Efforts are underway again in hopes to have enough signatures of registered voters to get on the ballot in November for local residents to vote for Clarke County to go wet for the sale of beer and light wine.
This time, the effort is focusing on county residents since there were not enough registered voters in the City of Quitman to petition to be placed on the ballot. That campaign was suspended last month when an opinion handed down from the Attorney General’s office stated that a city would need at least 2500 registered voters to petition for the city to go wet.
There are 12,706 registered voters in the county and 20% (at least 2541 people) of qualified registered voters will need to sign petitions.
“What we want is to let the public decide if we want the county to go wet,” said Patricia Arrington. Arrington is one of the individuals who are soliciting signatures. “I do not drink but I do want to see something better (for our county). We need more growth and we need more opportunities,” said Arrington. “We just want to help our county grow.”
The residents who are behind the “Go Wet” campaign believe that it should be choice of the people to either vote to remain dry or vote to go wet.
“What the root of the matter is that alcohol beverage sales should come down to a majority rules decision, a free and open vote of qualified electors voicing their opinions and conscience,” said Lawrence Buckley of Enterprise.
Their position is that neighboring counties are reaping the benefits of the additional sales revenue from county residents who are crossing county lines to purchase beer and wine.
Lauderdale County has 62 permits from the Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC) and in 2015, had total gross sales of $9,674,629 and $714,108 in sales tax. Wayne County has seven ABC permits and generated $1,260,066 in gross sales with $94,554 in sales tax.
Petitions are being turned into the Circuit Clerk’s office as soon as they are signed so that deputy clerks can begin verifying the signatures. Currently, they have 648 verified signatures.
If anyone is interested in signing the petition, you can visit one of these local businesses to sign a petition: Mimmo’s Italian Restaurant, El Jacalito, Skidmore’s Restaurant, Nelson Tire Center, Quitman and Faye and Buddy’s and Coffee Pot Café in Enterprise.
Once enough signatures of registered voters have been gathered and verified, the petitions will be presented to the Board of Supervisors to be placed on the ballot for the upcoming November election.
Arrington and Buckley submitted a Letter to the Editor (Page 4) expressing their position on why they believe the vote to go wet or remain dry should be choice of the citizens to move Clarke County forward
