e-sound off for the week of October 14, 2010
Your source for community topics and thoughts
Sounding off on alcohol sales
“For Hartselle to make any money from alcohol sales, with each drink taxed at five cents, everybody in town would be so drunk they couldn’t work or worry about economic development in the first place..Its best to just work with the chamber and ADO in Montgomery to bring in legitimate economic development…If Hartselle goes wet, with so many drunks on the road, when I drive to Birmingham, I’m going to have to figure out a route around Hartselle, all the way through Double Springs to get there.”
“The decision on the wet dry issue is a business decision. It is not a moral issue as some of the citizens would have you believe. The consumption of alcohol is not illegal. Prohibition ended quite some time ago. Hartselle citizens already partake in alcohol consumption and will continue to do so. The only difference is the revenues benefit other cities. It is not only the alcohol revenues we are loosing, but the opportunity to develop other businesses. Business does not focus economic development on cities that refuse to grow. This city has not grown in its thinking by some people in many years. These people have helped Hartselle grow stagnant. Plants and all living things die when they are stagnate too long. Please help Hartselle stay alive and prosper. Remember citizens, you have a say in whether Hartselle stays alive or dies. Make a sound business decision.”
“Seriously folks? If Hartselle does vote to be a wet town, do you really think the bars and nightclubs and lounges (oh my!) are going to be falling over themselves to open a location in Hartselle? Sorry, but the hysteria is just laughable. In case you’ve forgotten, alcohol is a legal intoxicant. Substances like meth, cocaine, and heroin are not. There seems to be a much larger problem with methamphetamine usage here, than beer. Did you hear the Southern Baptist Convention has condemned yoga now? Better get those signs ready! I might drink a beer and do a downward-facing dog in my front yard! Hide your children!”
“I’ve traveled all over the United States. If you think Hartselle is too small for a nightclub or bar, then you are extremely naive. They are all over in much smaller towns than Hartselle. Before you know it, the city council will be talking about how much revenue nightclubs will bring Hartselle and they’ll be here lickety split.”
“A town full of drunks and there are people who don’t want it to go wet….makes no sense to me. I guess the bootleggers and the dope dealers will have their profit cut into maybe?”
“With a liquor and beer store five minutes down (Highway) 31, you are not keeping alcohol out of Hartselle just the tax revenue.”
And on school board, too
“I noticed that there have been some votes cast on the poll to keep the school board appointed. Why? Why would you not want an elected board? Do you not want to be represented? Do you not like being able to remove someone by ballot if they become a part of the problem instead a part of the solution?”
The Hartselle Enquirer’s e-sound off is an opportunity for residents to provide anonymous comments about community issues. All comments are subject to editing. The Editor reserves the right to refuse publication. In the event of several submissions on a single topic, a representative comment may be used. Comments can include your thoughts on local issues, questions about policies or procedures or praise for a community group, business or person. Email your comments to news@hartselleenquirer.com with “Sound-off” in subject line.
