Photo by Dave Newman

A proposal for D.C. bars to stay open for an extra hour on weekdays and weekends was voted down by a D.C. Council committee this afternoon, though extended hours for liquor stores were approved.

The council’s Committee on Human Services voted against the later bar hours on a 2 to 3 vote, with Councilmembers Jim Graham (D-Ward 1), Tommy Wells (D-Ward 6) and Michael A. Brown (I-At Large) voting against and Yvette Alexander (D-Ward 7) and Marion Barry (D-Ward 8) voting for. At the same time, the committee approved a proposal that will allow liquor, wine and beer retailers to open two hours earlier than usual—7 a.m. instead of 9 a.m.—and one that will extend bar hours during presidential inaugural weekends. A proposal that would permit liquor stores to open on Sundays was not considered.

The extended bar hours proposal, which had been floated by Mayor Vince Gray has a means to help close a $172 million budget gap, would have brought in roughly $3 million a year. Graham’s committee now has to make cuts elsewhere or find other sources of revenue to make up for that money. Graham has proposed an increase in the alcohol excise tax, which he says would bring in an additional $20 million a year.

Still, an increase in the excise tax faces uncertain chances because it would have to be approved by the Committee on Finance and Revenue, whose chair, Councilmember Jack Evans (D-Ward 2), has already expressed skepticism over the idea. At a press conference today, Gray similarly said he’s rather not increase any taxes in his 2013 budget.

Though the later hours were voted down in committee, that’s not to say the idea is dead altogether—other legislators could propose them when the full council votes on the budget. If it gets to that point, the vote could be close—while legislators representing areas with nightlife destinations have spoken out against the proposals, others have either remained quiet or supported the move.