Quinn signs law letting new Oak Park village president keep his restaurant

Incoming Oak Park Village President Anan Abu-Taleb, pictured here on the left during election night last month at his restaurant, can keep his ownership in Maya Del Sol after Gov. Pat Quinn Sunday signed legislation to relax a ban on public officials having liquor licenses. | J.Geil ~ For Sun-Times Media

SPRINGFIELD-Incoming Oak Park Village President Anan Abu-Taleb will get to keep his restaurant and its liquor license after taking the oath of office Tuesday as the near west suburb’s top village official.

That’s because Gov. Pat Quinn Sunday signed legislation that relaxes a state law banning mayors of small- and mid-sized municipalities from holding a liquor license.

Under legislation Quinn enacted, a state ban on public officials holding a liquor license is lifted in towns of 55,000 or less. Before Sunday, the ownership ban applied to towns of 50,000 or less.

Oak Park had an estimated population of 52,104 in 2011, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Abu-Taleb, who is scheduled to be sworn into office on Monday, owns Maya Del Sol, a popular Oak Park restaurant. He won election last month with more than 58 percent of the vote.