The flow of beer from kegs has been an attraction at college parties since the inception of the university party scene, but a new law that has gone into effect recently will make the acquisition of this party staple much more difficult.
Gov. George E. Pataki signed the legislation for a mandatory $75 deposit on beer kegs on July 25 of this year. The law requires each keg be given an identification label, making it possible for the purchaser of the keg to be easily identified. The new law went into effect on Saturday.
According to a press release from the Pataki administration, the legislation was created with the hopes that the new regulations will deter underage drinking by making whoever purchases the keg responsible if it is used at parties where underage drinking occurs.
"Underage drinking is a serious problem that too often results in harmful and tragic consequences for young people and their families," stated Governor Pataki in the release. "Today we are taking another important step to curb underage drinking by requiring that all purchased kegs must be marked with an identification tag."
College students, notorious for holding parties where drinking is the main focus, and retailers, believe they will be adversely affected by this new law.
"Wrong answer, New York State," said William Mandell, a senior history major. "The politicians have no clue how to resolve anything. All this is going to do is hurt businesses. It is not going to stop underage drinking in the least. Only now the people of age are getting screwed, which is very unfair."
According to Jim Mercurio, owner of the Beverage Center located on Kenmore Avenue, this law will not have the effect legislatures desire.
"America used to be a free country ... can't smoke, can't drink, you can't do anything anymore," said Mercurio. "It isn't going to do anything but inconvenience the customer and give me a lot more paperwork. People are still going to drink. This is not going to stop it."
Mercurio believes these new legislations will fall by the wayside much like other laws that have attempted to regulate certain behavior and said he has not been made aware of changes in regulations.
"The state hasn't told me one thing about it yet," said Mercurio. "When they changed the sales tax on Saturday, no one came in to tell me that it was even changing until Friday. Only in America."
Despite the complaints of individual retailers, according to www.bizjournal.com the new legislation is fully supported by the New York Beer Wholesalers Association.
The kegs sold at a retail stores must each contain a different ID number, the name of the keg purchaser as well as the name and address of the store from where the keg was purchased.
The section of the legislation that stipulates that identification labels must be given to each keg is believed by some to be a step in the right direction toward bringing an end to widespread underage drinking.
"I think the idea of the ID number relating back to the purchaser is a good thing because it will make people think twice about serving minors and the seriousness of that," said Elizabeth Lidano, director of Judicial Services. "It can lead to DWI's and other poor choices because of being under the influence when they drink too much."
While legislatures hope the law will bring about a change in the amount of problems that result from underage drinking, some students said they only foresee a strain on the already weak student pocket.
"A $75 deposit on a keg-a-roo-ski is terrible," said Nick Bruscia, a junior architecture major. "How are we supposed to party if no one can ever afford it?"
Photo: Meredith Forrest Kulwicki
