Most of the city task force recommendations on curbing drunken disorder in downtown Victoria make sense and deserve a pilot test. But there are two troubling gaps in the city's proposed response to the violence, vandalism and stupidity that spill onto city streets at bar closing time.

First, the good news. The report by Mayor Dean Fortin, police Chief Jamie Graham and Coun. Charlayne Thornton-Joe offers some practical, affordable solutions.

Part of the problem, their report confirms, is that 90 per cent of downtown bars close between 1 and 2 a.m. Thousands of patrons spill into the streets, many of them intoxicated, but there are few taxis, no orderly way to hail them and no bus service. It recommends staffed taxi stands and a trial of late-night bus service on key runs.

Enhanced enforcement is also required, the report found, with more police officers and tougher penalties for alcohol-related offences. That too makes sense, although it's unreasonable to expect police to cope with the kinds of drunken crowds now seen downtown.

Rather than closing late-night eateries, which the city had tried unsuccessfully in the past, the report recommends encouraging more of them to reduce the crowds congregating in one or two small areas.

And it also calls for education and awareness campaigns.

These are all sensible and within the city's ability to deliver.

The report stumbles, though, in addressing a key aspect of the problem -- the role of bars in reducing the number of intoxicated people stumbling into the night.

It recommends better training for staff, on-site security after closing to manage crowds and increased compliance with liquor rules.

But the city has little ability to make any of those things happen and the province's record is hardly encouraging. The latest enforcement report from the Liquor Control and Licensing Branch covers a six-month period. Only one penalty was imposed on a downtown bar or restaurant for a liquor infraction during that entire period. Given the concerns set out in the task force report, that shows a failed enforcement program.

And without enforcement and penalties, the problem will not be resolved. Servers and other staff are working under pressure in a crowded, difficult environment. Their incomes depend on making customers happy -- which means fast, continued alcohol service.

Only effective enforcement will reduce the number of drunk people staggering into the night. (One obvious solution is to move liquor policy enforcement to the Solicitor General's Ministry, which handles law enforcement. It is now under the Housing Ministry, which is also responsible for increasing alcohol revenues -- an obvious conflict.)

The report also rejects the idea of levying an increased business licence fee on downtown drinking premises to cover the $215,000 cost of the six-month pilot program. That's a mistake. Bars share responsibility for the problem. Making them help pay for the solutions would be fairer to taxpayers and provide a needed incentive for improved practices