A local bar and restaurant may lose its liquor license because it owes thousands of dollars in delinquent property and sales taxes.
The Alcohol & Marijuana Control Office notified the city last month that Young’s Downtown Restaurant & Inn applied to renew its liquor license. According to the control office, Ock Kyung Lee is the current business license holder.
The Kenai Peninsula Borough’s finance department sent a letter later that month to let the city know that Lee owes about $23,000 in back taxes to the city and borough.
Both the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly and Homer City Council review liquor license applications before the Alcohol Beverage Control Board makes its final decision on applications.
The borough suggested that the city object to Lee’s request to renew the restaurant’s liquor license. Local government can object because businesses are behind on taxes and for health and safety problems among other reasons.
The city council will consider Lee’s application Tuesday, and the borough assembly is set to consider it at its meeting on May 1. If either objects, the Alcohol Control Board will likely deny Lee’s application.