By Joe Morris

October 25, 2009 – On Tuesday, La Mesa’s City Council will vote on whether to ban drinking alcoholic beverages in public places—unless you fork over a $150 fee and apply two weeks in advance for your guzzling privileges. A City Manager’s report argues that tipsy people pose potential threats to others and cause police to waste time responding to calls about public intoxication.

How ironic, coming from a city that hosts an annual Oktoberfest touting public drinking and revelry; this year’s marketing slogan was “the big beer garden is back.”