Brown floats new plan to extend D.C. bar hours, avoid drink tax hike

Confronted with a $3.2 million deficit after a D.C. Council committee stripped a proposal to extend bar hours throughout the year from the 2013 budget, Council Chairman Kwame Brown on Wednesday said the city could largely plug the gap by lengthening alcohol sales hours for holidays and throughout four holiday weekends.

Under the proposal Brown unveiled during a council budget meeting, the city would allow bars to sell alcohol until 4 a.m. on all District and federal holidays.