Pubdate: Wed, 04 Apr 2001
Source: Iowa City Press-Citizen (IA)
Copyright: 2001 Iowa City Press-Citizen
Contact:  http://www.press-citizen.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1330
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Author: Heather Woodward, Iowa City Press-Citizen

UISG PROTESTS ORDINANCE

Laws initiated by the Iowa City Council to curb underage and excessive 
drinking have sparked one recent graduate to run for a seat on the council 
in the fall.

About 40 people, mostly University of Iowa students, gathered in front of 
the Iowa City Civic Center before Tuesday's council meeting in protest of a 
proposed ordinance that would ban drink specials, ban the purchase of more 
than two drinks by one person and enable the council to enforce penalties 
against local bars.

The council voted 7-0 in favor of the ordinance on its first reading 
Tuesday. The council must vote on a proposed ordinance three times before 
it is enacted.

Because he says students have had little voice in the creation of the 
proposed ordinance, Brian Davis, a December UI graduate who lives in Iowa 
City, said he plans to run for a seat on the council in November.

"One of my main concerns is that the council is getting way too involved in 
our lives," Davis said. "The students here have no voice on the council. I 
want to give students a voice."

Davis said that Students for Local Government, a student group he belongs 
to, likely will have three candidates running for election to the council 
in the fall.

"There are 30,000 sleeping voters in this town," Davis said. "We want to 
wake them up."

Nick Klenske, UI Student Government president, said he plans to organize 
student activities to protest each of the three times the council will vote 
on the issue before it becomes a local law.

"We're going to assert our voice and let (the council) know we will not be 
trampled on," Klenske said.

Lindsey Marshek, a UI junior, said the City Council is solving the alcohol 
problem the wrong way.

"There need to be alternative activities," Marshek said, "places where 
people can sit and talk, coffee shops. There is not enough of that around 
here."
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D