If there's one thing that Mayor Bill Welch knows, it's good copy.

In his 14 years overseeing this bucolic college town, Welch has often appeared to ride his own "straight talk express," making him an endlessly quotable public figure.

At Tuesday night's State College Borough Council meeting, amid debate over whether the State Theatre should pursue a restricted liquor license, Welch was in classic form.

"I don't see it as a problem because of the constraints of time and access," he said. "If you're setting out to get hammered, you're not going to do it at the State Theatre."

As with many lines among the pantheon of Welch-isms, it's a blunt, forward statement. It's also correct.

Faced with the news of the State Theatre's intentions, the paranoid back-and-forth among council members on Tuesday would have been laughable if it wasn't so baffling and discouraging.

"It's unfortunate that we will have to link [alcohol] to entertainment," council member Jim Rosenberger said.

It is also unfortunate, however, that thoughts of alcohol consumption are immediately negative in nature. Certainly, the thousands of blacked-out college kids lurching down the street on weekend nights has something to do with the council's reaction.

But what the council -- too preoccupied with thoughts of off-stage keg stands -- is overlooking is the State Theatre is exactly the kind of venue it should be supporting in a quest for a liquor license. The town's maligned culture of drinking needs some role models, and its governance is snubbing its nose at a perfect chance to deliver.

The State Theatre represents a very rare opportunity downtown: to drink responsibly in a social setting. As Welch noted, only a genuine lush who's been thrown out of every other dive in town is going to take the restricted time before and after a performance to get loaded in the lobby of the State Theatre.

It's an intermission glass of wine, a small-talk microbrew. It's the type of downtown drinking council members daydream about during long meetings.

If you're going to get blitzed before a Band of Horses show, do yourself a favor and pregame. If you wanna pass out during Nanci Griffith and the Blue Moon Orchestra, the State Theatre thanks you for your idiotic $43 contribution to ticket sales.

Meanwhile, council member Elizabeth Goreham threatened Tuesday to write a letter of disapproval to the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board concerning the theater's application.

Ms. Goreham, look around. Anthony Torsell didn't need to be served at a licensed establishment. Big Easy nightclub mogul Tony Sapia still has his licenses. Your efforts are better spent elsewhere if you're trying to prevent another club stabbing or Atherton Street drunken vehicular homicide.

As for the State Theatre, don't mess this up. Once you get the license you deserve, keep the audience from stage-diving during those Metropolitan Opera Series simulcasts.