Owners of Montana's licensed business are our friends and neighbors; they are just like you and me.
A number of laws and rules dictate who can and who can't be owners of Montana's businesses licensed for gaming or liquor sales.
A
licensee must be a resident of the state. They live and work and
participate in our communities and in our clubs, organizations and
institutions.
They must be of good character, and that is
ascertained by thorough investigations into a license applicant's
background and their sources of funding.
A person can only own
one all-beverage liquor license so our licensed businesses are in
essence owned by single individuals. Even owners of a company that owns
a number of beer and wine licenses with gambling privileges must be
state residents.
These owners generally work long, hard hours as
their businesses may be open 18 hours a day; some are open 24-hours a
day and still others are open 365 days a year.
And the work is
not easy: they must be bartenders, stock clerks, cooks, waiters,
plumbers, electricians, carpenters and repairmen, personnel directors,
bookkeepers and accountants, purchasing agents, entertainment booking
agents... Truly, they are Jacks (and Jills) of all trades.
They
are grandparents and parents. They are snowmobilers and hunters and
golfers. They are recreational shoppers and concert go-ers and readers.
They worship on Sunday, coach Little League, serve in the Chamber of
Commerce, the Kiwanis or the Rotary. They collect classic cars and play
rock guitar. They may hold second jobs or run the family ranch or farm
on the side. They may employ you or a relative of yours.
They
are your neighbors and friends. They live right next door. And like the
true Montanans they are, they can be counted on to extend a helping
when it's needed.
They are good and decent people who deserve a
chance to make a decent living, raise and educate their kids, build a
retirement nest-egg. They deserve a chance to operate their small
businesses in a fair and consistent regulatory and business environment.