WEST NEW YORK – The Town of West New York introduced a resolution Wednesday in conjunction with the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control and the Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention State Block Grant Program called the “West New York Combating Underage Drinking Project.”
If approved, the resolution will allow police to write a citation and fine the owners of private residences who allow underage drinking in their homes, among other clauses pertaining to underage drinking.
Mayor Felix Roque was inspired to work with officials to form the ordinance by the Rebekah Verea Foundation: a teen driving education and awareness outreach program created by parents Lourdes and Jorge after their daughter Rebekah was killed on her graduation night in a car accident.
“Our goal is prevention, awareness, and to let people know there will be a penalty if people let children into their apartment and allow them to drink,” Roque said. “It’s another deterrent to underage drinking and will help prevent drunk driving as well.”
Town Attorney Gilberto Garcia stated that some of the other clauses in the ordinance will address the provision or purchase of liquor for a minor, and the underage possession of liquor in public places.
“What we’ve tried to do here is adopt a different set of resolutions that are not covered by state law by making them ordinance violations,” Garcia said. “It’s a little more ambitious than the statutes already in place, but we wish to give officials more leeway to ensure the safety of minors.”
The resolution will be up for approval during next month’s Board of Commissioners meeting. — Gennarose Pope