County commissioner Lee Allen has once again proposed that county voters get an opportunity to decide if they want Sunday alcohol sales in Madison County.
Allen spoke Monday at the county commissioners’ meeting, saying that county voters are scheduled to decide whether to renew a five-year, one-cent Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) in November. He wants to add Sunday sales to the referendum, saying it won’t cost the county extra to hold that referendum in tandem with the SPLOST vote.
Commissioners discussed the matter but took no vote during Monday’s “agenda setting” meeting. However, the board will talk again about Sunday sales at its Feb. 25 business meeting. County attorney Mike Pruett will have a proposal ready to consider if the BOC chooses to move ahead with a referendum. The proposal includes Sunday sales of malt beverages and wine in the county between the hours of 12:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m.
“This is nothing more than us deciding to let the people of Madison County have their day at the ballot on a vote for Sunday sales to make a final decision yes or no so we can move on and know if this is going to be a revenue stream in the future,” said Allen. “If it gets turned down, we can be quiet for awhile. But there’s a lot of people out there. I’ve had so many folks say yay, nay, but I’m hard-pressed to find somebody that doesn’t want to vote on it.”
Allen first brought the issue up at the BOC table in 2017 and was the lone commissioner in favor of the referendum. But two new commissioners have since joined the table and Allen wants the new board to reconsider the matter. The District 1 commissioner said he sees it as a way to lessen the tax burden on property owners while also boosting business. He said Ingles is getting killed on alcohol sales on Sunday because people are going to Kroger in Clarke County instead. Allen noted that the county brings in roughly $129,000 a year on alcohol taxes and that Sunday sales will boost this revenue.
“I’m not going around talking to drunks and the drunks are the ones who want this on Sunday,” he said. “These are moms and dads. These are other politicians. These are managers, business people, leaders in the community. I don’t even drink, but I see this as extra revenue.”
Commissioner Tripp Strickland said he is adamantly opposed to putting Sunday sales on a referendum.
“We’ve already voted it down one time,” said Strickland. “We did. And I’ve only had one person say anything to me about it, period.”
Strickland noted that Danielsville already has Sunday sales.
“It’s really not true that they have to leave the county to buy beer on Sunday, because the cities can do whatever they want to do,” he said, adding that the revenues generated off of Sunday sales wouldn’t amount to much.
Allen asked Strickland if he disagreed with allowing the people to decide about Sunday sales.
“I disagree with letting the people vote; I disagree with being a part of that,” said Strickland.
The District 2 commissioner said he doesn’t believe it’s immoral to drink on Sunday, but he wants the old-time respect for the Sabbath to be maintained.
“I do think the blue laws — that’s respect for the Sabbath,” said Strickland. “And that’s all I’m saying. I’m not going to vote for anything that would possibly take that away. And that’s just my conviction.”
County commissioners must get approval from the Georgia General Assembly to hold referendums. And state representative Tom McCall has long had a policy that he won’t support local legislation from counties he represents unless the governing bodies unanimously approve the proposal. Allen said Strickland could end up tying up the chance for a Sunday sales referendum with his opposition.
“I just hate that literally one man is going to keep the people from voting,” said Allen.
“Well, you’re just going to have to hate that,” replied Strickland.
Commissioners Brian Kirk and Derek Doster said they would like more information from Allen at the Feb. 25 meeting, particularly concerning potential revenues. Commissioner Theresa Bettis didn’t speak on the matter Monday, but she voted against the proposal when Allen first presented it.
