MADISON, Wis. -- For the third year, a Madison neighborhood group held a meeting to find ways to limit alcohol-related problems downtown.

TALKBACK: What Do You Think?

Authorities said that heavy drinking in the downtown area has contributed to crime, violence and vandalism.

Capitol Neighborhoods Inc. held a meeting this week to examine over-consumption of alcohol in Madison's downtown, including State Street. They compiled suggestions to limit alcohol-related problems, but bars in the area said they aren't sure those suggestions have their best interests in mind.

An alcohol tax is one of several suggestions brought up by the Capitol Neighborhoods group, an organization dedicated to improving Madison's downtown.

Jeremy McKenna, general manager of Café Montmartre, said his bar, located blocks from the Capitol, isn't a typical college bar and that an alcohol tax would hurt them. McKenna said the bar is known more for live music and wine than cheap beer and rowdiness.

"We tend to do some higher-end things around this area," McKenna said. "If there were to be an alcohol tax, let's say, and everything raised a couple dollars, you'd just be hurting small businesses such as our own."

Capitol Neighborhoods Inc. said it's just looking for ways to help make downtown safer.

"The heart of the city is the downtown, and we want it to be healthy, vibrant, but also safe," said Ledell Zellers, president of Capitol Neighborhoods Inc.

The group said it hopes to work with area businesses to cut down on binge and underage drinking in an effort to stop some of the crime that comes with it. Zellers knows the group's efforts are not without opposition.

"Some I think are more responsive than others. But I think that anybody who really cares about the downtown would be willing to look at some of the suggestions and ideas in the report," Zellers said.

There are some downtown who said they feel Capitol Neighborhoods Inc. doesn't speak for everyone. Some business owners said that any problems are likely caused by a small number of establishments, not the majority, and they don't want to be punished for the actions of others.

"I think there are some folks that are very adamant and a little bit over the top on some of the issues that are happening downtown," said Marsh Shapiro, owner of The Nitty Gritty. "I think they're being dealt with very well by the police department and by the owners and operators that do run businesses downtown, and I think the majority of all of them are operating good establishments."

The ideas proposed by Capitol Neighborhoods Inc. are only suggestions, and the organization said it hopes area businesses will work with them in the future to help find a way to reduce alcohol-related problems.