Kentucky Baptist Convention Committee on Public Affairs

Trigg County Goes Wet, Vote Part of Trend

Trigg County became the latest county in Kentucky to allow alcohol sales when voters approved an initiative to go wet by just 36 votes last week. 2,665 people voted yes. 2,629 voted no.

The vote in the western Kentucky county is indicative of a larger problem in the nation as local governments and voters are deceived into thinking that alcohol sales will solve tax revenue problems and forget the cost in damaged lives that increased alcohol availability will bring.

Here's a story about what's happening with this issue nationwide from MSNBC:

For small towns, chance of a big windfall

Washington County in the Florida Panhandle is moist, allowing sales of beer and wine but not liquor. As a result, businesses prefer to locate in surrounding counties “simply because they allow the sale of liquor and alcohol,” said Sheran Whitaker, chairwoman of Citizens for Economic Opportunity, which is seeking a referendum to turn the county wet.

The Rev. Alcus Brock, director of missions for the West Florida Baptist Association, has led a fierce fight against the proposal.

“We feel like, as responsible citizens of the community, that it is our responsibility and that we would be remiss if we did not try to educate the people on the ills of alcohol and some of the things that it would bring to our community,” said Brock, who heads Citizens for Positive Development, which was formed to oppose the effort.

For guidance, voters could look to places like Rockwood, Tenn., a town of 5,700 that opened its first liquor stores this month.

“We’re projecting around $80,000 a year to our budget, and that’s a whole lot for a small community like Rockwood,” said City Council member James L. Watts, who was mayor when the measure was passed by voters late last year.

Mark Green, a lifelong resident of Rockwood, which is in eastern Tennessee between Nashville and Chattanooga, said he had “mixed emotions.”

“I’m a Sunday school teacher, and I’m against drinking,” Green said. But at the same time, “We have felt the effects of the economy. A lot of people have been let go from industry in Rockwood, including myself, and it has hurt Rockwood.”

That’s the debate taking place in numerous communities, like Trigg County, Ky., which will decide whether to go wet in a referendum this week. The county executive, Stan Humphries, said the issue was so divisive that he simply wants the vote to be over.

Voters are similarly divided in Winona, Texas — so much so that when alcohol sales went on the ballot in May, the vote was a 94-94 tie. A revote will take place Nov. 3.

Click here to see the full story.

October 5th, 2009