After hearing complaints from Lake Charles police and members of the city’s Alcohol Review Board, the City Council is considering stiffer penalties for businesses that sell alcohol to minors.

City code establishes $100 and $300 fines respectively for the first and second times a business is cited for selling alcohol to people under the age of 21. A third citation may result in an Alcohol Review Board recommendation that a business’s alcohol permit be revoked.

During Wednesday’s 5:30 p.m. regular session, the City Council could vote to increase the fines.

City Council President John Ieyoub said the city will do whatever it can to protect young people.

“Basically, we want to stop underage drinking, and we don’t want to make it easy for businesses that sell to youth. The goal is to have businesses aware and to think about the potential for major violations,” he said.

During Tuesday’s council agenda meeting, District B City Councilwoman Luvertha August said she was in contact with law enforcement officers who contend with businesses that are repeat offenders.

She concluded that the fines need to be raised since business owners seem to not mind paying the fines.

August recommended the fines be raised to $500 and $1,000 for the first and second offenses, and the third offense would lead to the loss of a city liquor permit.

“Lake Charles welcomes law-abiding business owners. But if they break the law and contribute to the delinquency of a minor, they will pay dearly with their ill-gotten gain,” she said.

Lake Charles police Officer Nate Keller supervised underage alcohol sales investigations in January, June and September.

In January, 17 stores were visited and two were cited for underage sales. Keller said one was a repeat offender.

In June, 41 stores were visited. Eight were cited for violations, with one repeat offender.

“Actually, we went to the same store twice and they sold to two different juveniles,” Keller said. “Remember, the people we send in the stores for investigations are young and still able to purchase.”

This month, 56 stores were visited and two were cited.

“Both were repeat offenders from earlier in the year,” Keller said.

Alcohol Review Board member Reggie Landry said it is “unacceptable” to have underage residents purchasing alcohol.

He also is offended that repeat offenders continue their behavior.

“That is one of the major issues for me. When you fine someone $100, it is not worth anything if they can make $5,000. I thinking raising the fines will start making those businesses watch what they are doing,” he said.