More Texans drinking away their worries at home these days

FOI at Work!

Figures obtained through an FOI request indicate that more Texas establishments are late in paying their alcohol suppliers, the Dallas Morning News reported. Some of the 23,000 late payers last year obviously struggled with dwindling sales due to the economy. Others say the state law that requires alcohol payments to be made by the 10th or 25th of the month offers a short window to settle their debts, which raises bookkeeping problems.

Hundreds of Texas restaurants and bars have begun running up stout bar tabs with their alcohol suppliers as cash-poor consumers drown their sorrows at home.

For 2008, the number of restaurants, bars and liquor stores behind in their payments to alcohol suppliers leaped more than 18 percent over the 2007 total. That's according to figures from the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request.

The commission counted nearly 23,000 late payers last year. The growth rate was more than double the 7 percent rise between 2006 and 2007.

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