Three restaurants in Snowmass Village were summoned before the town’s Liquor Licensing Authority Wednesday on allegations of owing the town tens of thousands of dollars in delinquent sales taxes.
The three restaurants — Heather’s, Il Poggio and The Tavern Kitchen and Bar — were given an extended deadline until September to resolve their cases before the town considers action against their liquor licenses.
Businesses in Snowmass Village are required to collect sales taxes on taxable transactions and submit tax returns to the town. Under Colorado liquor regulations, failure to comply with tax requirements can provide grounds for a license to be suspended or revoked.
The town filed municipal court complaints against both businesses in July after earlier attempts to collect the debts. The Liquor Licensing Authority then ordered the restaurants to show cause why their liquor licenses should not be suspended or revoked.
The owners of Il Poggio and The Tavern, Jeff and Ashley Moerke, did not appear at Wednesday’s hearing. The two restaurants owe approximately $79,000 combined in delinquent sales taxes, penalties and interest, according to complaints filed by the town.
Jeff Moerke, who with his wife owns the Harper + Hudson Hospitality Group, said it was his understanding that his lawyers had resolved the issue and that it was of “zero seriousness” to them.
“It was a simple oversight,” he said. “We handled it within a few days.”
But Liquor Licensing Authority’s Judge Wills contradicted Jeff Moerke’s statement at Wednesday’s hearing.
“They have not shown good faith,” Wills said. “Not showing up today is a really bad way to start a case.”
With the Tavern’s liquor license set to expire on Sept. 12, the restaurant must pay at least half of its outstanding sales taxes by that date and enter into an agreement with the town to pay the remainder by Sept. 30. If it does not meet those conditions, The Tavern will not be allowed to serve alcohol after Sept. 12, Town Clerk Megan Boucher confirmed.
Jeff Moerke said that the funds have already left their account.
Heather’s owner Rene Lujan did appear at Wednesday’s hearing and said he intends to work with the town to resolve the restaurant’s debt. The restaurant owes approximately $34,000 in delinquent sales taxes, penalties and interest.
Lujan said that the town, who agreed to consider a payment plan for him, has been fair and communicative throughout the process.
“It’s my fault,” he said. “When you collect taxes, you’re supposed to pay them every month.”
For Lujan, the case comes at a challenging time.
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“Business has been down for me big time,” he said. “Snowmass has its ups and downs.”
Heather’s typically operates out of the Stonebridge Inn, which is currently under construction. This summer, they had a residency at The Viewline, where Lujan hoped they would have better luck.
“I thought summer would be much better,” he said, pointing to the decline in tourism this past winter. “Look at the snow we had this year. The snow was bad, so our numbers were down quite a bit.”
The threat of losing a liquor license is daunting to him, noting 30% of their sales come from alcohol.
“You need a liquor license,” he added.
Cases of this nature are not common in Snowmass Village, Boucher confirmed. She told The Aspen Times that Wednesday’s show-cause hearing was the first one held since she took office in 2022.
All three restaurants will continue their show-cause hearings on Sept. 30.
Dining and Cooking