students reasons not to drink. I think a lot of the people that drink dangerously go out every night, every weekend. I think that they believe that's what the weekends at college are for. People who don't drink dangerously are the people that for the most part go out to have fun and don't necessarily go out all the time. I think those people would be more likely to try new activities, or just not go out. Anything. Being a non-drinker I find there is not much to do in Iowa City. Going to bars is about the most entertaining. But who wants to take care of a drunk all night? Having to go to a place where alcohol is the main attraction for people my age is not fun for someone who stays sober all night. I think other options would help. As of right now, there aren't many options. The aforementioned options sound good. but that will probably never happen,,,no one has the initiative to do it if it hasn't yet Unfortunately, Iowa City is not New York City. We'll just have to deal with it. It would provide more things for students to do. Even if they still went to the bars they might at least go less often. concerts This is a college town, people are going to drink no matter what it done to try to combat it. In general providing more opportunities should decrease the number of dangerous drinking behaviors, but not by a large amount. Either way some sort of reduction is better than none at all. Activities need to be intriguing and fulfil student interests. Known bands playing at non-alcoholic places. spods activities, cheap movies, well known speakers, etc. Kids need activities. Alcohol dance free clubs, other chapemned events. More organized intermural activities (mainly sports) where you can just show up, because plans make it diffucult do do things like that sometimes coraville has a huge mall, a theater with 10 screen, yet i do believe if big name bands were brought in for late shows drinking may decrease, but this is not feasible It would be wonderful to have other options for late night activities--especially an additional art house movie theater. dance clubs, or additional jazz club venues. This might make a difference to some extent. However, I don't think a large number of people will stop going to bars because of the social aspect. late night movies would be cool for the weeknights many come to iowa so that they can drink perhaps for the high school kids. but not for the university after-hours basketball leagues, weight lifting, pools, etc, There are a lot of opportunities to do other activities that don't involve alcohol but students aren't participating in them. maybe, it depends. Many students feel a need to drink because of a class that is going bad, etc. I would say more concerts and rec. facilities would be the best, I know i use the rec. center quite a bit and do think the University needs more facilities like that. It would only help a marginal amount, but more than limiting drinks and such, choosing to drink or not to drink is part of the college experiance. People dont do it for lack of options of things to do. More concerts and a big movie theater that has a good variety of movies. More places with live music (like the Sanctuary), that don't only serve alcohol but food too. This would defintely help with the underage drinking in iowa city. I would like to see movie theaters, skate places(ice, roller. or rollerblading), something like planet-x, These are just a few. Also a rec center that is open pretty late. There are many more than just that. There aren't many things to do! Alternative social settings are a good idea. These may decrease the use of alcohol by a little margin. alcohol free dance club More theaters, better access to Hancher, more plays, comedic shows, shopping... NO--STUDENTS WOULD PROBABLY GO TO THESE EVENTS DRUNK ANYVVAY. There are already alcohol free alternatives but people rarely attend them, one example is game night. I would LOVE to see a "thereed" dance club, sans alcohol. For instance, since the 80s genre is totally "hip" right now. having a dance club that played 80s tunes would be a fun place to hang out and dance with friends. CONCERTS!!!!! and definitly more theaters These things would just give non-drinkers more things to do. (But I don't think they would be a bad idea!) Most people look for alcohoFfree events to go to, but since there are never any going on, they just drink instead, It would be nice to see more activitys around in town, but those who choose to drink will do so when they choose, Movies would be great, conceals would be fun too. shopping, concerts because those buisness would lose money because no one would go there People who want to drink are going to drink and go anywhere they want, whether it is to a bar, movie theater or dance club. They will drink before they go. BECUASE THEN I COULD GO TO THAT! I would like to see a few alcohol free dance clubs, especially of the swing/jazz variety. Right now, the only option seems to be to go to the bars, and when you are there, you inevitabaly drink I think that more alternatives would decrease the drinking a little. Now, people have very few options of what to do on a weekend night and if there were more options I am sure people would choose alcohol free things to do, People want to go out socially and have fun with friends and alcohol free venues are limited, but students can have fun without alcohol if there are fun places and things for them to do. Many of those activites are available already. Feasibility of people having social interactions while shopping at 12am on Sat night is severely misguided I think so, because it gives an alternative to drinking that would hopefully be close to the dorms and offer things to do, Alcohol free dance clubs would be a great idea. More alternatives Could never do any harm. It would give students more of a choice. A college town needs some variety, concerts would be an excellent choice or just different things ever,/weekend. Some people would enjoy going to a concert where alcohol is not served. Maybe mud fight would help attract college student who are stressed out from midterms. Enough said. At this moment the most popular thing to do on a weekend night is to drink, I feel a movie theater or alchol free dance clubs would be a suitable alternative Drinking is a fun way to meet people and have a 10t of fun. Drinking is a necessity to a lot of people. it might decrease a little, but not a large signi~gance Some people honestly think that college is all about drinking. Possibly if UI was a wet campus drinking would work its way out or become not such a big deal. Because everybody at this age wants to go to the bars have a couple of drinks and have a good time! concerts, movie theaters, but still, I want to be able to go out whenever I feel like it. Most people go to the bars not to dance, but to drink. However, I would like to see a nonalcoholic dance club. Kids wanting to get drunk will just drink, there are plenty of evening activities already. Having movie theaters that run later movies or non-alc dance clubs would offer great alternatives to many people. HOwever. this doesn't mean that people will not still drink. It would help though. I wish there was a "somewhat" answer available. sometimes people want to go to the bars to throw back a few beers and have a good time, in which case this would have no effect. However. there are times that students, myself included, have gone to the bars because there is nothing else to do in this town. The only decent theater is at the mall, which is hard to get to for people that don't own cars. There should be more venues, but you MUST not forget that many people feel the bars are the only place to go due to lack of transportation late at night. I love going to shows...and that is one big reason I even go out to the bars--to see bands perform some great music. As far as movie theatres go, I have one word for you: Englert--need I say more? we should utilize Hubbard Park to the best of our abilities and provide students with recreational events such as Ultimate Frisbee tournaments, disc golf, etc. Why not have barbeques or something with those things going on, a nice DJ and charge students $5.00, which they can charge to their student ID? That might be something wodh looking into. But only if you could get people to go to them. Drinking is such a heavy activity because it is one of the most widely available activities in town. There are to many bars, and they are within an easy reach of all of the students. There are already many activities here in Iowa City that don't involve drinking, and it does decrease the amount of people that choose to drink. I'm not sure what more the community could provide. We already have Night games. a very popular alternative to going downtown, and with all the cultural events that come to Iowa City, it's hard not to find something you'd like to do. However, the problem here is communication. Not enough students know about all the great things going on, and defer to going downtown. I feel that if there were more things for students to do at night, they wouldn't feel that the bars were the only option at night, thus reducing underaged drinking. I feel that having more movie theaters or concerts in Iowa City would decrease underaged drinking some, but not completely, Part of the problem with Iowa City is that it has nothing to do (within relative distance from campus) after about 7:00. Right now I believe that there are plenty of alternative activities for students to participate in other then drinking. The problem is that students like to drink and will continue to choose going to the bars over hanging out at a "alcohol free dance club." Alternative venues do not lower the inabitions of students. If there were other options for minors and even those of age I think it might decrease the risk of people going out every night and getting "smashed". But, as I said before, people will still go out and get drunk when they want to. most of these alternatives are already offered in the evening; I don't think people would go if they were offered People who are already anti-drinking will just have more to do. Drinkers won't go to these functions. they already have choices (non-alcohol related activities) that they choose to ignore. They will keep on ignoring them, becuase they want to drink. But only once they gained general status as 'cool,' on their own terms -- not ONLY as alternatives to drinking, Dance clubs would be great. A lot of people go downtown to meet people, this would be a way to meet people and relax without alcohol. A dollar movie theater with older shows. A bowling alley in the Union. Itwould give people other options, so they don't feel like they have to drink to have fun. All of the above ideas sounded great, especially concerts and movie theatres. Discount theatres would be nice. There simply isn't that much to do after 9pro, and the bars are about the only thing open where students can relax, dance, have fun, and drink a bit. Especially down in the ped mall build a facility or introduce a place where you can learn about others The only thing that is somewhat fun to do at night here is to go to the bars. More concerts at cheaper prices, close by recreational centers would be helpful as well. More movie theaters would be a big plus too, especially if they were closer to the dorms than the bars. All of these are already in place, except for the alcohol-free dance clubs; I am satisfied with the night-life here in Iowa City. Students are going to drink no matter what. This is the scene at the University of Iowa. Until the university can have the image not of a "party school," but as a responsible community who offer all of these great alternative venues, then many more students in the "party mindset" will flock to our campus. Kids get drunk because that's what they want do... if they didn't I sure they could find something else to do. It's a choice not a lack of options. Students in the residence halls who do not have easy access to a car (and that is a lot of students) have few late-night activities besides the bars and the theatre. I*ve heard that Planet X is pondering a move to the Old Capitol Mall and I feel that it would be worth their while to do so, Iowa City is inherently limited in the number or types of recreational activities that it has to offer. For one, it is in the middle of a plains state, in the midwest. Few bodies of water, or mountains, or big cities nearby and accessible. Concerts, parades, non-alcoholic clubs are nice, but college students will continue to find ways to incorporate ddnking into the activities. For example, why not drink before event if it is not allowed there? Sure, they'd probably provide additional reasons for NON drinkers to go out and have a great time, it wont stop the drinking that's already going on! just because underaged students are let into bars, it doesnt necessarily mean that they are there to drink. actually, maybe, not sure People go to the bars because they say they have nothing to do. If there was something else FUN to do people would go do it. It Would give both drinkers and non-drinkers alternatives. people just want to be social..times are changing, what people want to do is changing, too bad the elders and sophisticates of this town (and our society) are too oversited to see this, I don't think it would decrease the behavior. I think that the people that don't drink, or don't care to be around the people who drink dangerously would go to alcohol-free places instead. if the field house pool had late hours I would swim all the time late at night. People who want to drink are going to drink. I'm not sure what kind of alcohol free place I'd like to see around. I actually think it might help some students, but others just want to drink, that is what college is about, having fun and exploring without parental rules. I think that this may help some as well. Dance clubs would help for sure as I know that I love the bars but I rarely drink. I go to dance. when we go to these thing we might want to have a couple drinks to enjoy our night more It may have a slight affect, but as long as the attitude amoung students remains as it is, it will not have a prolonged effect. When asked why people go to the bars and drink many will say that there is nothing else to do!! These things already exist, and don't seem to interest the people who just want to get trashed. Because drinking is a large part of society. If anyone were to check the bars in the surrounding areas they would also see that people tend to go to the bar there also. I just think that the whole situation is blown out of proportion. Drinking is a large part of college life, and if people think that it only happens here I invite them to visit any other college campus and see if there is a difference. People drink because that is what other people do. If there was a fun, viable social option, it would decrease drinking. first-run movies, comedy club Sounds like a good idea. If anything, all it is is just another option for nightlife. The world is too damn inhibited to stop drinking, therefore not much will change. Those who want to drink still will and those who don't Won't. Whatever it was it'd have to be cheap I can see having more oppurtunities for late night things help the 'problem' but only of they're marketed the right way.. as of now, going out to the bars is 'the thing' to do, when you have your friends come visit... the main event is going downtown... I would be interested in a good club where you could go dance, and if we booked more events at Carver.., I think so becuse many feel that is all there is to do, go to the bars or stay in. There isnt really a good mall in IA City. I know a lot of people who like to dance, but dont like the guys who grope them and who are drunk. maybe a dnace club that is dry would be something. Or maybe late night movies. NO alcohol means no fun!!!! EVERY COLLEGE STUDENT I KNOW DRINKS, IT'S A COMMON CHARACTERISTIC. I think that concerts, open mic nights, and maybe a better selection of movies in the downtown area would at least give people another option. Drinking more responsibly should be stressed instead. sometimes it is good to do something different Perhaps, I definitely think it's worth the effort. I grew up here in Iowa City and there never has been much to do. The scene has always revolved around the downtown area which is heavily populated with bars. I would love to see more concerts in this town- is the University scared? A lot of people just WANT to drink-they want to party and get drunk. and that's that. Even if they did want to go to a concert or something. they would still most likely drink before hand. There are already a lot of things to do in Iowa City without drinking and it hasn't stopped the drinking. An alcohol free dance club would be good because many people go to the bars just forthe dancing, This would keep underage students from being tempted. My answer is yes and no. Some student will try it but not everyone will. Concerts, etc. All of the above are good ideas just build them, make them inexpencive and advertise them. I answered no bacause most likely the same people that had been going to the bar will continue. My answerof no doesn't mean that these ideas are are bad ideas, in fact they would probably be a good idea, but i don't believe they would decrease underage drinking or dangerous drinking behaviors. possibly, but not by a large amount (personally i love the idea but can't think of any good ideas) College students want to drink, it is a fact. No amount of other activities will decrease that. Some may choose to go to the alternative venues sometimes, but there will be no noticeable decrease in consumption. If we had more concerts and a close movie theater that students could walk to, many less students would go to the bars. NO,.,that is just a silly question to ask, possibly. but they have to be things that would be interesting to go to. some people are die hard drinkers and nothing will change their mind and others might be persuaded to go to them. but the thing is those that go and drink don't really do just because they don't have anything better to do. they obviously do it because they want to. I know plenty of people that don't drink and they don't go to the bars. they stay home or go out to a movie. they still may be bored at times but they don't go out and drink because they have nothing better to do. I think underage people are searching for something to do late at night and bars just seem to be the only thing open for social activities. I would LOVE to see some alcohol free dance clubs in iowa city. Cedar Rapids and the Quad Cities both have them. It could work. This is a college town, no matter what you do their will always be drinking, If alternatives were offered the people that would go would be the people that didn't drink anyway. They might...but there would still be underage students drinking. Concerts and movies are good alternatives. I think that it would decrease it a litle. People may say they only drink beacusr there is nothing eles to do, but that is not true. People will just start drinking at these events or drinking at home. I feel that it would help lessen the underage drinking, but I fell that it will never be totally stopped. b/c the people who want to drink are going to drink- it would be nice for those of us who enjoy these types of activities though- I would like to see more concerts not held in bars, and see more well-known bands come to Iowa City. People would rather get drunk. They might go if they could get drunk first. Kids don't want to go to these places. There are plenty of alcohol flee places to go already. Kids that want to drink are still going to drink. And if they already don't want to drink, then more than likely they aren't drinking. I think that a lot of students believe that bars are the only place to meet people and once they are exposed to that atmosphere they sometimes think that drinking isn't so bad or that again it will help them meet people I think that an alcohol free dance club would be very well recieved There's nothing to do in this city except drink. A rave or some sort of dance place where drinks are not served. just water and pop, would be good. Karaoke place is good, too. One of the few activities availible in downtown Iowa City is going to the bars. I would like to see an alcohol-free dance club, late-night movie theater, and/or a bowling alley, withing walking distance of downtown. more outdoor concerts in the ped mall I think it would help a little bit, because for the freshman without cars and that live in the dorms, there really isn't anything else to do on a weekend night. I would really like to see a movie theater showing a variety of new releases. It would also be cool if there were concerts in town. If many exciting things and events were put up and happened in Iowa City on the weekends, drinking would go down considerably. Another thing is, the events and buildings would have to be in walking distance and be reasonably inexpensive. Give the freshman something to do on the weekends and the number of underage drinking tickets would decrease incredibly!! stop looking up the wrong tree, will ya? I think it might give more options for groups to hang out or couples for dating. Some people at the University feel that the only place to go on the weekends is to the bars. Maybe then there will be another alternative for them, but not necessarily decreasing the drinking rate. In my hometown, all of the listed options have failed because they didnt seem to provide enough entertainment for the people -- they would rather get drunk. I think the same thing would happen here at iowa. I also think that Iowa would lose a lot of it's good reptuation among the student body and perspective students. Many times when people drink it is due to a lack of alternatives. If there was more to do downtown, I feel that this would prove true and be far more effective than setting limits on bar owners' prices. For me, more movie theatres and concerts would be a healthy alternative to drinking. Underage students drink more for thrill than for drinking itself. I am not sure because I don't know is available. Maybe We will drink no matter what, it's what we do. Concerts, dance clubs, things for UI students and non-students. college kids are goin9 to drink. its part of 9rowing up, people may think that is dosen't need to be but the fact is it is; and there is nothing wrong with it. if something exciting enough would be there as an alternative, of course. If people were going to be there-it would be just like the bar scene. There is one thing wrong right now, people think that the bars are the only thing to do on the weekend. With positive community help the bars could be a second option to kids not the only option. People like me are going to still want to go out with friends and have some beers after a week of class, If there is concerts and what-not, people might be more apt to smoke weed and experiement with mind-expanding drugs, and that is not an ordeal we want in Iowa City drinking and dancing is what college age students want to do. I cannot think of an alternative that 18-24 year olds would choose over drinking. Take the Zen approach and go with the flow. See if there is any way to make money off of this, During the weekends, college students do not want to go watch a movie or go shopping. They want to drink and get drunk. And I am not taking this from a biased opinion because honestly, I do not drink that much at all. I actually do not like getting drunk, and i know more people like me, but all my friends love to go out and pady and I want to be with my friends on the weekends. The bar atmosphere is just very fun to everyone and not something that will becoming out of s~yle any time soon, no matter what else there is to The people who would take advantage of alternative venues aren't the ones with drinking problems. I would love to see something like Night Games at the Fieldhouse every weekend. It would be also be great if we could renovate our Memorial Union more like other campuses where we could have a bowling alley or a movie theater. Late night alcohol-free dance clubs are also great. it gives students an alternative activity; similar to the purpose of nite games Some people just want to drink. These people would not be affected by the alternative venues. However, many students drink as a social activity; these people may find (as I do) that some of the alternatives listed above are more fun than going out to the bars. I don't think so. Aren't there already alternatives? I wish that the movie theatre would stay open later like they do at most places in the US. More concerts with big name bands would be nice too. Possibly, most students feel that going to the bars are their only option. If given more of a choice, students may choose those instead of drinking. people do what they want to do and that tends to be drinking It might, just because it would be something else to do instead. The people who would patron such establishments aren't the ones causing whatever problems you folks are so troubled by. I think people would attend, but they would consume alcohol before they attended. Conce~s would be cool especially if there were some big names coming to the city. It might but most people who drink do it because they like it not because there is nothing else to do The althematives in place now don't do much so more alternatives probably won't help. People in college always have and always will like to drink. Not much can change that. I think there needs to be more focus on keeping it a controlled environment rather then trying to stop drinking overall. The majority of people who drink to excess drink that much because they like to. I think providing late night alternatives would decrease drinking, but I don't think it would be a large decrease. There would still be planty of drinking downtown, Yes, but not by much. ~ would like to see a smoke free dance club, I don't care if they serve alcohol. I think that maybe a juice bar would be a good alternative. As for me, I love to dance and socialize. Perhaps I would consider going to a great dance club that is non-alcoholic. I wish there were some better movies that played in town...but how are you supposed to compete with Coral Ridge? A bowling alley would be great. There's no bowling in Iowa City! Come on! Oh, and if the University would get some good bands to play more than twice a year, maybe people would go to that to. If there are more alternatives to the bars, people wouldn't drink so much. I would like to see more concerts in town. Many campuses that have a big city and other close venues have many other opportunities to do other than drinking. Same as above!!!! Lots of people don't like the bars because of all the drunks. If there was someplace else they could go to hang out, dance, meet people, they would. absolutely i've gone to coral ridge mall ice skating on friday nights with my girlfriend as opposed to going to the bar dance clubs for sure - more gyms etc. open later too. I believe movies, shopping and expecially concerts would help out a lot. Plus if we had something similar to a Planet X type thing closer it would help a lot. Concerts NO one goes to Night Games if they would rather be at the bar. It is ridiculous to think that people who drink are just going to stop because there is an alcohol free dance going on. Geeks and high schoolers go to those places. Practically the only thing in Iowa City at night time is bars, so they definitely need more to do! I think more concerts from well known bands would be one way to go and also a theatre closer than Coralville or have the Cambus run later routes to Hawkeye Storage. People who want to ddnk, will drink. People who don't want to drink, won't. People. especially college students like to drink and do so because they think they will have a better time. I also think that the number of house parties with alcohol will increase, possibly causing more people to drive to places that are not really within walking distance from their residences. I have personally been to the bars with friends many times because there was nothing else to do. I would love to see more comedy clubs. I can't think of other recreational activities. but I would definately like to see other options. People who want to drink. drink. I go to bars because nothing else is going on. we need a decent movie theater in walking distance and more concerts here. 24 hr. rec. facilities to give people something to do. Their isn't much to do in IC besides drink It's all about price...students will see a movie but it's $6.50. Students would go see concerts, but the prices are ridiculous. They need things that are FREE. People won't go, they'll just find somewhere else to drink if ther're other things to do late night, I'm sure less people will drink I would like to see all of the above activities, but I would attend them if these activities were no-smoking. PEOPLE ENJOY TO DRINK AND THEY WILL, NO MATTER WHAT PEOPLE TELL THEM It would just provide more things for the people who don't drink to do. I agree with the above statement only to a certain extent. Those people who want to drink alcohol will do so regardless of the many other social activities available to them. Iowa City already offers a wide variety of late night activities (ie No Shame Theatre, movies, coffee-houses, etc.) The college students that this will affect won't want to shop on friday nights. The ones that don't drink now will more than likely be the only ones who attend. When I was a teeringer I used to go the First Avenue Club almost every weekend, at the time we didn't even think about trying to get into the bars, plus it was closer to my house. I would like to see more similar alcohol-flee dance clubs. That way the UI students will have other places to hang out. They will not have to hang out in the bars. Most people go out at Iowa City to get drunk on a Fdday or Saturday night, not to go shopping or weave baskets. So, Iowa City should not waste their money on that like that. This down definatly lack in musical venues. I know that I would much rather go see a good concert than go to the bars. recreation such as basketball or ice skating. HOWEVER, THE ENTIRE ATTITUDE OF THIS GROUP NEEDS TO BE CHANGED THAT YOU CAN DO MORE WITH YOUR FRIENDS THAN GET DRUNK Those who drink dangerously will not take advantage of these alternative venues. There already is options like these available. But such a small percent of students use them (and will use them) because these venues are thought of as "uncool". IF there are more activities, specifically concerts, for students to do, they might not spend as much time drinking. 2:00 AM at Field House every night and concerts. There are no other options close to campus. The are no restraunts, no other activities to do. I think a theater, a few restraunts. a coffee house are all things that should be open late. Maybe if that person didn't drink in the first place!That is like taking a wild beast out of its environment. When these people are used to a certain way of life than it will be hard to all of a sudden adapt to that type of change. maybe somewhat, but people will still drink and go to the bars no matter what else is avaliable I for one would like to see more things available at night within walking distance of campus. Right now, the bars downtown are...pretty much it. More movie theatres, something like Planet X in the Old Capitol Mall. an alcohol-free establishment (and smoke free while you're at it -- I'd prefer to keep my lungs, thank you). This isn't so much a no as it is a not out of the current population. Not that I am against these sort of things, I'd like to see them in Iowa City. We need to have more of a night life than just the bars. But I also think for the most part, people who go to the bars regularly might not want to go somewhere else, if nothing else out of force of habit. But placing making concerts, shopping and movie theaters available at night might get people from forming these habits in the future. A cool cafe will do! As young adults feeling a new found sense of independence, we are expected to act like adults. Drinking is concidered an adult activity so why should the standards be different for drinking as they are set for the rest of our lives. We are going to take part in drinking regardless. Copy the atmosphere that attracts folks, create an environment that is safe for everyone, and pray that demand meets supply. Kids are always going to drink, you have to realize this first, no matter what alternatives the city may offer. But it would be nice to have more concerts come to town. Leave people alone to decide what they want to do. It is impossible to socialize college students into behavior not involving alcohol More musical performances! Music is very important to the students that I know and many of them frequent events at Hancher and area bars. Sponsoring local jazz. r&b. and rock groups would drew a bigger crowd than one might think while at the same time giving me a cheap date idea. all of those, especially the dance clubs and the concerts. I wish Iowa City would bring more headliners. Also, what is the definition of dangerous drinking behavior? More university support for the Bijou. also, people need to realize that this university is in iowa and that they are trying to stop students from drinking, this means that this school's rather uncultured population will not give up drinking and the possibility of getting layed to go watch an opera or ballet. provide them with alternatives like sports, etc. The bars are what make Iowa City what it is I think that late night activities such as rec facilities would help to curb a little of the underage drinkers. A lot of people feel that there is "nothing to do at nights" in Iowa City except to drink alcohol. IF other activies that were to be stimulating and a bit energetic was available, that might curb some of the frustrations that students have about the limited number of late-night activies in Iowa City. Maybe, but good late night venues such as jazz bars, a place that has a variety of Good entertainment. One of the biggest reasons evep/one goes out to party is because there is nothing better to do and people want to have social interaction with their friends, A college club with music. games, bowling, movies etc, might help. Because it is an excellent atmosphere The bar scene is too fun. It's what college kids do, study and drink. It's been that way for years, and it's probably going to say that way, I think there is alot to do already other than drink. However, students simply choose to go to a bar or party because they would rather. Night Games is a good idea. Coral Ridge already has ice skating rink. To make it short, if students do not want to drink they simply wont, Perhaps they would decrease dangerous drinking behavior, although this too relates to what I said above, that the ways our culture views drinking (as a problem and not as part of our culture, as some European cultures do) creates problems in and of itself. As for late night venues, dance clubs would be a great addition, as well as all-night cafes/coffee bars. Because there isn't that much dangerous drinking behavior in Iowa City. So they know how many drinks we have. Do they know how many fights or rapes or buildings we set on fire? I mean, the only people that get arrested in this town are put in jail because they're drunk. Not because they're dangerous. Dance clubs where the bar is not the main attraction, with live DJs A variety of choices other than the bar may deter some from drinking, especially freshmen that haven't been a part of the Iowa City bar scene for very long. There is not much to do in Iowa City but drink, I would do other things if there were places where me and all my friends could hang out This I could see helping. For me pulling in a better movie theater close that plays good movies and is not more expensive than 3 drinks at a bar, might persuade people to go. Also, getting some more concerts in town and some big names could really help. People drink to be social not just to get drunk. I love going to the bars and having a couple drinks to loosen up. i have never gotten to the point where i am out of control and i don't think that the majority of hte people drink to get out of control either. There will be more parties off campus These would give kids more options. I think it would be good to have more concerts and other events. Maybe for a little while, bowling, movies, rec centers etc... Drinking is part of the life of college kids all over...if you stop it here then I would say expect people who enjoyed it to move away from or never come to the University of Iowa. I would LOVE to have alcohol free dance clubs and i know tons of people who would go to them. i also know that night games is also popular, so if something like that was always available, maybe that would help. alcohol free dance clubs, concerts, and recreational facilities If they had 9ood concerLs people would definitely go...other than that the city is going to have to see that we're young and we like to drink_simple as that, Conceals and almost any recreational activity would help decrease underage drinking. There is nothing else to do, so even/one goes to the bar, Because right now all there is to do really is go to bars, and even/one feels they have to drink once they're there Better movie theaters, really cool dance clubs, popular Concerts, pretty much anything that is current or attracts college age students would decrease drinking. The only thing to do here is go to the bars or parties and drink, Those who want to drink will, those people who do not would probably enjoy those activities. I would personally like to see something such as GameWorks or Dave & Busters or other places along the lines of Planet X in downtown as alcohol alternatives. I do not think that it would decrease it enough to make it worthwhile. People are still going to have to pay for these events and therefore, I still think they would resort to drinking. I de not think the answer is making Iowa City a dr,/community. The bottom line is that in a young college town such as this excess drinking is going to happen Having options open to students might alleviate some of the pressure that they feel to go drinking. Because college students love to drink to relive stress, be socially accepted, and have a great time. There are many people out there who choose not to consume alcohol. Let them have something to do besides 9oin9 to a bar. There is nothing to do in walking distance from campus and the surronding areas. Students have nothing better to do, so they drink. It would give us something else to do! Coral ridege is far away for those who don't have cars. A shopping center with a nice theater with recent movies would maybe help. Other dance clubs, cuz some of us don't have to drink to have a good time! I think it would at least decrease the frequency that some people drink. They to face it, in Iowa City the majority of downtown, close to campus, is bars! It might. A club or underground-sort-of coffee house would keep underage folks busy..... Coffee Cellar used to perform that function but they were forced out of buisness by the downtown bar economy. It has to be a place that students can walk to....It has to be downtown. But only bars can make enough money to pay the rent downtown. Sad, huh? Gives a better and cheaper alternative to to drinking. nickel arcades, dollar theaters people don't want to ice skate, they want to get drunk and have sex It MAY, just because drinking gets old and new ideas are enticing to students. I think the most effective venues should be changed monthly to keep interest among studnets. Students would have more options for entertaining themselves. So, maybe it would decrease. Personally, I would like for there to be a larger movie theater located closer to campus. The Old Capitol mall needs to fill there empty spaces with new stores. Maybe the mall could also extend its hours on Fridays and Saturdays. There are no decent restaurants in this town; we need more. A movie theater or two with shows after 9 pm would be helpful. not sure People like to drink. There is an image in this society that when people go to college they go to parties and have some beer. Crappy concerts, or shopping is not going to change that idea for the majority of people. think all those alternatives would do is give people more options to avoid the bars if they want to. the main one that needs to be open are the alcohol free dance clubs... a lot of people go out to simply dance and have a good time, possibly without the intention of drinking, but if alcohol is present, they may be apt to partake. Unfortunately, those who want to ddnk ain't gonna care about any other options I think it would decrease the number of people in the bars, but the only people who wouldn't be there, would be those who wouldn't drink anyway. I don't think that it would, because the hot spots would still be the bars. My actually answer is maybe. Think about it... What else is there to do on a saturday night around here? Cowtipping? The choice is usually wither stay in or go out. There are already a large number of activities that go on. It's the individual that has to make the choice. I would like to see dance Clubs, concerts and other recreational facilities. A multi-dance club with swing, salsa in a smoke and alcoh01 enviroment. ALcohol free dance club, better shopping, malls open later. Yes, but not very much. Dangerous drinking behavior starts with the person, not the environment, Anybody that feels the need to "get wasted" and becomes dangerous can do so on any corner with a case of beer or bottle of liquor. I also feel that "hardcore" drinking staffs before a person goes to the bar, not inside one. There are alternatives now that are not used. The bars are open until 1:30, where else can you go and stay out this late? I really can't think of any other social gathering that could be offered to take the place of bars. Cheaper movie theaters. Who wants to spend $15 for a ticket a drink and popcorn for a 2 hour movie, when they could spend the same amount and get drunk which provides an entire evening of fun. Like I said before, people like to drink and they will do what it takes to be able to do what they want If there are more non-alcohol events to participate in then less students will drink. I would like to see more activities sponsered by various organizations. Maybe Blacklight bowling, or dances at the IMU, Just something to do other than go to the bars every Thurs, Fri, Sat. The same people will still go to the bars 99% of the time. The new venues would only most likely interest people who are not "regular'' bar patrons. Drive in movie theater, concerts, Because it would give us an alternative to have fun. They might help, but only if they were well done. No student wants to attend a lame alcohol free event. The bars are very social, the alcohol abuse is just as likely to happen in residences. The bars simply provide a more social atmosphere which probably reduces alcohol abuse because students are busy mingling. I think it would decrease the drinking slightly, but I can't see it having a major impact. There just isn't a lot to do here, which is why I think that people drink a lot. If there was something else to do, drinking would probably go down Earlier mentioned, drinking IS an important part of collge whether leaders care to admit it or not!! It will go on regardless of what measures are taken. The more activities thero are out there the more spread out the drinking will be. If decent alternatives are provide they wil be acted upon. Because right now there isn't much to do. If there was stuff to do other than drink, more students would take advantage of those opporunities. People drink because it's taboo. Underage drinking will continue, nobody can stop it. The activites need to be local and accessible. theaters! We are student in college. Some of us choose to drink, some of us don't this isn't going to change. Some people drink because they're bored. Theatres, local band venues smoke and/or alcohol free, rec center (billiards, basketball, etc.) most of these already exist-the whole idea of going to the bars is to be in a social environment that you can see lots of people that you know-not too many people are going to go to an alcohol flee dance club~even if they don't drink UISG Drinking Behavior Survey Question #11 General Comments 11. Which of the following actions by the Iowa City Council do you think would be most effective in decreasing hinge rates in Iowa City? Choice Votes Approximate % Limiting access... 110 8% Increased law enfor... 60 5% Restricting special... 111 9% Setting min price... 62 5% Working to provide... 315 24% ** Requiring wrist ha... 54 4% Limiting # of alco... 24 2% Encourage business... 99 8% Mandatory ID scann... 49 4% Making bar owners/... 240 18% * Other 176 14% * Total 1300 Executive summary of responses The main theme of students' responses is that City Council can't stop hinge drinking, because most people go to bars to get drunk. Therefore, most students felt that drinkers will find a way to get around any rules that City Council passes against hinge drinking. However, most students also felt that there are several steps that the city council can take to reduce hinge drinking in Iowa City. For example, many respondents called on bar owners to monitor and act on people with excessive drinking behavior. In addition, some people felt that hinge drinkers might be deter by higher fines, and that students should be educated on the dangers of binge drinking. - Summary by Chih King, UISG 11. VVhich of the following actions by the Iowa City Council do you think would be most effective in decreasing binge rates in Iowa City? Choice Votes Approximate Limiting access... 110 8% Increased law enfor... 60 5% Restricting special... 111 9% Setting rain price... 62 5% Working to provide... 315 24% Requiring wrist ha... 54 4% Limiting # of alco... 24 2% Encourage business... 99 8% Mandatory ID scann... 49 4% Making bar owners/... 240 18% * Other 176 14% * Total 1300 Tell the bars not to serve minors Limiting acess to those over 21 is the clear choice. this might encourage students to visit other bars out of town 21 year olds binge drinking is ALSO a problem. If you set stricter age limits 2 things will happen: 1 ) A significant number of students will decide not to come to the U of I as drinking is the primary rec activity for 90% of all college students. 2) More keg parties and dorm room drinking will occur causing probably even more binge drinking problems and public disturbance problems. Case in point: Iowa State!!! people are going to drink a lot no matter what. the people who are categorized as "binge drinkers" already spend a lot of money at the bars. not much is going to stop them from drinking that much, except the people serving them being able to realize some one is too drunk to have another drink. I feel that whatever is done may have a slight effect in decreasing hinge drinking at first, but that no matter what it is, students will find a way around it if they are intent on drinking. And although I don't feel that binge drinking is smart, I believe that we are ultimately responsible for ourselves, and that choice should be left up to us as individuals. Increasing law enforcement would limit fake id's. Minors would be a lot less likely to try to get into a bar if a cop was checking id's. When I say police them selves I mean take more responsibility with watching those that are acting completely out of line. Maybe those being 21 should get a punch card when they go in allowing them to only purchase So many drinks. That would definitely limit the quantity that people drink. And if it was low enough, then those under 21, most likely wouldn't drink because those over 21 wouldn't want to waste punches on someone else, I also think that the wrist band idea is good...and the scanner thing for checking fake ids....both of this would deter the shy from going out...however once agin won't solve the problem because those who drink out of control do it for social reason and emotional.., .get to the root of this....also if people don't drink at the bars they will drink somewhere unless you have something as an alternative_that is why other late night activites is my number one choice...give the people an opportunity to so something else... Nothing, if people want to go out and drink, they will find a way I don't think that there is anything that the Council can to to decrease the drinking. If there is a will there is a way. Besides, if the CounciJ restricts it even more that it already is, I would guess the rates in binge drinking will rise. Just because you're being a rebel if you drink and you aren't 21. I don't think the city council can stop it. If people choose to drink then the avalibility, circustances, and consiquenses can't be changed with an act or acts from the city council. it has already been proposed, but i guess this survey forgot about the one drink per customer per trip to the bar Being 21 has nothing to do with binge drinking, All of the above laws would do nothing for this problem. A lot of drinking goes on in people's homes, not just the bars. Education is the only way to approach this problem. There are enough police in this town and they need to find something better to do besides going to bars. Those wishing to drink underage will just get drunk before they go to a bar. This would make a dollar go faster. (VVhats this deal with 21 pitchers of beer on your 21st birthday?) 16/18 age limit like Europe(to curb binge drinking) Many students are already drunk when they get to the bars, so it's not always the bar owners' faults. leave us alone. The only reason people come to this school is for med school. law school and the bars. The only way to stop drinking is to make all bars 21, but then people would get fake IDs. VVhy do binge rates need to be decreased? Nothing. VVnat people need to understand is that Iowa City is a college town, drinking is going to occur no matter what, whether that be in the bars or at house parties, it will occur. I don't think there is much that can be done, if anything that will decrease "binge" rates. What I think Iowa City needs to look at is how lucky they are to have these bars within walking distance from apartments and dormatories. This greatly cuts down on drunk driving which is a big problem elsewhere. One suggestion that I think would also help get people home after a night out with less "noise or vandalism" as stated in the previous questions is keeping the cambuses en mute til two or three am and expanding there destinations to some apartment buildings. Limit the number of bars that are located so close to campus. There are too many bars downtown and in walking distance of the students. If there was simply less bar space to attend there would be less people going. none of these is going to decrease binge rates. all of them will decrease underage drinking (publicly) but not binge rates. Prob. 80% of the people who go out to the bars, binge drink (by definition) More police officers is definitely not the answer, there are too many already that are on powertrips to bust students any way they can not for the students' protection or well being but solely to get them in trouble and make them pay. Most binge drinking doesn't happen at bars, it happens in dorm rooms or at parties. In Iowa, drinking is a social thing. That's just the way things have evolved. To try and change this is like attempting to throw a wrench into a person's culture, the very thing that gives a person a sense of identity and security. This issue is one that's just not going to be very easy to adjust. i don't think most of the binge drinking occurs at the bars - it's at house padies I don't believe that you can decrease this. People can get alcohol in places other than bars!! Don't punish the rest of us because of some people who can't control themselves. Nothing. Literally nothing will work. Trying to control binge drinking is like trying to control alcoholism...it's a huge problem. education is a key, but I really don't know how to make people be better and more responsible. If people binge, they binge...either until they wise up or die. How do you make someone stop hating their life long enough to realize binge drinking isn't really that great? i really think they are doing all that they can do- people can only drink if they are 21 and the cops are always out and about- that's it they can do nothing else Educate people to be smart and responsible, not stupid. It is really the responsibility of the individual person to make sure that they don't over drink. However the bars themselves can do a much better job of making sure that someone inside of their building isn't allowed to overdrink. I've witnessed people who were obviously drunk to the point of passing out give someone money to go buy alchohol for them. Out of sight sales are a big problem at the bar and a major contributer to the problem is the lack of responsibility taken by the bars themselves. Both working to provide late night activities and getting places to stay open later are good ways to curb the binge drinking rates in Iowa City, I think that all of these are excellent ways of dealirig with one (of several) contributor to the hinge drinking problem. (Bars are certainly not the only place that binge drinking is happening.) If binge drinking is largely a problem for younger, underaged drinkers, then the solution I like best is to make underaged drinkers themselves be held responsible. That is, underaged drinkers found drinking in bars should be penalized more. with high fines and either community service or attending alcohol awareness workshops, similar to traffic school. Money and pride are important to these youngsters, so the cost of hefty fines and the embarrassment of attending alcohol awareness workshops may be enough of a deterrent to keep them from reoffending. Ultimately, we are all responsible for our own actions. Not others. i think that if you are 18 years old and can live on your own, than you should be able to drink. Look at other countries that use this law, it Works. I was out tonight and there were raids everywhere. A lot of people just went home. Ifthey're more likely to get caught, they'll be less likely to do it. lowering the drinking age None of these things will work, I might keep students out ofthe bars, but they'll just find somewhere else to go where they can drink. ID's can be borrowed or faked, wristbands could be sold to the highest bidder. Employers want to make money. I think all of these ideas enforced together may make a difference, but there will always be people tryin9 to beat the system. Things are fine. Nobody has died recently from drinking at a bar, only frat houses, I don't see a problem. Students will drink... a lot and that is a fact of life. No law will stop this. Possibly this could make things worse causing students to DRIVE into other areas to get away from Nazi Germ... I mean Iowa City to have a good time. Some of these are good ways of decreasing hinge rates, but is that what the huge problem is? We are in college finally away from our parents, we want to have a good time, live the college life most of use we grow up and those that don't won't make it through school. All that these laws will do is limit us from the college experience that all you voting on these new regulation got to experience. I just don't see any of these alternatives changing the hinge rate for the city. Certainly they will limit hinge drinkning in bars themselves, but not overall. It will just relocate where the drinking takes place. Offering other activities is the best way to get those "who just drink because it's the only thing to do" away from hinge drinking: Personally, I don't think the hinge drinking problem is anything new. The ultimate solution is shown in European countries where they have lower drinking ages. But that is a national issue, not a local issue. limit access to 21 year olds, and force wrist bands, also make laws more strict for underage drinking/possesion of a fake i.d, I think the only way to curb hinge drinking is to put the pressure on the bar owners and proriders of alcohol and hold them more accountable. Set something up where if a significant crime occurs under the influence that a percentage of blame on the alcohol prorider and make them pay a fine. Nothing will help, except making alcohol legal across the board. This decreases the forbidden fruit aspect of it, and people won't be so tempted to imbibe as much of it in case they don't get another chance until they are legal. bar owners and esp, employees already suffer to high of a price for this. limiting business in the downtown area is NOT a good idea esp. regarding coral ridge mall and super wal-mart Limit the number of drinks that can be sold to a person. fake ids, and 21 year olds buying for minors are the biggest problems. Also, minors feel pressure to drink, because it is illegal. If the ddnking age here was like that in other countries, there would be no problem, cause people would grow up and be responsible about it. I guess our Puritan heritage causes a lot of kids to lash out irresponsibly when they do have the freedom. There is no solution to this problem, in the long-term, other than a fundamental change to the way people think about consumption - scare tactics aren't going to work, ever. I don't know ifthera's much the city can do to curb binge drinking. There will always be ways to get large quantities of alcohol, so if people want to do it, they will. Education is the key. limitting under-age people in bars doesn't stop drinking. only where. Those over 21 are still binge drinkers too so the problem still persists. None of the above solutions really make a difference. The only way to stop binge drinking is to make other alternatives that are interesting and fun. If you want a very effective action I think that limiting the bar access to 21 is the way to go. I think that the other options will work as well, but none of them are going to limit it like changing the age limit. Change societal standards concerning drinking. And make being intoxicated an unpleasant experience which is impossible since its cheif purpose is to make you feel a certain way. If the owners are held responsible by the city then perhaps they would be more careful about checking ID's and serving obviously intoxicated people more drinks. If reserve police checked IDs at the door less fake IDs would be used. Self-policing is the optimal choice. Again, in big cities police are rarely in the bars except for protection/security. More clearly identifying minors or legal may help as well. However, to achieve self-policing a bar can't have underage bouncers and bartenders serving their underage friends. The most effective in controlling binge drinking rates and not just policing is to educate students on RESPONSIBLE drinking. There are 40 yr olds who can't drink responsibly and there are 18 yr olds who know how to social drink responsibly. Laws and arrests won't stop someone unless they know how to drink responsibly in the first place. Stop allowing people to take surveys. A great man once said "there are lies, damned lies, and then there are statistics" -Ernest Hemingway People will always drink. But if there were more alternatives they would drink less. The problem with Iowa City, unlike big cities, is that bars serve to under age students, most of the time, without even checking for a stamped hand. Underage students drink, and this is empirically proven with the amount of PAULY citations issued by the iowa City police in the bars each year. In larger cities, restaurants and bars will lose their liquor license by serving to underage students. The lack of effort by the Iowa City council to follow through leads to no enforcement here, VVhile this does not mean students won't drink off campus, the police, et al., must do their jobs by enforcing the law. If bars serve to underage kids, the bars should lose their license, and the bar tenders should be fired, Make 21 year olds wear a wrist band. and allow them to buy only one drink at a time. Maybe a mandatory wait (10 minutes?) before buying again. the i.c. council will never be able to decrease the binge drinking rates through any action of there own. students who want to and choose to drink are always going to have oppertunities to drink. attacking downtown will just move the drinking into houses and appartments where there is no regulation. the only way to decrease the binge rates is to change our thinking of alcohol as a whole across the nation. why does the united states restrict the consumtion of alcohol until the age of 21 ? this law does absolutely nothing to curb underaged drinkers. in fact it most likely increases it b/c of the allure of breaking the law and being a rebel. i believe that the majority of people in the u.s. would agree that the drinking age is rather pointless. my own parents had different legal ages when they were in college. were they really more responsible w/alcohol than students today? Nothing. None of these will work. If you want to curb underage drinking then make bars 21, however it will increase house parties. Law enforcement will only cause for more tickets, of all of my friends who have recieved a ticket, it doesn't matter since a vast number of students have also recieved one, it is almost a joke. Restrict price specials and students will drink more in their homes. Set a minmum price and students will drink more at home or before they go out so they are already drunk at the bar. If you provide other late night activities, they will cater to students who are currentely seeking something besides drinking. Wrist bands aren't much different from stamps and we all know what a waist that is. People will trade them, give them to their underage friends and then go back and get a new one themselves. If you limit the number of licenses, more people will go to those bars, unfair to the restaurant/bar community. People will still go out, they might just do so later. The Airliner had an ID scanner and I was appalled that though I was 21, my expired license worked! I also was amazed to find out that it will read the same license twice in one night. people just pass back ids. The bars goal is to make money, you can try to restrict them. but a $1000 fine when they are bringing in thousands of dollars a night isn't much. making the bartenders more responsible and allowing a certain amount to patrons to consume. I could possibly see this as one way you could decrease binge drinking, even though I do not like it. If a bar tender could resonable tell that a person was heavily intoxicated and served them a beer, I could see this as a problem. There are already to many police at night. If they limit ages into bars people will drink at home or at parties. You can try whatever you want, but as I said before, there will always be somewhere to drink. Establish drink maximums at bars. Hard to enforce but possible. as much as the city wants too try, decreasing binge drinking is a task that is out of thief hands. the reason the legal age is 21 is because 21 year olds are more mature. Remember how immature you were at 18, or 197 Now take that level of immaturity and add alcohol. Mandatory 21 bars are the only answer! I think the easiest solution is to get rid of all you can drink specials and specials such as quarter draws. These specials just give people an excuse to drink excessively. If people have to pay more, they will buy less. Economics Price specials just encourage people to drink as much as possible for as little as possible. As applied to alcohol, this is dangerous. Make stiffer penalties for undemge drinking. If people knew they were going to get in trouble when they drank, they would probably be less likely to do so in the first place. The last time I checked, it was illegaltodrinkundertheageof21. I don't understand why the penalties aren't much steeper and why this behavior has been tolerated for so long. You'll find that 21 year olds don't get so hyped up about the drinking scene once they are able to drink legally. Look at ISU, It will just plain cut down on the ddnking rates. Even 21 + year olds am prone to hinge drinking. The drinkers have to exercise msfraint. Requiring wrist bands for 21 year olds; encouraging business' to stay open later/offer late services would very much help, as well. I don't really feel that it is that much of a problem but from my experience there is really nothing they can do. Students will always find ways to get around the rules. Lower the drinking age to 18, if it is not illegal less people would be tempted to do it. I'm not sure. People will get fakes if you limit the access age to 21. People will pay money for something they really want to do. The people with wristbands will "secretly" give drinks to those underage. Limiting the number of licenses would be a difficult task. What are your requirements going to be in order to obtain a license? What will you base it on? Late night services? Such as? People will use a 21 's ID to get through the ID scanner. Bar owners and employess won't police themselves. They just worry about making money so they can provide for themselves. They don't have the right to tell someone that they can't drink any more. Restaurant owners don't stop people from ordedng all the food they want. People have to decide for themselves. If they want to drink so much that they throw up, let them. If they don't learn, that's their problem. It's called free will. There are ways around any rule that would "curb" hinge drinking. To effectively "get rid of the problem" you need to give people other ways to socialize. A lot of those ideas are good in theory but I don't think that they will solve hinge ddnkin9 problems. the only way to do that is to change the attitudes of the students who are hinge drinking. restricting the students behavior will only irratate them and they will eventually adapt. If you can actually convince them that hinge drinking is bad for them then you would have something going. but all I can say about that is Good Luck. Come to realize that them is nothing wrong with the way that iowa city is running the situation. All of these proposals would increase dangerous drinking. possibly set up a system where a consumer can only buy a certain number of drinks each visit to the bar. a wristband system possibly Education is the key. The only way to stop someone from binge drinking is through their own power. So, if theyre educated on the effects and conciquences, hopeully theyll make an informed decision. Limiting the age will only create more drinking in other places, which Could be even more dangerous when there's not anyone around to help. Increased law enforcement is the only thing i think that will work Forget about it. The more you do to decrease this, the more people want to do it realize that kids are going to drink, regardless of the location, and it would just switch to house parties or at home This and going to the European method -- gradually introduce alcohol by lowering the drinking age but increasing penalities for misuse. i don't really think that anything really can be done. the university should just be happy that the problem isn't as bad as some other schools A lot of people feel like the only options they have in Iowa City on the weekends is to either stay home and watch a movie or go out and drink. There isn't a lot in between. responsiblity of all people drinking and running bars, scanners, making bars 21 Making the drinking age 19 - if there isn't a challenge to ddnk fewer students will think it is "cool." i think a combination of the actions may be best, as many times one individual thing may not be enough. I don't see one specific action as being effective by itself. A combination of alternative events, wristbands, ID scanners and self-policing would greatly reduce the drinking rates. I think that it is time people just accept that it is too late. That is Iowa City. That is why people visit us. We are fun to party with. They write newspaper articles about it. It gives the city a fun atmosphere. It has been like this for too long to try ot change it now. Plus, people come to college to learn and grow. To learn from their mistakes. That is what high school and colliege is supposed to prepare us for...the rest of our lives. And there is not always going to be someone following you around making sure you don't drink too much or stay out too late. What are youteaching people if they can't learn from their mistakes? I say let people figure it out on thier own. That is what life is all about. Nothing is going to stop underage drinking, if they take away the bars, kids will just drink in their dorms or house parties which will cause many more problems. Even if the bars are 21 and over, people will still be let in. I would choose scanners to only let in people that are 21. I dont feel that there is much of anything that the City Council can do to limit hinge drinking. Putting restrictions on students is the wrong course of action, however as it is only going to make them rebel against that "law" and take further, more dangerous, steps to fulfil their need to drink. I dont condone these actions; I simply recognize the reality of the consequences of "rules," Mandatory instillation of breathalizer machines in all bars. I believe a lot of people drink and drive (the most risky of drinking behaviors) because they underestimate their true blood alcohol content. A bar in Cedar Rapids used to have one of these machines, and I never saw anyone decide to drive after realizing they were over the legal limit. i dont find any of these actions will do any good I really don't understand how anyone expects this "binge drinkning" to lessen without a huge cultural shift. Taking away a 19 year olds right to go to a bar is not going to lessen there desire to drink. If anything it is going to make alcohol seem like an even more forbidden fruit and there are going to be more and more house parties. Eventually people are going to die, people who would have been cut off at a bar. These ideas are like throwing water on an electrical fire. I think a combination of many of these would help. Especially increased law enforcement, more night time activities, and restricting price specials especially! Also advertising AA! Encourage students to act their age, instead of making others responsible for adults. i wanted two of them, Increased law enforcement and I think the wrist band is a good thing as Nothing, college kids are still going to act like college kids. Nothing at all. People will find a way to get drunk regardless of what you do. It is a human characteristic with a long history that no laws will be able to change. Perhaps the city should reconsider the credibility of the new catch phase "hinge drinking", makes a great slogan for headlines, dosen't it? The specifications of a "binge drinker' are usually terribly distorted and often ignored in order to jump on the "binge drinking" bandwagon. They then use this support to promote their own private agenda. The only reason why everyone at the University of Iowa is a "binge drinker" now is because some guy from harvard with a PhD started calling us that in order to make a name for himself. There is no way to change peoples mindset. If it does not occur in the bar, more parties will occur and binge drinking will occur there None of the above will reduce it. These actions would just take binge drinking out of the bars and to private houses, where there is a higher risk of other effects like rape and fights. These are the things you should be worried about Making bars financially liable for excessive drinkers that get too drunk at their bars. Reduce the birthday specials, e.g. 21 pitchers for 21 dollars, to a lower number, e.g. 10 for 10. As I read this question, I look through the choices and try to find the answer that is "most effective". Unfortunately, there is no effective answer. If somebody wants to "binge", they will, and there is nothing that the city council can do about it. Period. When a person has in their mind that they are going to get loaded, that is what they are going to do. All that the city council is accomplishing by trying to control this "problem" is making criminals out of students. They are not being a solution to the overall problem. They are just making the problem worse. More police, less tolerance for the behavior. Cessation of enforcement of underage possession laws in order to end the atmosphere similar to the Prohibition Era combined with the use of freed police time to patrol the downtown area to arrest those who are guilty of public intoxication Changing the college culture and give people more freedom to do creative things such as music/spor~s/art. Bartenders can tell if someone has had too much too drink, so it would help if bartenders did not sell to customers who have obviously been drinking too much. If there are less younger people in the bars.. the ones at the bars Would most likely be a little more responsible.. If you limit access to the bars-underagers will get fakes. if you restrict price specials or set a minimum drink price, then it'll increase the amount of house parties since it'll be cheaper to go to a grocery store. wrist bands won't deter anyone because the underagers will find someone to buy for them as they do now. Limiting the bars will do nothing but increase the capacity in the remaining bars if you don't offer alternative activites. Nobody is gonna shop at midnight, but coffee shops or restaurants with music would do well having later hours. ID scanners still doesn't solve the problem of having legals buying for underagers at the bar. Bar owners policing themselves means babysitting their customers and that doesn't work if the people drinking the alcohol aren't the one's buying it. Giving people another option than going to a bar is the way to go. Tough problem. Unfortunately, the best answers seem to be education, alternative activities, and law enforcement. Regulating the bars will not affect binge drinking. since it can also occur in unregulated private parties, as it commonly did at Iowa State. Even a dry town and campus wouldn't completely stop that practice. Refocusing the community from eliminating drinking to a responsible drinking culture. There will always be bad eggs, but the University should make it safer for those who drink. Keeping the cambus running later, allowing people to leave their cars downtown overnight w/out being towed, using police to focus on maintaining a safe environment instead of persecuting 60% of the University population that Binge drinks. Binge rates have nothing to do with age. I think that the only thing to do would be to not come down on this issue so hard. That way, half the excitement of doing wrong is gone. I think that might lower the binge rates. Bar tenders need to be able to refuse service to those whom are out of control Revoking liquor licenses for bars that break the terms of their liquor licenses. Even though i dont agree with this i think after a person gets a $145 ticket they would be more careful also the bars need to whip themselves in shape. the other weekend, i went to jakes. they were charging 50 cents for beer. i was designated driver and so i ordered a coke. they charged me $1.25! i am so outraged Once again, student don't just drink downtown, and if you make it harder form them to drink downtown, they will just go somewhere else. Anyone who says otherwise is out of touch with the student body. Give them a reason not to drink and you'll see the rates go down. The bars aren't going to try to stop people from drinking since they want the business so someone else needs to step in. levy fines against bars for public intox violations also. Ecourage bars to refuse sales to visibly intoxicated patrons. Target these visibly intoxicated during bar checks. I don't think any ONE thing will be effective, but I think if the bars were to police themselves and know when to stop serving alcohol to intoxicated persons. Wrist bands are a great idea, also I think having off duty cops, IN UNIFORM, bouncing at bars is a solution to the problem, trust me, no one is going to use a fake ID when a cop is checking them at the door. Encourage bars to kick out customers who are obviously a danger to themselves or others. Many already do this. but by encouraging them to, and maybe even by handing them over to police, could greatly assist the binging problem. ALSO MAKE FRAT/SOR system dry... but i know that's irreasonable. There is already enough being done, and they better not increase the amount of cops becuase they dont get them all anyway. and they are a problem to us over 21 people. I think what really needs to happen is a social change. Right now, it is o.k. to drink heavily in Iowa City as a student. If social pressures were in place that frowned upon excessive drinking, we might see more responsibility being taken by the individuals. Making under-age drinking penalties VERY, VERY strict. Combined with making bars more accountable. It is difficult to reduce binge drinking, because it can take place outside of the bar. Working to provide other late night activities would be a start in the right direction, but I don't think it should be the cities business to decrease the "binge" drinking rates. They're not trying to tell smokers how many cigarettes is enough. Why does it seem this is something they feel they need to control? I understand the concern over "2nd-hand" effects of over-drinking, but I don't know that that's such a large problem. I think that would be the best thing because then if the bars had a reputation of stopping the sales of alcohol to intoxicated people, students would not want to go to those establishments. None. No matter what, people are still going to srink large amounts of alcohol. Whether at bars or house parties, the binge drinking won't decrease. If you have looked at an statistics at all, University of Illinois cut out pretty much all the programs for drink specials and put in ID scanners at their bars, and now everyone goes to house parties which are a much more dangerous environment for drinking. Let it be. Don't fuck with it. Taking the focus off drinking. Keeping the focus on regulation is only going to make the students find easier means to get their alcohol. If they want to do it they will. You have to make them choose not to on their own. By finding better things to do and realizing you can have fun without alcohol will be far more effective than restrictions on drinking. If you plan on limiting access to bars to those over 21, you HAVE to provide other late night activities or the problem won't go away. I think many times the bars allow too many people inside and this causes everyone to be a little more crazy, Bartenders should also be a little more perceptive to when someone has had enough to drink. More things to do at night will make people do something else besides drink. You dont know how many times i have decided that there is nothing else to do. so we drink. Raising prices on drinks is not a good solution. It is not fair to the people who are 21. These things won't have any effect on binge rates! It will just make the Iowa City Council feel good about themselves, because they see on paper that there is less underage drinking. There are other places to drink than the bars, and there are ways to get around not being 21 in the bars. The limiting of total alcohol sold in one area. It would be a sure thing, a fake id wouldn't be processed hopefully. And then bouncers couldn't "let their friends in" without being held acountable for it, if the scanners had records of all the people that came in. The people coming in would have to be legal. Maybe open up a crack house or something. You know, sometimes you have to fight fire with fire, or in this case, with some high quality Colombian cocaine. Enough said. If someone wants to get drunk they will find a way to. However, if you give some other options, they'd choose those other options. I know people who just drink because that is all there is to do so that is how they are social. Although the age enforcement of 21 would probably be the most effective- nothing will become effective enough to decrease the overall drinking. It will happen one way or another. Limiting access to 21 and over is fine, but part of the draw of college life here is the downtown "scene". Increasing law enforcement, restricting price specials and setting a minimum price for drinks are all very bad ideas, and would not only hurt downtown business, but would increase recreation away from downtown areas and carry it into less heavily patrolled and less expensive private locations. All ofthe other ideas may be good suggestions. They would have to be tested. If only 21 year olds enter than there is no underage drinking in the bars. Very simple. ID scanners would also eliminate fakes. Refuse to sell alcohol to those people who look like they've had too much to drink already. I think that we need to find an alternative to drinking activities. I know that I am 20 years old and I would hate it if all the bars went to 21 because I like to go and dance. The majority of those at the bars are underage so if bars go 21 then what will all of those students do for fun? if you make wrist bands for 21 year olds that sucks because we are legal to drink so dont put us in discomfort. have employees not let their customer get that fucked up Wrist bands, mandatory ID scanners....maybe they could put cameras everywhere and focus a satellite on IC at all times....Then, by 2004, we'll be living in 1984. If the city started revoking liquor licenses for underage drinking violations, it would help a great deal. I don't think that any of these options will decrease binge drinking. People will find other ways to aquim their alcohol if they can't attend the bars. There will also probably be a lot more parties on campus. Making people more aware of the consequences involving binge drinking. Better inform students and encourage more responsible drinking. If you tell them they can't drink, then they will want to do it all the more. A combination of some of the above mentioned. I definitely do not believe in increasing the law enforcement- around here they are not respected. I think there should be more things to do in this town for the younger crowd (ex: juice bar with bands) something that does not revolve around alcohol. I don't really think any of these will help much. There are ways around everything. If you want to get drunk you will find a way, no matter what stupid rule gets enacted. It's college, which equals parties, bars, and drinking, and that will never change. And it shouldn't. No matter what is tried, nothing can stop binge drinking. If you look at the definition, it is something like 3 drinks in an hour. Every college student who drinks binge drinks. i really couldn't say. i just know that there are ways to get around all of these. i have seen it done. or maybe somehow limiting people a certain number of drinks. but again, ways to get around it. Limiting price specials & licenses will not stop people from having parties, and neither will ID scanners, wrist bands, etc. i also think that limiting the # of licenses in the area, providing alternatives and making the bar owners more responsible would help This is a college town and most people are students that have for the first time in their lives are away from their parents. There is nothing that I can think of that will help to detain this problem. I think that combining some of the above options would be a good idea. I know that the club that I go to in Davenpod allows 19 and over in, but it requires wrist bands for people 21 and over. I think that the ID scanners would be a very good idea while also encouraging other non-alcoholic activities. late night activities and businesses to stay open later You throw the kids out of the downtown bar area and allow them to roam around all of town in going to and coming from house parties there is going to be more civil disturbences throughout the city. Keeping most drinkers, downtown in a coralled and controlled enviroment will actually help the binge rates, with bouncers throwing extreme drunks out of the bars. while limiting access to bars to those over 21 would be the most ideal choice. this would create an overflow of underage students on the weekend. there is no where for them to go. it is very difficult. at this point, to close the bars to underage students. providing other late nite activities would be the best alternative. Some people will binge no matter what--whether in their home/apartment/dorm room/Greek house or in the bars. The former is especially difficult to regulate and probably will never be done away with. Binging that takes place in the bars, though. could be done away with by getting bar employees to stop serving a customer that has already had too much. You can try all of these things, but the fact is; college students are going to go out and drink. If they don't go to the bars. they'll go to house parties where it isn't controlled and they have a much higher chance of getting into drugs and other things. Also, minors at the bar can always find a 21 year old to buy them drinks. The problem goes way beyond the UI. It's a societal matter. Why do you think <i>underage</i> kids want to drink? Does the word underage possibly have anything to do with it? There is nothing favorable or positive the UI can do to decrease the underage drinking rates in Iowa City. More stricfiy enforcing the rules as a universtiy measure (i.e. dorm regulations, etc.) is one thing and net necessarily unfavorable as there are issues of students being disturbed by those who drink. However, stricter enforcement of the rules as a city measure (i.e. more police bar raids. etc.) is just another way the city of Iowa City looks to exploit its hold on the university and more specifically its students. This city flourishes mostly in part to the university and would be nowhere close economically had the university not been established. Ultimately, it is the students and their families who are responsible for Iowa City's prosperity. Making it so that bartenders don't serve already drunk people more drinks Personally, being a college student, i don't think that there is much that anyone can do to limit the intake of alcohol. Alcohol, just like many other drugs, is availible to those that want it no matter what. The people who want to drink are going to. Drinking is a social activity that has been a part of college for a long time. This is going to continue, The focus of drinking should be to limit the number of people who drink irresponsibly, not those who drink underage or othewise. None of the above. Limiting access to bars will simply encourage people to have more house parites. Increased law enforcement will only work at handing out more tickets to people who don't even have a drink near them. Restricting prices is bad business and a hassle for people who are of the legal age, special prices or not. Other late night activities are fun, but people will still go the bars. Wrist bands will be ineffective, as it is is easy to remove one and put it on your own hand. Limiting the number of alcohol licenses is not a good idea, as the companies are just trying to do business. Encouraging business to stay open later might work sometimes, but people want to go out and have fun dancing and drinking. Mandatory ID scanners? It might stop fakes, but it wouldn't stop drinking! Bar owners can only tell their employees what to do, they can't monitor their every move, so the owners cannot truly be held responsible--the employees might be. NONE...especially not increased law enforcement. Law enforcement will not prohibit drinkers, they only punish for the aftermath, I think that students are going to want to limit there drinks...therefore I think the only alternative to decreasing binge rates to to open up alternative venues. Increased penalty for underage drinking. What is it right now? $1857 Make it something outragous like $400 per offence. I garantee that'll stop it. It would're stopped me... All these options encourage people to go home and drink or go to parties, They have nothing to do with decreasing drinking rates in Iowa City. Limiting access to the bars will leave a large group of obnoxious people with nothing to do, but vandalize. People will get around extra law enforcement. Restricting price specials will upset the students who will revolt in a way that will hurt others, or properly-same for minimum price. Mandatory ID scanners is just a wasted added cost to businesses-people can still by for others. Mandatory ID scanners and wrist bands would probably be most effective in limiting hinge drinking. No matter what happens, kids are going to drink, whether it be in the bars where it can be contained or somewhere else. bartenders need to know when to say no to a client, when they have had too much and shouldn't be drinking right now, there are very few activities, other than drinking, for students to do on weekend nights. This is a time when students feel they have to relieve stress, and options seem very limited. Binge drinking cannot be effectively controlled by law enforcement, rather it is a personal issue for everyone whether they want to binge drink or not. Instead we should have programs that teach students about binge drinking. Bar owners need to employ more bartenders on busy nights and employ some sort of game to recognize the same person that comes up for drinks 6 times in an hour. They should also be instructed on how to recognize someone who has had too much and have the guts to cut them off. Considering most students don't drive to the bar I really don't think this is an issue. College students are responsible for their own choices and should not be policed by the city in which they live. Older adults are not treated in this same disrespectful manner when they want to drink. It becomes more fun to drink a lot when that's the exact thing someone (who has no right) is trying to stop you from doing. Do I have the right to stop people from smoking because we know that it's addictive and most of them will die from one smoking related illness or another? I don't think so and I think the city of Iowa City needs to severely reconsider their actions that are starting to infringe on the rights of adults. Making the campus dry was enough. This is the time during life when people experiment. educationals to younger children Bar tenders and owners need to reserve the right to refuse service to those individuals that they feel may have exceeded their tolerance. They also need to utilize that right. Basically all these would work to keep under age students out of the bars. However, by doing this, the use of false ID will increase in order to gain admittance, off-campus par~ies and alcohol sales from liquor stores would dramatically increase. So The only real solution would be to discourage drinking by offering students alternitive pastimes. I think limiting price specials or setting a minimum price for drinks is unfair to those of legal age that drink responsibly. Why make drinking more expensive for them? Limiting the access to 21 would only create problems elsewhere and would do nothing for binge drinking among those of legal age and the bar owners and employees are probably not going to be more responsible anytime in the near future so that is not a good option. Don't ruin a good thing Iowa City has going for it...don't kill the fun spots that are right there for our enjoyment. This would include encouraging businesses to provide late night services. I also think bar owners/employers should be held more responsible also. It's a risk and responsibility that they have to accept when they sell alcohol to anyone even under age drinkers. sell alcohol to anyone Making sure that the waitresses and bartenders DO NOT serve to underage students sometimes there aren't any other places to go besides bars. Nobody can impose any action that will cause a person to drink below the binge level. Just the drinker and possibly their friends. The bar could if they don't sell to that person but in a crowded bar with many workers to sell to that person that would be near impossible. promote safer drinknig, offer rides home and also more recreational activities Eduacate the younger children and teenagers to a greater degree because at this point in our lives, it is too late to stop our alcohol fondness. I don't think the bars is the place to target this....binge drinking takes place in the home or dorm room. Students get fake IDs. Price requirements would only make a class distinction in who could binge drink. I've seen people on the street many many times bragging about how much they spent at the bar the night before. Binge drinking has to become NOT COOL, otherwise people will continue to do it. if kids want to drink, they're going to drink. there's nothing you can do about it. you're good intentioned I know, but if you think you can stop kids from drinking you're suffering from dillusional hubris The city needs to realize that people are going to drink, that is final. If they want the students to be safer, they need to teach kids how to drink responsibly, not send them to house parties with zero supervision. After 8:00 everything but Pancheros and the bars are still open. I like shopping at night, but ther's nowhere to go. I picked this option because of the people that claim there aren't enough options for weekend fun. They are the ones that seem to be having the problem. If you satisty them, hopefully the bitching will stop and the city can be at piece. More alcohol awareness programs. It shouldn't be their top priority now. There are serious drug issues in the county and economic issues that need to be dealt with ~rst...Iook at the budget cut of a non alcoholic alternative, Riverlest. I think requiring wrist bands and having business owners enforce themselves will help the problem. To expand upon what can help, the city or university should run buses to transport students throughout the campus at bar closing time. Cars left downtown are towed and tickets are given. It's a lose, lose situation, Drink and drive or get slapped with $10 worth of tickets or $70 for the tow. As I said, most students are drunk GOING to the bar...this means that something needs to be done in retail sales or in policing these folks at the college campus. getting students to talk about the times that binge drinking has dramatically effected their lives (drunk driving arrests, killing someone while driving drunk, being raped, etc...)... mandatory community service requirement to graduate involving some aspect of the consequences of binge drinking...(RVAP, etc.) LlloB UISG Drinking Behavior Survey Question #12 General Comments 12. Which of the following actions by the Iowa City Council do you think would be most effective in decreasing underage drinking rates in Iowa City? Choice Votes Approximate % Limiting access... 110 8% Increased law enfor... 60 5% Restricting special... 111 9% Setting min price... 62 5% Working to provide... 315 24% ** Requiring wrist ba... 54 4% Limiting # of alco... 24 2% Encourage business... 99 8% Mandatory ID scann... 49 4% Making bar owners/... 240 18% * Other 176 14% * Total 1300 Executive summary of responses The general feeling of the University of Iowa students is that even if city council takes drastic measures to curb underage drinking, there will always be underage drinking in Iowa City. If the bars become 21-only, the minors will still have access to alcohol through house parties or friends. However, there are several steps that the city council can take to reduce the amount of underage drinking in Iowa City. For example, many respondents cited ID bracelets and mandatory ID scanners as a good way to discourage minors from consuming alcohol. In addition, the City Council should provide alternative entertainment options for students in general, such as concerts, non-alcoholic dance club, and bowling bowl alley. - Summary by Chih King, UISG 12. Which of the following actions by the Iowa City Council do you think would be most effective in decreasing underage drinking rates in Iowa City? Choice Votes Approximate % Limiting access... 239 18% * Increased law enfor... 54 4% Restricting special... 12 1% Setting min price... 5 0% Working to provide... 323 25% ** Requiring wrist ba, .. 164 13% * Limiting # of alco,.. 11 1% Encourage business... 83 6% Mandatory ID scann... 131 10% * Making bar owners/... 151 12% * Other 127 10% * Total 1300 Tell them that underage drinking is bad. nothing will work Once again! Students are NOT going to stop drinking. You can't stop us. We will find a way. have mandatory alcohol tests Once again, I feel that whatever is employed, students will find a way around it, The late night activities would probably be the best because it is taking the students away from the bars that might not really want to be there anyway. But it still won't change the students who are intent on drinking. Lower the drinking age to 18, duh! None of these ideas will work. Only abolshing the drinking age will have any effct on this problem. ID bracelets and scanners would work. 21 year old limits would also help, but at what cost. and the wrist band....people wouldn't be able to use a fake anymore..and the wrist band who make underage people stick out so they could be spotted better at bars when drinking I don't know because nothing can really be effective now a days. I don't think that there is anything that the Council can to to decrease the drinking. If there is a will there is a way. Besides, if the Council restricts it even more that it already is, I would guess the rates in binge drinking will rise. Just because you're being a rebel if you drink and you aren't 21. I don't think the city council can stop it. If people choose to drink then the avalibility, circustances, and consiquenses can't be changed with an act or acts from the city council. underage drinking is something that isnt really a problem You can pass ordinances and increase enforcement for eternity, but unfortunately underage students are going to find a way to drink if thars what they want to do. Focusing on providing optional activities and promoting more responsible drinking would have the greatest effect in my opinion. Most of the option provided by the City Council so far are just their attempt to look like they're doing something, rather than proposals that are actually going to change the drinking climate. Decreased law enforcement and increased education/bar owners self-policing. this would make it tougher to have have access to alcohol Unless there is some legitimate alternative to drinking, where students can meet other students, have fun and not have to worry about transportation/parking, there won't be any decrease in student drinking. The wrist bands were required at my undergraduate college and were quite effective. Students did not like the change, but it did curb a lot of underage drinking, especially at fraternity parties. And wristbands are a very easy way to ensure bars have NO EXCUSE to serve underage students. High school kids need stuff to do in this town. I grew up here and went to CHS. It would be nice if they had more options. The only way to stop drinking is to make all bars 21, but then people would get fake IDs. There's nothing that can be done to decrease underage drinking rates. It's sad when students have to be harrassed because they want to have some fun with their friends. Come up with something better to complain about. Nothing. I don't think there is anything that can be done because those underage can get alcohol from those 21 and over and if not in the bars because they are restricted to 21 year olds it will be at the local gas station or Hy Vee and brought to apartments and houses. There is always easy access to alcohol and nothing can be done to stop that. The city already makes enough money off drinkers between citations and getting paid off by bars to not drive away business and letting minors ddnk. Nothing. Literally nothing will work. someone can always borrow an ID, but it should be hard to fake one that must be scanned. Although older people will still buy the youngins drinks If there was ID scanners it would be very tough for someone underage to be stamped 21. Fake IDs are something that a lot of UI students have and most of them are not very good at all. The people sitting at the doors at the bars are in a bad situation to deal with fake IDs. There is usually a big line of people waiting to get in. It is dark, and they don't care that much themselves. Therefore it's pretty easy for someone to use a fake ID to become 21 at a bar. Raise the fine for a Minor In Possession to an unbearably high dollar amount. I think that it would be the combined efforts of working to provide other late night activities and to encourage businesses to stay open later / offer late night services. It all comes down to the inside. Sometimes it's just to easy for someone who is underaged to order and drink an alcoholic beverage in the bars. But then, that's how they make they're money. lowering the drinking age Underage drinking is problem that will not go away. Nothing is going to change that. Stop making more laws. Things are fine. Tell these people to find something else to pursue like increasing the amount of classes and professors in the communications department. I mean my god! How does anyone ever graduate! The drinking law has not always been 21. It is a number that congress agreed on, and will probably change in all of our lifetimes. I am 21 so i am not writing this as a minor, this is just what i feel. Other alternatives would be most affectlye. Again, the city needs to realize that when a college student wants to drink, even if they are underage, they can AND VVILL get alcohol. In fact, trying to police people too much may cause more problems than the ones they are trying to limit. 21 year olds can hinge drink, too, but I think this is a step in the right direction, This might be an expensive way of doing things but use the magnet strip on the license. When purchasing alcohol at a grociery or convinience store have them run the strip to see if they can legally buy the alcohol. If someone is caught providing beer to minors revoke their privelage to buy alcohol for a period of time using the license. Require wristbands in bars. put a cop in the biggest bars and raid the other ones. Wrist bands are a good idea, too. only dance clubs should allow 19 year olds and in these bars wrist bands area good idea but admittedly often all too easily switched. perhaps its the underage people that should wear the evident apparell. Nothing They really need to combine #1, #2,and #3 - making the third include HUGE fines to owners for anyone busted in their establishment for being there with a fake ID, without ID, or just got in because they knew the guy at the door. Bars=drinks and by law you can only drink if you are 21, so no one under the age of 21 has any "legal" reason to be in a bar. Letting minors in is just asking for laws to be broken. Make sure people can't buy drinks for other people, aka, one drink purchase per person. along with raised fines for those providing alcohol to minors. Bar owners better get a clue as well, or else they will just be shooting themselves in the foot. Restricting bars to over 21 is not the answer. When I was a fresh, I loved to go out, but Never drank. Change societal standards concerning drinking. And make being intoxicated an unpleasant experience which is impossible since its cheif purpose is to make you feel a certain way. both limiting access to over 21 and providing other late night activities People will drink regardless, you would just be taking it out of public vision. to reduce under age drinking "downtown" just make the bars 21, but this won't reduce underage drinking rates. ISU has bars that are exclusively 21 but they have big problems w/house parties. college students of all ages aftend house parties in ames not just the 21 year olds, also lots of house parties give h.s. students oppertunities to drink This is obivious!! If you are in a bar underage the only reason you are going there is to drink! Don't listen to people who say they want to "dance". Limit the age, you will have fewer people drinking underage in bars, and more house patties. It is ridiculous that persons under age 21 can even go into a bar. Bars are drinking establishments. None of theses will work because if someone is underage, they will find a way to get alcohol. It doesn't matter. I don't think any of them would work. Raise the drinking age. Look at what happened during prohabition. Can't stop it you can never decrease the underage drinking--the only thing that you might be able to do is limit the people you catch. NO MORE POLICE[! Let's face it, the students just won't like this idea. Most of them are under 21, and many of them drink. They will not support any conclusion that may limit their ability to drink. But that's exactly what this option would do. The bars are convenient places to obtain alcohol, Once an underage person gets inside, it's relatively easy to get a drink. Bartenders often don't check the id's ofthose purchasing alcohol. One older friend can purchase alcohol for an entire group of underage people. And guys have a tendency to buy drinks for girls, regardless of whether they're underage. The argument that "people will drink anyway" has always seemed stupid to me. Of course underage people will find a way to drink. The goal, it seems to me, is to make drinking harder and less convenient. Think about it. The bars all serve alcohol. They're within convenient walking distance to almost all the dorms (and on a cambus route from the rest). Once inside, as I mentioned, it's relatively easy to get alcohol there. And an underage person can get the alcohol in large quanities--as much as can be afforded. If the bars are completely closed to people over 21, more obstacles to underage drinking are in place. If we're talking about drinking in a dorm room, the person needs to find a way and a place to get the alcohol. Then, the alcohol must be smuggled into the room and consumed quietly enough to keep from getting busted. The presence of authority and the risk to the students would probably keep most students from getting out of hand there. If we're talking an off-campus party, things get even more difficult. First, the underage people need to hear about the party. I don't know about anyone else, but I didn't know a lot of upperclassmen when I was a freshman or sophomore. Second, the underage people have to get to the par'b/. The parties won't all be within convenient walking distance, like the bars. And since most students are forced to park a long distance from the dorms, this would be a hassis for many underage students. In addition, the people throwing the pady have huge disincentives to let it get out of control. The apartment or house could be damaged, or the complaints could get the tenants evicted. And since the Iowa City police can now break up a gathering without a complaint from the neighbors, everyone at the party could very likely be arrested. If that happens a few times, the number of parties will likely decrease. Like it or not, this is the best solution to the problem. This would eliminate any fake ID's and minors from the bars, then you could dispatch police away from the bars and into other areas of the city. Much larger fines for being caught. The city of Iowa City has a rather hypocritical stance underage drinking. This monster was created by themselves for allowing minors in the door of bars were alcohol is being served. The either need to kick underage students out of the late night bar area or just let them alone. The must effective would probably be limiting access to 21 year olds but underage drinkers will find other ways to ddnk. It's better to have them in a structured sort of environment than off by themselves. Give up and lower the drinking age. If police really want to regulate underaged drinking, then they should be the ones to check ID's at the bars. Since 18 year olds ought to have the right to drink, why doesn't the city council just focus on drunk driving. I like a combination of the wrist bands and the ID Scanner. None of these, they would only encourage house parties. The fact that the drinking age is set at 21 is stupid. I enlisted into the armed forces at 17, but not not drink for four more years after that while in the U.S., but could in every other country I've been to. Binge drinking should be the main concern, not underage drinking Making bar owners police themselves, and also checked on by police at times, and maybe requiring wrist bands and id scanners is they only way to go about limiting underage drinking without negatively affecting those over 21. If the bar owners have consequences against them, they will do a better job Of making sure that underage people don't get the chance and that people aren't too drunk. Wristbands would also be a good idea. But restricting access to those over 21 does nothing to prevent binge drinking and leaves many, many students with nothing to do on the weekends -- that breeds even more trouble. not much can really be done. if they make the bars 21, then that would just make people get fake id's and bring the problem back to the dorms and peoples houses. then they would really have a problem. i think that if it was brought back to the dorms and houses, the problem would be a lot Worse. Making the drinking age 19 - if there isn't a challenge to drink fewer students will think it is "cool." Make the underage students who are knowingly breaking the law responsible. High ticket fees for underage drinkers would discourage them. Ifs going to get old paying a 200 or 300 dollar ticket each time you get caught drinking. These underage students are ruining it for the of-age students. It is the only thing that is going to work. But the city wouldn't pull in all that sales tax then would they. strunger penalties for underage drinking and providers of those drinkers none of these will help Again I feel all of these efforts would be futile. Where I come from. the bar owners get nailed for serving alcohol to a minor. The bars in Iowa City get no penalty for serving to minors. They don't care if minors are drinking their because they are still making money with no risk involved. The person who pays is the minor caught. Penalizing the bar owners would make for a more cautious staff in bars. Nothing. Simple, press for state government to lower the drinking age. Not allowing 18,19 and 20 year old adults the right to consume alcohol is illegal. none of the above for the same reason as above. Lower the drinking age to 18. Old enough to vote and serve in the armed forces, old enough to drink (and learn to drink responsibly). The only way to stop underage drinkers out is to not admit them to the bars. There ought to be no effort to restrict underage drinking, especially not illegal actions such as price controls. It is easy for underage students to wipe off a stamp, but if you had a wristband, it would be very easy to tell the minors apart. give the younger adults a choice of something else to do right downtown!! Alternative activites would significantly decrease the underage drinking because then you'd have something to do other than go to the bar. If people want to drink they will always find a way. If you make all bars 21, then you need to have a place for the underagers to go and dance, or hang out. Of course some will get fake id's and house parties will increase. SEE above comments. limiting access to bars for 21 year olds and mandatory ID scanners. We already have increased law enforcement which doesn't decrease underage drinking. I really don't think you'll find a decrease in underage drinking. Once you take it away from the bar scene, it will become a house party thing and that's far worse than the bars. Differentiating between those of age and those underage would help bar owners/law enforcement. I don't like the idea of making bars accessible to those over 21. Actually, I think a drinking age of 19 would make more sense. None of these will be affectlye. If the bars raise the age limit to 21 there will be an increase in fake ID's purchased, and the bars will let those people with fakes in Having a police officer check IDs at the door and a second officer (or volunteer citizen) to monitor the bar patrons, making sure they have stamps/bracelets if they have a drink in their hand. If they are in posession of an alcoholic beverage and no stamp, take custody of them and escort them to the officer for their ticket. Also wrist bands are more prominate than stamps and don't wash off. If arrest and tickets keep increasing at a rate like this no one will want to come to the University of Iowa. And then these over bearing cops on a power trip can go work for the meat packing company in west liberty. Remember the student make up a significant portion of the population of this town and if you don't start treating them like adults they wont be here to much longer. The most effective thing to do would be provide something else to do. None of the above will work. If you look at each option objectively, you realize that all of the above are easily avoidable for minors. Limiting bars to 21 will force freshmen to house parties. There is more binge drinking at house parties then at bars. As someone who was ticketed twice as a minor. I can attest that Law Enforcement is in no way a deterrant. Restdcting price specials encourages binge drinking before you get to the bar. Setting a minimum price for drinks does the same. Other late night activities is definetly a great option. Wrist bands do not counter the mass influx of ID's. If actually enforced. wrist bands would just force minors out of the bars and into house parties. ID scanners are a joke since a large majority of Iowa students are from III. and most fakes are from out of state. Self policing by bars could be effective but once again will only move the problem. Are you trying to decrease underage drinking or merely move it out of the bars? They must realize that if they do limit access to those over 21, they must concurrently provide alternative late night activies. Replace bars with other social establishments downtown. Devote more space downtown to more late night establishments that cater to young adults. Give grants to attract these kinds of businesses to downtown IC. limit access and the city should provide bars, clubs and stores with mandatory ID scanners. Offering other late night activities. Kids are scared of cops. case closed. But frankly, how old a student is when the drink doesn't concern me, it only concerns those who must enforce the rules. Cops and Bar owners. the university should not be playing a role in this unless it is in the residence halls. Otherwise, it is none of their business and should not be taking a popsition other than to say that they support the law. limiting the access and mandatory scanners. that way it is incraasingly difficult to get in with a fake id Underage drinking is not a problem in Iowa City. Plus underage drinkers will find a way to drink regardtess. More of the resposibility has to be with the University. Nothing will. People will just find alternative places to drink. And if that doesn't work, Iowa City won't be a fun college town and people won't go here. Why are you trying to control this? I know, "because it's the law". But why are we really trying to control this? VVhO the fuck cares. Question 12 I could understand. I'm embarrassed to be represented by this survey. Same as above. Underage drinking is going to occur no matter what. People who want to drink will find a way. I know from personal experience that I could always run some last minute errands and such at a late hour. Personally I would rather go somewhere than a bar to avoid outrageous cover charges and the threats and temptations of drinking. It would be better for me in the long run. If there were more activities for people under 21 or atleast businesses that did not close at such an early hour the situation would be much better. I think that wristbanding 21 year old, and increasing the number of law enforcement officers, would cut down on a lot of problems. Underage drinkers are very intimidated by police. and will not drink if their presence is known in the bar. Instead of standing outside on the ped mall watching. why not an officer or two into the bar to "scare" underage drinkers. You really can't, if kids can't drink in the bars they will drink at home. Limiting the bars to 21 year olds is not a solution to this problem. Students here already see "going out" and drinking as the sole form of entertainment and they will not just stop going because it's against the law. More people will find fake ID's and go off campus to drink in private houses. By having scanners in the bars, less people will be albe to use fake ID'S and only 21 year olds will be able to buy alcohol. the owners need to be responsible for there employees. when I was under the age of 21. I was getting served by waitresses at tables. wrist bands. etc won't stop that The stamps they give at the bar can be worn off and its not a big deal. By giving people a wrist band it monitors the 21 year olds better. nothing will stop it. these will only change the places drinking takes place. The problem will only become less dificult for bar owners. Students will begin to drink more outside of the bars especially because it is cheaper The biggest thing would find some way to want students not really care about drinking, but I don't know how you would attain that. Lock the minors in a closet and throw away the keys. Enough said. I also think ID scanners are a wonderful idea. Fake ID's are always available- Scanners would help deter them,.. Maybe the university could have more activities such as concerts, or a juice bar. Also maybe a free taxi. or shuttle to those who dont have access to a car to places like the bowling ally, Plant X, and other places where the main activity is NOT drinking. Unless they know someone they have no affordable way to get to these places that are far away from the campus. I think there should be mandatory ID scanners as well wrist bands to identify those who are of age. Let's face it the bars in this town make a fortune on underage drinking. They aren't going to want to police that. people seem to get scared when they know there will be a bar raid and the bars are dead-of course that may hurt the bars financially which would in turn damage the downtown area even more- i think that providing alteratives would be best- in the old capital mall many new and exciting activities could take up residency Community Service. Most people now just have their parents pay for tickets that they recieve. Having them preform a few hours of community service might go a little further to show them its not worth getting caught. Please don't change the age to more bars. I am 20 and I like to go and dance or see a concert every now and then. I really dont think there is a solution to this problem. I think that combining some of the above options would be a good idea. I know that the club that I go to in Davenport allows 19 and over in, but it requires wrist bands for people 21 and over. I think that the ID scanners would be a very good idea while also encouraging other non-alcoholic activities. All of these are good ideas, aside from the price controls that I don't feel the city has any business dictating. As I said, some people will drink no matter what-they'll find a way, whether they have to go to another bar, a house party, etc. Nothing the city does will stop these people. But providing alternatives would be a big step, as many people would probably take advantage of them. There really are other things to do]! Why get drunk ALL the time?? Lower the age. Reduce the state drinking age, or reduce local enforcement. There's not ANYthing forthose under21 to do. I remember when I was that age and there was nothing to do. I think again the answer is alternative venues. If there is restictions to the bars, minors will still get in. There are ways. The city council is not going to be able to enforce any of these. Make the drinking age 18 or 19. Then there would be hardly any underage drinking. Nothing, people will just go to more house parties or drink in the dorms. But if they do that, then Iowa City will have to find a whole new source of revenue because IC makes all their money off of 18 and 19 year old students drinking at the bars. The majority of employees of the downtown bars are the students themselves. Letting your friendsffrat brothers/hot girlsN~hatever get in without a legitimate ID is the norm. The doormen and waitstaff don't feel the pinch from authorities, and I don't know if it would help if they did, but it's definitely the avenue to look at if Iowa City wants to get rid of UNDERAGE binge drinkers. There is nothing the council can do If the target is to cut down on underage drinking this will really help. Anyone that is underage knows exactly which bars they can get served at and which don't pay attention to who is drinking. educationals to younger children none of the above will be effective. non-alcoholic dance clubs would be awesome too concets with popular groups do nothing Lowering the drinking age to the some as the Selective Service, voting, and legal adult age. Decrease the drinking age to 18. Give us some awesome concerts to go to. There isn't really a lot that you can do about underage drinking. The second that people under 21 can't go to the bars, the number of house parties will greatly increase. Have more social outlets. Maybe I come from a country that has all those but I could go for food, coffee without having to to a pub for social activities after 9 prn up until 6 am. UISG Drinking Behavior Survey Additional Comments Executive summary of responses A large number of opinions are expressed, there are many insightful and interesting comments that summarize thoughts found throughout the survey results. -Summary by Andy Stoll, UISG 16. Other comments Pressure Regents to Give money to make the IMU a place for student life and not corporate meetings If the university starts to crack down on underage drinking in the bars, it will create a negative effect. It is safer to be at a bar and be drunk than to be at a house party drunk and then attempt to drive back to your dorm or apartment. It will also decrease enrolement because the future students will see an environment where they are not allowed to have fun with their friends and they will go else where. Don't hurt the 21+ crowd, We have earned the right to drink! The bar scene in Iowa City is NOT and evil. terrible thing as many people seem to think. They do provide a service that is in demand, and provide a safe atmosphere for people who choose to go there. Individuals and businesses should be held responsible for the problems that arise. not the community as a whole. everything is fine as it is right now. I think the definition of binge drinking needs to be changed. the number of drinks that a person consumes contributes to binge drinking, but i think that the majority of the people at bars consume 5 drinks with no problem at all. i don't think that all ofthose people are binge drinkers. hinge drinkers are people who drink a lot and can't handle themselves when they get drunk. A karyokee club and comedy clubs would be a big hit! In all honesty the University and especially Stepping Up should leave people to make their own decisions. I do not remember asking Stepping Up to interfere with my social life. Yes, the city could make bars all 21, but that will only move the drinkers elsewhere. I have been an underage drinker in the past and a binge drinker from time to time, but I consider myself a responsible drinker for the most part. I have kept up a high GPA and am involved in many activities. I may have made some bad choices before, but I learned from them, and isn't that important? How are we supposed to learn if we are not allowed to make our own choices and accept the consequences. Only 21 will never fly here. Just look at Iowa St. Thats why some students come here. The 'scene is better' and the youngins{18-20} can get into bars. My recommendation is for the id checkers to crackdown hard 24-7. After awhile the fakers will get the point and go drink at a persons home. Let them have the guilt. They say everyone was young once, I'm not So Sure that's true. do something productive, get taxes on books dropped before the semester book buying star~s. Hopefully this issue is one you will follow up along with the other state schools and find out more about the taxes on textbooks. This issue does impact ALL U I students, not just those who drink alcohol. Thanks! It's this strict Puritanical attitude towards alcohol that leads to binge drinking. I come from a culture where I was allowed to drink alcohol in a restaurant from 16 and could buy alcohol in a bar from 18. My parents introduced me to it much earlier than that so that I could learn about responsible drinking. By the time I came of age, drinking was not a big deal for me. Stricter rules only make it more attractive. Stop patronizing young adults and assuming you can regulate their behavior. The students are tired of hearing the negativity about the binge drinking problem and are not listening anymore (including mysett~. The University should do something more positive for the students like what I mentioned above. There needs to be something more exciting going on around here besides going to the bar. Binge drinking is not a problem GOOD LUCK!!! Eliminating drink specials is one of the most retarted things this town could do. Only the upper-class could afford many drinks then and the bars would be increasing their revenue and that is the last thing this town needs. If this happens there would be an increase in college student's debt and the didy bar owners could just buy more drugs for themselves-I used to work at a bar. Thanks for this opportunity. I think that the only solution to this problem is for the students themselves to experience the effects of hinge drinking on their own bodies. Over time most people get over this behavior, For the record, I am a law student and not an undergraduate student. I don't think eliminating drink specials will help because people will drink elsewhere (at par~ies) or they will just spend more money. More law enforcement may help, but I don't think it will be a permanent solution. Fining bars lots of money for serving to minors may get them to be more careful. The bouncers don't always do their job right, either. When I was 19 I went to the Sports column, and the bouncer looked at my (real) ID and stamped me as being over 21. They are asking for problems. Even only stamping people that are 21+ doesn't work, because you always have a "buyer" in the group with you, so it doesn't slow your partying down. How do I sign up for UISG? Nothing involving this issue can be forced to change. If they become stricter in the bars the problem will only move elsewhere, which will most likely be the dorms. I think that this whole "binge drinking" problem is labeling the University with a bad name it doesn't deserve, Underage drinking does occur but 99 percent of the time it is done in a responsibe manner. A few drunk students who like to vandalize property are giving everyone a bad name. I believe that the police should be looking for these vandals rather than bothering the guy who just wants to have a beer with his friends. College students are adults and they deserve to be treated like adults. Don't let a few irresponsible people ruin the nightlife of Iowa City. kids are gonna drink regardless of what you do to try to stop it. focus your time on solving other problems instead. thanks for letting me speak. Drinking will always be a problem. If the bars are changed to 21, then people will get fake IDs or go to house parties. Nothing is going to stop the drinking because this is a college town and no college town is without drinking. if I can still get into a bar, that's fine. But please don't raise the age to 21. That's the only thing to do in Iowa City, unless you have a car and creative friends, which I happen to not have. People are gonna drink no matter what, but at least it can be regulated by the cops downtown. If we can't get in until we're 21, then more house parties will happen, and that's more disturbing to the Iowa City residents, in my opinion. The cops would have a wider range of patroling to do. Give us some Credit! We know what we want and know what we're doing, so there isn't anything that can be done. We are witnessing modern age slavery here...by directing public opinion and by infringing more and more upon their freedoms by the so called "caretakers". Unfortunately, we have constructed an extremely convoluted system that really nobody understands that ends up serving the interests of a base prison industry...bigger government intervention...more taxes...more law enforcement, etc. People feel disconnected with their governments and wish it were to go away but don't really have a better alternative. Bye. I was a full time student at the U of I twenty five years ago and I use to hinge drink. I wish someone had confronted me with the facts early on so that I would not have taken the chances I did as an undergrad student then. I have since then stopped drinking alcohol because I can't handle it. Students need to be educated from the first day they hit this campus and have the issue in front of them on a daily basis until they leave. If you don't put a face and a story to the problem, they think they are safe from the problem. I think that the reason that the drinking rate is so high is because of the lack of activities for nondrinking students to do. I know that there are things to do off campus, like Coralridge and things like that, but for students living on campus without a car it is very hard to do anything like that. If there were things like that closer to campus, more students could chose to do them instead of drink. I don't think it should be this big of a deal. I honestly think that if college students were treated more like adults they would act more like adults. The drinking age should be lowered. I think the city is the major one who needs to be committed to this problem. I mean what they are considering now with the drink specials being limited and out of sight sales being limited is nonsense. Do they really think that'll help? Underage drinkers will most likly be willing to pay any cost to drink if they so choose. So a 21 law would be beneficial to the city's problem. Unfortunately students under 21 and of course the bar owners will fight this and/or get angry at the city. And of course the city will listen to them. I think they just need to vote 21 and think for everybody's best interest and not just the bar owner's. if the bars get twenty one and over, that would really suck- i think the city needs to relax- they are doing all they can now with the cops everywhere and still having the underage drinking law- they can't do anything else- more problems will occur if they do anything else Having all "partying" going on in one central area like downtown makes me feel safer rather than having parties everywhere else where people might be driving! Andy Stoll and Chris Linn should run for City Council. As a graduate student with an undergraduate experience outside of Iowa City, I found that UI students seem to congregate downtown mostly because everyone else does. My opinion is that students simply lack the interest to find other things to do, which is primarily their own shortcoming rather than the city's. There are already a lot of other activities that could be done. I found the most alarming is that so many students will "go downtown" as many as four nights a week for several months. Don't these students have work to do? Perhaps classes are not suf~ciently challenging? A student's life is well rounded by social activities undoubtedly, but when classes are a distant second to alcohol, then I have to ask if the professors aren't being to coddled by in-class whining about the amount of work they give. There are a lot of other issues to Iowa City's drinking problem. I've discussed it with some long-time Iowa City residents (that are still young < 30 years old). I don't understand the resentment of the downtown police presence, but they do have strong feelings about it. For some reason, some young people think that it's okay to get drunk, publicly, and that the police have no good right to curb this activity. Whatever the solution, it will have to incorporate a change in mentality, perhaps a collective maturing of the student body. more activities the university of iowa is kidding itself, if it thinks that the drinking rates of people here are any higer than any other school in the country. it isn't even an issue If it's not broke don't fix it. This is one of the safest campuses in the country and although some view drinking in Iowa City as a problem, I don't feel that changing the alcohol policies in the community will realIt solve anything. There has been talk about changing the age for getting into bars from 18 or 19 to all 21-only bars. Although I am not sure if this is still a solution proposed by the board, I would like to address it for a moment. I do not think that changing the age to enter bars is a good idea, simply because there are many people that enjoy going to bars just for the atmosphere and because it gives them a chance to get together with friends and dance and hang out. I know that there have been many occasions where my roommates and I have gone to bars and have had good times without consuming alcohol. Please give this some consideration before making a decision that punishes those that don't really do anything wrong. This is a non-issue. Limiting drink specials and increasing the drinking age are not solutions for the time honored tradition of college students getting plastered. This is the way it has always been. My dad and his dad liked to "Binge" drink back in their college days. It is only in this PC society that it is seen as a major problem. Society might have a problem but we can't go changing that. I think the old phrase, "Boy's will be boy's" sums up my attitude towards this issue nicely. I'm glad that the University and City are concerned with the "problem". But I don't know that they will be able to stop binge drinking with more, and stricter rules. I personally resent the STEPPING UP project the University spends so much money on. It sort of says, you are either a drunk or you can choose non-drinking activities. And turning those University parking lots into alcohol free lots, in my opinion has been a failure. During a few football games, I have been by that lot and noticed that it is nearly 3/4 empty. Good use of space!!! The University spends too much time trying to envoke its "morals" onto the rest of the student body, There comes a point when you have to realize that people are people. They will do stupid things. Students will binge drink!! Amen! Taking action against bars (21 bars only, limit on drink specials, etc,) will only encourage binge/underage drinking at private parties. I went to UNI, and it has a far worse hinge drinking problem than U of I, when you compare total students, and # of bars. I think the police need to come down harder on underage drinking, bars need to be more responsible for id'ing people at the door. this was never a hinge drinking issue untill the cops started walking into bars and writing citations by the ream. then the iowa city council thought they could kill two birds with one stone. worry about the underage drinking, and then remember what it was like to be in college 10, 20, or 30 years ago...not much has changed in terms of alcohol consumption. I don't disagree with drinking (I do it myself) but I do disagree with the drinking culture that thrives on this campus. There are a lot of great students here who do not engage in irresponsible drinking behavior (but who do drink some, responsibly) and I think somehow the drinking culture must change. I think this can be achieved through a COMBINATION of efforts by bars (I am very much in favor of all bars being 21 +), the city (higher fines and more enforcement), the university (encouraging as many alternative activities as possible), but most of all the students themselves. We must encourage our peers to experience life outside the smoky confines of the Field House-to find out how many great friendships can be made by actually talking and going to interesting events/activities. It is also vital that parents and educators at the pre-college level become more aware of this problem so that they can possibly protect against it. This problem is exemplary of the much larger and graver issue of changes within our society-a society in which kids grow up much faster and with much less guidance. This is certainly not going to be a quick fix, but I think it can be done. I know that is extremely idealistic I think that this poll is a great idea and a definite step in the right direction. I know it will take time, but you've actually taken an initiative which rioone has really done before. As a student who doesn't drink, I really hope that some alternatives will come up soon. in a school of 28000, there is no way that these laws are going to eliminate underage drinking, it may just promote drug alternatives, such as pot, exstacy, coke, etc. If you change the laws, we will just find other ways to get around them. If you tell us not to drink, we will want to drink even more. The MOST you can do is to educate us on the harmful effects of alcohol and then for once, let us make our own decisions. Close the bars and we will go to house parties. Bust the house parties and we will just find somewhere else to drink. I truthfully believe that the bars are a safer place for us to drink (albeit some times illegal) because drinks can be limited, and we will surrounded by people who can help us if, for some odd reason, we do get into trouble. I believe that if Iowa City tries to get too strict on its drinking policies, the plan will backfire and underage/hinge drinking will only get worse. Now we have a close, relatively safe environment to hang out in. If underage students are not allowed into the bars, I believe that not only will the hinge drinking rate rise (because liqour from liqour stores is even cheaper and we have nowhere to go but roam around) but also we will find higher rates of drunk driving (because people have to go farther to do what they're going to do anyway). I hope the UISG considers these opinions strongly. If individuals want to drink they will regardless of the laws. There are other places to drink other than bars, house padlos, etc. A bar is a safer place to drink than a party, since there is supervision at bars. Bars also offer other activities than just drinking, such as pool, dancing, and music, in which people drink less. At parties for fun people usually play drinking games, increasing binge drinking more than a bar does. For these reasons any strict actions such as changing the age of bars will increase parties which will, in turn, increase binge drinking rather than curbing or slowing it down. The Iowa City Council should look for other alternative means to approach this problem. Restricting alcohol sales is onnly a temporary solution. I don't feel that any rules/laws the city or university tries to pass will be successful in curving hinge drinking. It is a part of many young people's lives, and I feel a part of growing up and becoming a more responsible adult, Teaching students how to drink responsibly should be the city's goal, not trying to become their parents and telling them they can and cannot do. Don't raise the age to get into the bars to 21. Many of my friends and I go there to dance. It would take that away from us if the age were lowered. Less tickets for "public intox" when it is not truly warrented would encourage people to walk more than drive. in my opinion, public intox tickets should only be given to violent individuals and those causing a threat in general, ie., following someone and bartossing them. the recent increase of public intox tickets for things like stumbling have encouraged people to risk driving. cab rates are excessive leading people to walk, often alone which is quite dangerous. i am far more concerned with rape than i am in drinking. looking at Ul's record that is the ugliest mark we have. I am in no way belittling the deaths of the individuals that have led to this cause but you cannot expect that students on their own for the first time are not going to make mistakes. If alcohol was accepted as a toxin and people were educated to realize that there is a level at which death is imminent perhaps this would encourage people to take it more seriously. as it stands you are generally dealing with glorified adolenscents that see authority as a factor to ignore/get around. don't say, "this is wrong." say, "this is dangerous when.,." I think that the City Council is going about this situation all wrong. As a legal drinker, I feel that their ideas about limiting drink prices are going to hurt someone like me more than an underage drinker. If they don't want minors drinking, provide other fun activities for them to engage in.....activities that the students themselves have expressed interest in, not something lame. Programs similar to The Stepping Up are good ways to start, Make this survery more widely distributed. You will probably find a great number of people who are willing to suggest late night activities that do not contain as much drinking. More law enforcement would discourage underage minors from drinking. But the most important thing is to discourage excessive drinking and to remind students that it is possible to drink responsibly, My biggest problem with the drinking issue in Iowa City is that responsible drinkers are going to have to pay the price for the irresponsible ones. Any proposal affecting the price of alcohol is dangerously out of line. There is no reason why I (a 21 year old) should be forced to pay more for a drink because of others' actions. Two for one specials do not lead to binge drinking, pitchers do not lead to binge drinking, fake ID's do not lead to binge drinking. The problem is the mindset of the community as a whole. Harsher penalties for underage drinkers, along with better enforcement of current laws would curb the underage problem. I see underage people drinking in bars all the time, and the badenders know it, the owners know it. They are the people who should be held accountable, not the 21 + year olds who like to have a few drinks with friends. and not have to pay full price for them. I think the arrest rate also doesn't reflect our "problem" with drinking inlC because it is only a response to political pressure from old city officials who control the votes. I think steppping up should reevaluate where they put their money b/c the tail gates are nice but people will stop for free food then go back to drinking. I hope this University will way the opinions of all people and not just be against those who use there rights as citizens to make there own choices. Everyday the rights of the indvidual in this nation are becoming less and less it is time to stop this trend and start to get our freedoms back. Without other activities, the laws that are being proposed will not solve anything. Students will find other ways to continue drinking the way they have been, which could include more parties in uncontrolled atmospheres. Therefore. just making up some laws that will effect everyone (drinkers, non-drinkers, business owners), will not be effective by any means. yes binge drinking is a problem but is it really a city problem? i personally believe that it is a personal problem. through education and alternate activities we can take emphasis away from drinking as a pass time, automatically changing rules/laws is only going to enrage the student body and cause more problems. DO NOT restrict bars to 21 and over. This will drive people away from the bars and into apartments/houses/dorms, and it will not be just a 'downtown' problem. These proposals seem outrageous. If I was caught drinking in high school I wouldn't have to face this kind of punishment. If these new laws go into affect it will be harder to buy alcohol here than it was in high school. Great survey!! I hope more people utilize it! Raise expectations for students by providing closer mentorship and learning communities, especially during freshman year. Drinking is a problem of epidemic proportions here at Iowa. I have spent my whole life in university towns and have never seen drinking be a problem to this extent. I think the University and the city need to work together to provide other options for students while at the same time attempting to scale back the presence of the bar establishments. The first, logical step in that direction would be establishing a 21 and over policy for all bars. It is inevitable that college students will drink. An emphasis should be put on drinking responsibly. From looking at my home town of Winona, MN at the two universities there, I don't really see how anything would help. The bar age there is 21 but just recently the police busted a bar and pulled approx. 50 minors out of the bar, that's not counting the one's that got away. The minors will still find a way to get in the bars. One thing that the town did do was to make an ordinance of 1 keg per house. This ordinance requires the owner of the house, not the renter, to obtain a permit just to get a keg. As far as I know, it has helped to decrease the number of house parties, but that just pushed the students back to the bars. Whatever happens, it shouldn't just be the council that decides. There are many people out there with their own opinion and less than a dozens people shouldn't be able to make a chnage to the lives of those people. Put it to a city vote and see what happens. as much as you would like to think that you can stop underage drinking. sure your proposal might help, but think about what you're really doing. as i said before, college students drink and really there is no way to stop them, ticket after ticket, we don't really care. if you don't want underage kids to drink, eliminate their access to alcohol. Look at Iowa State their bars are 21 only and they have a much smaller problem I don't believe restricing drink specials and limiting the amount of drinks a person can buy will do anything but agitate the consumer. Perhaps bars should only let in those who are 21 and over, or opt to have the bars police themselves far more strictly than what they are currently doing. A majority will likely disagree that binge drinking and underage drinking is a problem. But the majority is not always right. Please read the comments and the substance with them. I think you'll find two things. First, the people against additional limits on being in the bars and drink specials are under 21, 'cause they are the ones creating the problem. They are trying to protect their right to drink. Second, the comments will be "they will just drink anyway" and "it's safer at the bars than elsewhere". I think I've addressed the first, and anyone who has seen what happens at the bars should know this behavior is not safe anywhere, and it needs to be decreased. There is no simple cure for binge drinking. It is an undesirable characteristic of our society that must be faced at every institution and at every age. There will always be underage drinking. ALWAYS. I feel that it is safer to let students drink on campus where we can walk home. If on-campus drinking is prevented, students will go off-campus, and most likely drive to get there. This will increase the chance that students will risk drinking and driving. Students will always consume alcohol. Fact of life. It cannot be prevented. Is it really that harmful? This survey was an excellent idea. It is nice to know that UI and the City Council consider the student voice a worthy one to acknowledge. Kids are young and a majority of them can handle their liqour. Others that can not should not drink at all, which is where the problem with drinking so until you can find a way to pinpoint these weak individuals towards the drinking community, leave the majority of us alone. Coming out of Chicago I can assure Iowa City that if you think drinking is a problem here get out of the rural community and take a bit of action in the night life of the big city. Basically, I just want you to realize that empirically college students have relinquished in their propensity for the consumption of alcohol. Flimsy rules and regulations are not going to change this fact. Regardless of what is done this is going to remain true. I realize that your position cannot be in support of these ideals, but I implore you to realize them. I just want you to understand that most of us out here drinking are just trying to have a good time, and are really not out to get anyone. Don't punish everyone for the mistakes of a few, please. In my opinion drinking is not a problem anymore. Most students know how to handle their alcohol before they get to college and if not one of their friends does. My friends and I mostly go to parties or bars to socialize and relieve stress but we all know our limit. It is the culture...not a enforceable or changeable event over night. i feel that any action taken to limit student access to bars would be detrimental to the situation. students can find ways to drink easily and the safest place to do that is in a bar. the best way to decrease hinge drinking and underage drinking is to increase police presence in these institutions or in the ped mall. as a female, i feel much safer socializing in a bar than in a house party If you restrict someone or tell them they can't do something, they'll go out and do what they're not supposed to. I would encourage more of this type of survey. Students need to have their voice heard and most do not have the time to go to a city council meeting. By making new rules in Iowa City, the whole community will lose money. There are so many people that come to Iowa City just to party. By getting tougher rules, people won't visit Iowa City. They then won't go to the malls or stores, restaurants, gas stations etc. If the University is truely commited to eliminating the connection between alcohol and the social atmosphere, the University needs to help fund alternative activities. The social activities of the university students are intertangled with the downtown bars, and only after other aternatives are provided for the students should the downtown bars have limitations placed on them. The City's newest proposal makes sense except for the restriction on pitchers. Why not just have the bars require an ID for each glass that accompanies the pitchers as is done in many cities and states already?? I do think that limiting the number of servings per person per time is a good way to control both hinge and underage drinking -- causes slower consumption and prevents buying drinks for others. I think that regardless of the Binge drinking stats, Iowa City is a safe and wonderful city to live in. The plethora of bars & restraunts so close to campus is a major contributing factor to the wonderful environment. Many people are concerned at an overabundance of bars downtown, but restricting the types of new businesses is not the solution. Let's face it, most of the businesses downtown are now and will continue to be geared toward students (since they don't have to park downtown like others would) -- restraunts and bars fit that bill. I hope that Stepping Up and city council do things that don't punish those of us who are responsible and just want to have fun. My opinion is that MOST college students at MOST colleges and universitites display the same types of behaviors as students here at the University of Iowa do. People all across the country binge drink. This is not a situation that is just found here. Having visited and partied at MANY different colleges (from UNI and Loras, to CHICO in claifornia), i would have to say that i have found them all to be pretty much equal in the number of people binge drinking. Studies show that there are more alcohol related arrests etc... etc... however, what those studies do not show you is that there is not as much police enforcement at these otehr colleges. For example at UNI, for their homecomming, there were thousands of underage college students walking around wasted out ofthier mind for 3 straight days. I saw a total of 3 police officers. They were on a rooftop videotaping the event. Now, i am not saying that iowa City needs less police action, i believe that they do a fine job. But what i am saying is that tthis is not a problem that is unique to THIS college, and i just honestly believe that Iowa City makes it seem like it is. Other activities COULD cut down on underage and binge drinking, but honestly, when i was underage i don't even know that those would have stopped me from drinking with my friends. Drinking is a normal par~ of college life, whetehre it is legal or not, so what the big deal here in Iowa City is I have no clue. Underage and hinge ddnking is a problem you're going to have anywhere you go. You can educate people and hope for the best. This is not a university ma~ter. The university is in no way responsible for the drinking habits of its students. The patrons pay the bars just like they pay the University. It is a choice, responsible or not. Once again, educating the public on these maltors may show somewhat of a decrease in binge drinking but passing legislation to limit it will only Cause it to increase. Ticketing more underage drinkers at the bars only causes people to drink unsafely off campus causing vandalism and sexual assault. At least at the bars there is supervision which is crucial. more information and advertising about al-anon is good too. I have found it to be a great program! Thank you for doing this! I look forward to improvements coming speedily along! I have visited several friends at other campuses and I can honestly say that Iowa students, While they do drink a lot, do not drink any more heavily, or less heavily than students at other major universities. The university and Iowa City keeps roughly the same number of people in the downtown area. But as far as enforcement the police presence gets larger all the time. Statistics do not seem to take into account the rise in enforcement only the results of it. Education is the only way to get things to change, read any book on drugs, addiction, or recovery. Help is also needed to support but education is the key. I think that drinking problem here is largely a result of living in an area with little 9oing on (ex. Pro sports, amusement parks). Because of sheer boredom, binge drinkin9 has become the culture in Iowa Cily. The only way to remedy this is to provide other actMties. I feel that aggressive measures taken to curb underage and binge drinking, 8uGh as increasing law enforcement and prohibiting underage students from going into bars is wrong. This will just cause more arrests, and other problems such a$ increased drug use. I do not think the situation at the UI is any different from any other university despite what the Harvard study says. other forms of weekend entertainment is needed despite the alcohol questions. Thanks for asking the students their opinion on drinking at Iowa. I don't know how many students that attend U of I are traditional students but I am assuming that a good number of them are and that places them right at the age when you like to go out and have a few drinks maybe more. The underage drinking so-called problem will never go away, this is college you are suppose to have fun. If that involves alcohol, concerts, museums,or whatever else. If you don't want to have an underage drinking problem then don't have an age when can legally get a drink. There's a lot of hype going around hinge drinking, but most people grow out of it after a couple of years. Making all bars 21 and not offering other places to go and dance, or have a social atmosphere is unfairly punishing those who are the last to turn 21 of their group of friends. It's quite common to have friends that are 2 years younger than yourself so it would be nice to have a social setting other than someone's house to hang out with them. The UISG should take a position to fight the IowaCity police department on this issuse. There are other issues in this community that would help students better that trying to combat underage drinking. Remeber that we, the students, are people in this community too and should be treated fairly. IowaCity should take a vote among the citizens, including students, to see what they wish to have their tax money spent on. I bet you it would not be laws and more police to prevent college kids from drinking. Why does the University wish to persecute the majority of its students? To address the problem most effectively, the University should consider fostering a culture that encourages responsible drinking over destructive drunkeness. I would like to see the University say "We realize that 60% of our student body is going to drink. We do not accept the dangerous/destructive side effects of this habit. We want to help you drink more responsibly" Maybe the University could designate a dorm for those who drink. Not necessarily allow people to drink in that dorm, but make it clear to those whom do not want to be around those who drink that other buildings would be better suited for their learning style. We must keep in mind that a minority of the student population does not drink. Why must we focus on their discomfort more than helping the majority become more responsible? By accepting the drinking that occurs and working with Freshmen and Sophomores to encourage safer drinking, both side would win. University events with alcohol safely served, late night cambuses, and dorm events aimed for those whom choose to drink would all help to eliminate the problem of irresponsible drinking. Underage drinking is not a problem. Irresponsible underage drinking is most definetly a problem. Almost every college student is going to drink at some time in their college career. I think the most important thing is to teach them how to drink responsibly. For instance, making aware how many drinks it takes to become intoxicated and what can happen with intoxication. Drinking and driving prevention and more. I'm very annoyed by reports of underage drinkers complaining that the police come down too hard on them. They are BREAKING THE LAW. If they think they are responsible enough to be drinking alcohol then they should be able to take responsibility for their actions. If they are breaking the law and get caught, they shouldn't whine that the police are too heavy-handed. Additionally, underage drinkers need to get their priorities figured out. In an article printed last year addressing the issue of drinking, a student was quoted as saying she liked to go out drinking because there wasn't anything else to do; anything else there was to do was "dumb", like reading a book. Hello? Why are these people at college? There are some people whose priorities are seriously out-of-whack. How are they going to get through life? Drunk? Great. You know what, I drink. Damn proud of it, and it never hurt me. Have I made mistakes? Yes. Are they anyone's fault other than my own? No. Could anyone have stopped me from making those mistakes? Maybe a 24 hour babysitter, but than I never would have learned from my mistakes. I feel that the Univeristy is really starting to cramp my style. I dont like feeling that the University says my lifestyle is WRONG, and more than if they said it was WRONG to be gay, or Jewish. I will not allow anyone to dictate a lifestyle to me, so you can make whatever changes to policy and law you feel appropriate, but you won't be changing a thing. If you want to feel good about yourself, by all means, raise prices, send everyone to alcohol education class, and keep telling us that drinking is a sin. But if you want to make a difference, get involved in our lives, take our opinions seriously, and change us from within, not without. If you really give a damn about the opinions of the students, I will be the first to offer it. My name is Marshall Guthrie, you can reach me at marshall-guthrie@uiowa.edu or 353-5480. I transferred into the university at the age of twenty. For two years i went out drinking and consequently my grades affected it. I was allowed to get into bars, and once you got to know the workers, they served you. It only took me tow months before i could get served, the problem lies in the ability of minors to get access to the bars. Granted if they want to drink, they will. But by changes the age, it will make it alot harder, and if you enforce the drinking in the dorms rule, then it the penalties will be alot more strict which in turn wil affect the way they drink. I believe I participated in the Harvard survey--If I did, it was shortly after I began my freshman year. I'm sure I was not the only individual who seriously exaggerated the truth. I would consider that survey seriously flawed. if you take the bars away from underage students there will just be more house parties that have underage drinking. you can't get rid of it, you can only move the location in which it occurs. Many think it is cool to drink and I believe that they exagerated their drinking habits and this greatly affected the survey that was done. I sometimes find myself getting annoyed with the fact that the City council makes these "drinking problems" seem as though they happen only at the University of Iowa. This is college, and you can be sure that at most universities they are experiencing the same problems. I feel that imposing a drink minimum will have little to no effect on the "binge drinking" problem in Iowa City. Students would "party" elsewhere or would take the bite and pay the prices. In the long run, it would probably just help the bar owners turn a higher profit. Taking away drink specials is pretty unheard of as well. This is a big ten college and we the students are old enough to decide whether or not we want and should drink. We are old enough to make our own decisions. This isn't high school. I would like to say that I don't see the University of Iowa as being any worse than the other state colleges or Big 10 schools. The "problem" is one that is being focused on simply because we're dwelling on it. Every other college could be having this debate right now, I think that if the Iowa City council raised the age to get into the bars to 21, then there will be so many more problems with house partys. I think at house partys people are more apt to binge drink than at the bars because at house partys it is less of a restricted environment. The problem is overblown. Concern should be for reducing problems that have negative outcomes. True, a large percentage of the student population drinks, sometimes heavily. However, few if any consequences will come of this. We are punishing majority to protect the minority. Overall, I do not think anything should be done. Students do need to understand that they will be held responsible for their actions. Instead of worring about the people who go and have fun should not be effected. It is the people who act out when they are drunk. We should be worried about sexual assults instead of how many drinks the "average" person consumes. It seems to me that both sides of the issue have to take more responsiblity. But, I also find it funny that the taxes earned by the city (through the bars) go back to programs that try to ticket underage drinkers. The media needs to stop portraying drinking as a "cool" activity. Actually, drinking should not be regarded as an activity at all. Underage drinkers should have to suffer harsh consequences to deter them from repeated behavior. The main problems is the drinking age, if it were 18 then people could drink more at their leisure. That way they wouldn't get "smashed" every time they drink Think of all the negative things that will happen if you act too quickly and don't think about these things in the long run. By eliminating 18-20 year olds from the bars you are only asking for more trouble. Find alternatives to drinking, and don't ruin it for those of us who are 21 and can drink responsibly. Don't make us take out loans just so we can go to the bars and have a few drinks. Don't do anything to change the existing situation. College and drinking has been a historical issue problem for how many years... the only people who are looking to enact change dont go out and drink. Plus for all the people who are over 21 (including mysel0 I do not want to see downtown Iowa City turned into a permanent police state. many years. Limiting access of underage people to enter bars will just increase the amount of drinking in the dorms and apartment buildings, at least if they are drinking at a bar, they can be monitered by the bar's staff. Drinking is not something to proud of or should do regularly- Attheage from 18 to 22 is just when you star~ doing that mostly because it is something you are not supposed to do, and it is what happens at that age. It isn't something that brings society down, it is just a coming of age thing. Why do you think this is not a big deal in Europe? Like I said, the only reason it is still 21 is because it generates profits for cities and thus universities. University of iowa is the worst scare of all with the drinking and parking situations this campus has! I would just like to stress how the bar scence is the primary social scene of Iowa City. Not everyone drinks when they go out. Making the bars 21 and older would result in a lower attendence of this university. Also, don't the police have better things to worry about. They should be out driving around in case someone is in need of help on their way home, like rape. While canning, I observed the police for a night and noticed that they don't do anything to those who are insanely drunk, climbing up lamp post or falling over, instead they approach people who are in control of themselves and have only had a few drinks. Maybe if the police wrote tickets to those who don't know better, they would learn. Last thing, I've heard a lot of comments (especially from Chicagoland students) that would love a non-alc dance club. It's a piece of home we miss. Thanks for this survey and good luck. All options listed above to tighten down on underage people at bars (scanners, wristbands, etc) will force them to house pa~ties. I agree that something needs to be done, but this is not the answer. I say this a person who is about to turn 21, who is not doing this in self intrest. If it is harder for younger students to get into bars then they will goto private parties where there are no police in close proximity and no bouncers. Better to have people drinking downtown than in the dorms or at house parties. College-age students are going to drink and drink how they want to. I don't really like the idea of the bars going to 21.19 would be a good age. but then it even if the bars are 21, that will not eliminate or detur underage drinking. I stress. NEED MORE THINGS TO DO OTHER THAN BARS! When I tell my friends at home what life is like here the first thing I tell them is that there are 52 bars within walking distance. Is that what the university wants to be associated with? No matter what anyone does-- college kids will binge drink not for any reason except they think it's fun. Laws may make it harder for kids to drink but they wiU find a way-- they always do. Help students find direction and emphasize the importance of good grades. More than some counselor helping people find classes, students need motivation and direction. Instituting a big-brother/big-sister program is one idea. It would allow more senior undergrads to meet incoming freshman and give them advice on surviving at a large university. This suggestion is not the same as what you would find in the very clandestine rituals of the various Greek organizations on this campus. I was never a fraternity member. I am suggestion that random people, Greek or not, have the chance to meet incoming students, at a university organized event, that rewards volunteers, or offers credit for their efforts. A semester hour or two maybe? Having motivated students may somehow help fight the boredom that you are calling hinge drinking. I really love hanging out downtown, and since greek houses are alcohol free, if downtown becomes 21 and older, there will be no where for us to hold our sorority events. I think that this community needs to understand that not all people who go to the bars drink. That is a very important point. I vehemently oppose the idea of restricting access to 21. The bars offer a lot more than alcohol for many people. Especially those of us who like live music. I wouldn't be able to see any of the local bands or have a place to hang out with friends or meet people if I couldn't get into the bars. Where could I play pool, or dance??? If this happened I might have to resort to drinking for lack of alternative entertainment!! I also think that the university should provide a safe-ride service which is more comprehensive. I think that lowering the drinking age wil be the only way to REALLY slow underage hinge drinking. If the rush/fear of getting caught or breaking the law is gone, it's really not as appealing. A lot of kids I know drink because they feel like they're rebelling against something, and because it's social and they feel grown up 'caus eit's this big forbidden thing.. .but that's probably not anything the City council can change huh? :o) I think that binge drinking would not be such a problem if there was more options that people would like and be interested in. For underage drinking, I think it occurs because they cant have it. I dont think it would be as big of a problem in the long run if the legal age was reduced to 19 - and have all bars be age 19 and up for entering. I think people would then also drink more responsibly. i would really hate to see the bars go to 21 because not all people age 18-20 are causing the problems, so it would be ridiculous to punish everyone and take out our social scene during the prime of our lives. VVnen the city council passed the ordinance that police could issue noise violations when there is not complaint, them most not have put much deep thought into it. If someone wanted to complain they would call in a complaint( they could even do it anonamously). In other words if it's not broken don't fix it. If it isn't bothering someone then why is it a social problem that needs to have an ordinance? I do see an excess in drinking at the school, but i'm sure that there isn't a major difference in drinking going from one major public university to another. and remember one thing if people want to do something bad enough, they will do it and get around rules one way or another, raising the age limit into the bars only leads to more house parties where drinking is cheaper and alot more dispersed throughout the city. at least at the bars downtown you have mainly everyone in a condensed area that you can keep track of them. which is definitely better than going throughout town and students disturbing neighbors and such. not to mention because house parties are cheaper then that will encourage and incredibly larger amount of binge drinking. Alcohol Free (underage) Dance Clubs would work so well in this community because alot of the time people are looking for that social atmosphere and a way to relieve stress. Dancing can do that. Plus, there isn't really anything for people who don't drink to do late at night to have fun. Please understand that the bars are a controlled environment. Their are bouncers and bartenders everywhere. These bars are a much safer place to be drinking at than any place else. If the bars go 21 than the parrying will not stop, it will move even/where else in the city. To dorms, apartments, and houses, Their will be more drunk driving cause kids don't want to walk home from the party, and more property will be destroyed. Making the bars 21 is the worst action that could be taken. The drinking can't be stoped, no matter what is done. But at least at the bars it is regulated better than anywhere else. It seems like the University and the Community are working against the expressed interests of the student body, causing bitter feelings between the groups. Students don't learn from preaching, they learn from experience. They need to see others that have been hurt from this. In my oppinion, enforcing stricter laws and punishments will not stop the students at the University of Iowa from drinking. Possibly having more activities to offer will change the binge drinking rate. Drinking shouldn't be looked down at only for students, you have got to think of the adults that come to Iowa City also, look at football Sat. and such, what are you going to do about those individuals? i would rather have all drunk people in I place, like downtown, where there's enforcement if they get out of hand than on the road, walking a couple miles to a party, or drinking in the dorms Binge drinking is a problem all colleges face and the sad thing is, there isn't too much that can be done about it. Coming from the stand point of a 21 year old, drinking habits usually change when you become of age, I know they did for me and my roomate. I very rady have more than 4 drinks in a night. And not only that, most students over 21 ddnk a lot more responsibly. The drinking "problem" in Iowa City was created as a justification for the extreme measures the city wants to take against the local bars, purely out of a fictional need to have more control ofthe downtown area. The only problems downtown at night are the police using the existing alcohol-related laws, in ways never intended by thier writers, to arrest as many people as possible. This issue is about what is right and what is wrong. Unfortunately I feel you do not have a right to tell us what is right in this situation. I drink. I'm underage. So what? I drink responsibly. The drinking age is a measure that was put in place to try to protect the children. It would be more effective for the UISG to lobby congress to reduce the drinking age to 18, when we are considered adults. From the 21 year olds I've talked to, very few have continued to binge drink after they turned 21. Binge drinking and drinking in general is a novelty for people who are underage, so they drink as much as they can and more to be 'cool' by breaking the rules. I am frustrated that Iowa City members believe that rules and police enforcement are going to make a difference. Why not encourage education, other social activities, and sponsor a late night bus system. I have visited plenty of colleges in my day and have seen the positive effects of a late night bus system. If we are sick of drunk driving accidents, wouldn't the answer be simple??? I vote for education, more social non-alcoholic activities, and more of our tax money to public transpodation. Oh, one more thing, perhaps cameras installed in the police's car so that we don't have to spend so much of our tax money to see what REALLY happened between a cop and a student As long as people are not hurting others, why does this continue to be an issue when other things are much more important? (ie parking, restoration of buildings) Just relax and let students be students. I think that by making the bars 21 and older will promote more house parties. These house parties are more likely to be off campus and therefore more people will drive to them. You can imagine the devastating results of mixing alcohol and driving. With the bars being so near campus buses are available. Having the buses be more available at late hours is you best bet at reducing the number of drunk drivers and I believe this is the only action that needs to take place to keep U of I students safer and still happy and able to have a good I think if the city restricts specials or the number of drinks a person can buy at once, the students are going to be very upset and they will revolt in ways that the city and the university do not want to see or have people across the state/nation see. Students are going to get drunk if they want to. The only thing that can really be done is, making other activities for the students to padicipate in and only hope that they do it. If they decide to cut off students under the age of 21 to local bars then their is going to be a lot of businesses shutting down. It is sad to say that IC is built around drinking but if they cut off underage students there will be a lot more places shutting down besides some bars. Imagine all the underage drinking students who call to get late night munchies what are going to happen to those businesses. So, if they go through with this plan watch a lot of things bad happen to good ol IOWA CITY. eliminating drink specials and making the bars 21 is not the answer, only an easy, for the time being, fix. Quite honestly a lot ofthis is the person, not just the community. A person decides to drink, whether or not from peer pressure. I did not drink until I was 21. I was in a sorority and parlied, but I was responsible to know that I did not want the ticket or the side effects. It takes a strong person to stand against what your friends are doing and still be accepted. I think the definition of hinge drinking is inaccurate. There is a difference between someone having a few drinks to wind-down (which is a different number for everyone) and drinking with the sole purpose to get drunk. By your definition, I am a ,,binge drinker,°/co but I am also extremely responsible when I drink. I think the people who act obnoxious and out of control after drinking should be picked out and dealt with accordingly. But for the rest of the majority who are visibly in control should be looked at with the same adult-like respect that is demanded from us everyday at the University. The question is this: how to give the non-drinker U of Iowa student a valid reason to say that they enjoy the campus life and not have the anticipated connotation of "going out," short for "going out...to drink." When students ask, "are you going out tonight?" and students respond, "no," there is no inferiority to that response. There are things that go on, I just find that the overall mindset is geared toward drinking. have no solution, because alternative activities exist already. Thanks for hearing my opinion. If students want to drink they will find away to drink. Restrictions at the bars will only cause underage students to engage in "binge drinking" behind closed doors. Which could lead to a situation that would be worse. A bar is more controled then for instance a house party. Students go to college to branch out and leave the shelter of their parents. While I understand the concern for underage drinking I do not agree with the City or the University policing and parenting those who can legally drink. This will push the social gatherings out of the bars and into the private sector where more will be consumed and where underaged drinkers will be welcomed with open arms. Most college students have started drinking much before their freshman year in college. They already have determined how they feel about drinking. If the "problem" needs to be stopped, start with the children who have not yet experienced alcohol yet. If the bars are forced to do something stupid, drinking outside the bar will skyrocket. Since most of the alcohol is purchased and consumed elsewhere, people will just come into the bars blasted because they know that they wont drink there. I know a lot of people who choose not to drink, yet i know a lot who do. Change the younger childtens thinking and the problem will decrease very quickly. I think that it is important to remember a few things. First Iowa beer is 3-2 proof which means that it is half as strong as beer served in other states (5-6 proof) So a person would have to drink twice as many beers in Iowa to be binge drinking as they would in other states. Second a cup of beer contains about a half a can of beer so two cups would equal one beer and one drink, not two drinks. I do not think that you have taken this into consideration when assesing binge drinking in Iowa. Also I would be interested to see a study done on house parties vs. bars. VVhere are people most likely to binge drink? Where are there more problems from drinking? Making all the bars 21 will not help the problem. Kids are going to drink if they want to and most of them will want to. Education can help people learn to drink responsibly, more options for social activity can decrease the amount of drinking at bars on weekends. Restricting price specials will help binge drinking, but none of these things will decrease underage drinking significantly. As long as the people drinking aren't hurting anybody else you shouldn't really worry to much about it. If you were accepted into this school you should have enough brains to take care of yourself. If you start picking fights or groping someone then the police need to be brought in. If your just enjoying a drink responsibly with your friends when your 19 it shouldn't matter. People who drink too much are only hurting themselves and it will eventually catch up to them. Don't ruin things for those who drink responsibily by making them pay more to drink and don't waste taxpayer money by putting more cops out there because for every one person that acts irresponsibly and gets ticketed or sent to jail there are 20 others who are ticketed for enjoying a drink responsibly even if they are under21. Iowa City's economy is based upon the profits it makes through the bars. For instance, look at Old Capital- it's going out of business. Take away drinking privilages and the ability to enter these bars and Iowa City's economy will be treaching in the downward direction. relax i've said all i have to say I think the community should stop worrying about other people and find something else to do. I grew up in a college town and there was no complaining about underage and dangerous drinking. Why? because it didn't affect the people who lived there, I don't believe this situation is any different. Why does the city of Iowa City seem to care so much about these "evils of sin" cornmired at U of Iowa? I also have a real problem with law enforcement seeking out underage drinking. A person should have to draw attention to him/herself to be arrested or fined, not just be standing in the corner with an empty bottle in hand. Please keep trying to come up with more ideas and activities for those students that don't want to hang out at a bar every weekend. It wouldn't be hard to beat a smokey bar, take an idea and go with it. You may be surprised, and thank you- this was an excellent survey! It's ridiculous of leaders to think they can control underage drinking. Irs a part of growing up and I guarentee it took place 10,20,50 years ago, Let it slide!! Realize that this is not a HUGE problem. There are other dilemma's city council, Public Safety, and UISG need to worry about. Understand that kids will be kids, and that underage drinking will occur. Concern yourself with bigger issues like parking. Make it easier for us to park. Maybe then we won't drink as much. Bring back "in Heaven there is no beer" Bring up the fact that the city council this week turned down a request by the RiverFest committee for funding. NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON PLANS, SPECIFICATIONS, FORM OF CONTRACT AND ESTIMATED COST FOR IOWA CITY TRANSIT INTERCHANGE FACILITY PHASE II PROJECT IN THE CITY OF IOWA CITY, IOWA TO ALL TAXPAYERS OF THE CITY OF IOWA CITY, IOWA, AND TO OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS: Public notice is hereby given that the City Council of the City of Iowa City, Iowa, will conduct a public hearing on plans, specifications, form of contract and estimated cost for the construction of the Iowa City Transit Interchange Facility Phase II Project in said City at 7:00 p.m. on the 6th day of February, 2001, said meeting to be held in the Council Chambers in the Civic Center in said City, or if said meeting is cancelled, at the next meeting of the City Council thereafter as posted by the City Clerk. Said plans, specifications, form of contract and estimated cost are now on file in the office of the City Clerk in the Civic Center in Iowa City, Iowa, and may be inspected by any interested persons. Any interested persons may appear at said meeting of the City Council for the purpose of making objections to and comments concerning said plans, specifications, contract or the cost of making said improvement. This notice ks given by order of the City Council of the City of Iowa City, Iowa and as provided by law. MARlAN K. KARR, CITY CLERK PH-1