photo by Dale Liesch

Vote: Will Evans casts his vote during Camp Hill’s referendum to approve Sunday alcohol sales Tuesday.

Debate brews over Sunday sales

Officials discuss possibility of following Camp Hill to allow alcohol purchases for seventh day

By Dale Liesch (Contact) | Alex City Outlook

Published Friday, December 4, 2009

On Tuesday Camp Hill became the first municipality in Tallapoosa County to allow retail sales of alcohol for off-premise consumption on Sundays.

With one municipality approving Sunday sales will more follow?

Although the idea was first introduced as a resolution by the town council and then passed the state legislature, Camp Hill residents had the final say with a referendum vote of 135-23 to pass the measure. While Camp Hill Mayor Sam Ellis said the measure would bring in more revenue for the town, officials in other county municipalities are slow to agree that Sunday sales are the best option to build revenue.

Alexander City Mayor Barbara Young does not see a significant benefit in revenue for the city sprouting from one extra day of alcohol sales.

“I do not think it would help us sales tax wise,” Young said. “I think it would have a minimal effect on sales tax. It’s not something you need to depend on to run your schools and your city.”

Alexander City councilman Bob Howard said while he doesn’t have a strong opinion on the issue, he would be willing to discuss it.

“I’d certainly be open-minded,” Howard said. “The ultimate decision would be by referendum and I don’t think I’d block a referendum.”

Alexander City councilman Gaius Dean said he does not support Sunday sales.

“I’m not really for it,” Dean said. “I don’t think it will generate additional revenue for the city. At this point people buy what the want on Saturday anyway.”

Tallapoosa County benefits from the sale of alcoholic beverages to the tune of $70,000 a year, according to county administrator Blake Beck. The tax accounts for more money as well, which is used to help the school systems and municipal governments, but adding an extra day of sales for Camp Hill would only have a minimal benefit, Beck said.

“There will be some benefit, but it won’t be a ton,” Beck said. “A beer tax is assessed on the sale of beer and it’s a very complicated formula.”

Sunday sales in Camp Hill would most likely go into effect shortly after the vote is certified in a week to ten days, according to State Sen. Ted Little, D-Auburn.

A similar situation in Dadeville would come down to a vote of the citizens, Mayor Mike Ingram said.

“It doesn’t bother me one way or the other,” Ingram said. “The citizens can vote for it and pass it themselves, or they don’t have to vote for it and it will fail.”

Ingram said the measure is something that could spread throughout the county given the right circumstances.

“Now that Camp Hill has done it and if someone else decides to do it, I think the rest of the county will follow,” Ingram said.

Dadeville councilman Mike Richardson said while he doesn’t necessarily support the idea, he does see the benefit of it for Dadeville, especially during the summer recreation season on Lake Martin.

“My initial feeling would be to not be for it, but I think the city could benefit from it,” Richardson said. “It would give some of the people who enjoy the lake recreation another reason to come to town. I think it would be a good thing.”

Dadeville councilman Billy Monroe said he doesn’t see anything wrong with allowing the sale of alcohol on Sundays.

“I would go along with it because it would mean more revenue for the city,” Monroe said.

Councilwoman Pat Potts said she had no opinion on the issue.

Calls to Alexander City council president Richard Langford’s office went unreturned Friday. Calls to councilman Bill Young’s cell phone, Lottie Wyckoff’s home, and Mark Fuller’s home also went unreturned Friday.

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