Athens, Ala., Voters Say Yes to Alcohol

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

By JAY REEVES, Associated Press Writer

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ATHENS, Ala. —

Voters had a chance Tuesday to return this northern Alabama city to the days of Prohibition but overwhelmingly decided to keep alcohol in its stores and restaurants, according to unofficial results.

A measure to end the sale of alcohol in Athens failed in a citywide vote, a rare instance in which voters could overturn a previous vote to allow sales. Business interests are against repeal, but church leaders who helped organize the petition drive that got the measure on the ballot are asking members to pray and fast in support of a ban.

Business leaders argued that ending the sale of beer, wine and liquor would hurt tax revenues and send the message that Athens is backward.

"Economic impact is really the big issue," said Carl Hunt, an organizer of the pro-alcohol sale Citizens for Economic Progress.

The United States went dry in 1920 after the 18th Amendment outlawed the production, transport and sale of alcohol. Prohibition was repealed in 1933.

Now, less than four years after they first voted to legalize alcohol sales, residents returned to the voting booths in Athens, located about 95 miles north of Birmingham.

City clerk John Hamilton said 6,318, or 53 percent, of the city's registered voters turned out. Of those, 4,288, or 68 percent, voted against the measure, compared with 2,030, or 32 percent, who voted for the measure.

Such "wet-to-dry" votes aren't unheard of, but they're rare, said Jim Mosher of the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, which tracks public policy issues including alcohol laws.

"In Barrow, Alaska, when they legalized alcohol sales, problems went through the roof," Mosher said. "Then, when they banned it again, it improved."

Twenty-six of Alabama's 67 counties, including Limestome, where Athens is located, don't allow alcohol sales.

The city government makes almost $250,000 in extra sales taxes directly tied to alcohol, according to Athens Mayor Dan Williams, and city schools get the same amount. Overall tax revenues have grown since alcohol sales were legalized in January 2004, and Williams said the increase was at least partly tied to alcohol sales.

At West End Outdoors, which sells everything from fish bait to food, manager Jimmy Fox said his initial opposition to legalized alcohol sales was overcome by a lack of alcohol-related problems in the city. Also, Fox said, the availability of alcohol at his store has increased overall sales by some 20 percent.

"People are buying everything at one stop, and it's not causing a problem doing it," said Fox. "You'll see Athens become a ghost town if it goes back dry."

The Rev. Eddie Gooch, who pushed for the vote, wasn't worried about the city losing businesses or tax revenues if alcohol sales are banned. Normal economic growth and God will make up any difference if residents dump the bottle, he said.

"We believe that God will honor and bless our city," Gooch said.