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April 3, 2008

Local reps. say ‘no’ on alcohol vote

By Patrick McCreless

For decades alcohol sales have been prohibited in the towns of Cullman County, but with the recent passage of a bill in the Alabama House of Representatives, that may soon change.

On Tuesday, the House passed a bill on a 46-38 vote to allow cities of any size in dry counties to hold elections for the sale of alcohol. Currently, the law requires that a municipality within a dry county must have a population of 7,000 or more to hold such elections.

Cullman Reps. James Fields Jr. and Jeremy Oden were among those who voted against the bill.

“That would have been of no benefit to small towns,” Fields said.

Fields argued that most small towns like Good Hope would end up spending more money due to the sales of liquor than they could earn through alcohol sales tax revenues. He said small towns would have to spend more to deal with the increase in alcohol-related crime and traffic accidents.

“It would destroy the quality of life,” Fields said. “That is my heartfelt belief.”

Oden agreed with Fields’ argument.

“You’re increasing the chance of alcohol revenues, but also increasing the chance of other stuff,” Oden said. “A lot of small towns don’t even have a police department.”

Oden added that the cost of a special election would be a further burden on many small towns.

Cullman Rep. Ronald Grantland differed from his colleagues Fields and Oden and voted for the bill.

“I think citizens, regardless of what type of city they have, if they want to have a petition they have the right,” Grantland said. “It’s a local matter and should be handled locally.”

Good Hope Mayor Gordon Dunagan said there are plenty of things to consider before a town like Good Hope should allow alcohol sales.

“Right now the town doesn’t have a full-time police force,” Dunagan said. “To have (liquor sales) in your town, we’d probably have to have our own jail and holding cell.”

Dunagan said the people should decide if they want to have alcohol in the town, but noted that he was unsure if they would vote for it or not.

“That has never come up in the town of Good Hope at all,” Dunagan said. “I don’t know if the town would go wet or not.”

Colony Mayor Earlene Johnson said personally, she would be opposed to the sale of alcohol in her town.

“I feel it a lot of times gets into the hands of children,” Johnson said. “I fear for the safety of the children. And sometimes people become addicted to alcohol.”

Dodge City Mayor Perry Ray declined to offer his opinion on the sale of alcohol in his town. However, he said citizens would be given the chance to vote on the matter.

“I’ll put it before them,” Ray said.

With the bill’s passage in the House, it is expected to go before the Senate sometime next week.

To Sen. Zeb Little, it is too early for him to form an opinion about the bill.

“I haven’t seen it yet,” Little said. “I really don’t know exactly what it does. I’ll look at it very carefully.”

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