Photo by LaTur

For Mayor Vince Gray, keeping D.C. bars open for an extra hour on weekdays and weekends was a simple way to raise some extra cash. For some legislators, though, it was tantamount to a government go-ahead for more noise, crime and traffic in city neighborhoods. Today they seemed to have found some middle ground.

During budget negotiations in the D.C. Council this afternoon, Chairman Kwame Brown proposed extending bar hours during federal and D.C. holidays and on long weekends coinciding with New Year’s Eve, Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day. (The bars could stay open until 3 a.m. on weekdays and 4 a.m. on weekends.) The proposal would raise an estimated $2 million in 2013.

Councilmember Jim Graham (D-Ward 1), who had strongly opposed Gray’s extended hours plan and pushed his committee to vote against it, seemed satisfied with the compromise.

As part of the 2013 budget that was discussed today and will be voted on next week, bars will also be able to stay open later during presidential inaugurations and liquor stores will be able to open two hours earlier than usual, at 7 a.m. (UPDATE, 5:15 p.m.: Brown said he opposed this idea and was looking for ways to eliminate it, though.) A proposal by Graham to raise the alcohol excise tax seemed destined to go nowhere.

These aren’t the last changes that may be coming to D.C.’s liquor laws, though. This week Graham’s committee held a hearing on recommendations by an Alcohol Beverage Control Working Group, which proposed everything from allowing growler sales to letting liquor stores open on Sundays. Graham said that he would work some of the group’s recommendations into legislation that will be presented to the full council later this year.