Opinion ID: 864451
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: whether the penalty assessed is appropriate

Text: FOR THE VIOLATIONS ALLEGED. ¶27. Koenig argues that the actions do not endanger the public and that the one-month suspension is too harsh and may put it out of business. Koenig states that package stores are usually only suspended for one week for selling to minors, an act which endangers the minors and the public. Koenig also states that a package store which was selling the items Koenig sold to it is not being suspended because the Commission found no intent to violate the regulations. Since no intent to violate the regulations was shown, Koenig contends that the punishment is arbitrary and capricious and should be voided. However, Koenig cites no legal authority supporting any of these contentions. ¶28. The Commission notes that Koenig's permit could have been revoked altogether and that the actions taken could have caused serious repercussions to the package stores involved. The Commission is given broad discretion concerning its powers and duties over alcoholic beverage permits. Miss. State Tax Comm'n v. Moore, 209 So.2d 832, 835 (Miss. 1968). With no legal authority to support its arguments and with due regard for the broad discretion given to the Commission in matters of this nature, the one-month suspension and one-year probation will not be disturbed. If this were merely a case of a solicitor pushing the boundaries of the regulations, the outcome might be different. However, Mrs. Koenig and other employees clearly made independent decisions about what to sell and made false representations to package dealers. For those reasons, the penalty stands. 14