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Poll: SDN readers in favor of selling alcohol on Sunday |
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Sunday, 12 July 2009 |
SDN Staff Reports
Two-thirds of those responding to a non-scientific poll conducted by the Starkville Daily News say that would like to see the sale of alcoholic beverages allowed in Starkville on Sundays.
The newspaper staff received more than 670 responses since the poll began last week with the question: “Do you support allowing the sale of alcoholic beverages on Sunday? Why or why not?” Responses came primarily through e-mail, though some responding to the poll did so by fax and in writing.
Of the responses, 67.3 percent favored Sunday alcohol sales, while 32.7 percent opposed it. The issue of Sunday sales was discussed by candidates for mayor and the Board of Aldermen during the recent municipal election season.
The SDN poll was an attempt to generate some feedback on the issue as it is discussed by the newest group of city leaders. It is not scientific in nature and reflects only the views of those who chose to respond.
This is not the first time a poll has shown city residents leaning toward Sunday sales.
The 2006 Citizen Satisfaction Survey commissioned by the Starkville Board of Aldermen to gauge public opinion on a variety of issues affecting the city also showed favoritism by a majority of residents toward allowing Sunday alcohol sales, though by a slimmer margin.
A scientific survey commissioned by city leaders and conducted by Mississippi State Department of Political Science and Public Administration in conjunction with the John C. Stennis Institute of Government, the Citizen Satisfaction Survey showed 53 percent of respondents as favoring the sale of light alcoholic beverages on Sundays, while 40 percent of the respondents said they were opposed or strongly opposed to Sunday sales. The remaining 7 percent had not formed an opinion on the issue.
The following are selected comments from Starkville Daily News readers on both sides of the Sunday alcohol sales issue (these comments do not necessarily reflect the views of the Starkville Daily News or individual members of its staff):
I support the sale of alcoholic beverages on Sundays for the following reasons:
• It provides a potential increase in the revenue stream for restaurants and bars — This additional income might make the difference between some local businesses surviving or failing. Retaurants and bars that do not want to open on Sundays can remain closed.
• Potential increase in tax revenue — The city should be looking at every opportunity to maintain or increase potential tax revenue.
• It places Starkville in a much better light when being compared to other cities who already have restaurants and bars offering alchohol on Sundays.
• It removes government impediments from the path of our citizens right to exercise their free will to consume alchohol in restaurants and bars on Sundays. It still maintains the rights of anyone who does not want to consume alchohol on Sundays to do so.
Bryan O’Neill
After having lived in several areas of the country (California, Colorado, Michigan and Rhode Island) I was warned about some of the laws in the South. I hadn’t really thought about it until the week I moved down here. After a long day of unloading a moving truck and unpacking boxes all I wanted was a cold beer and a pizza.
Well, we found the pizza and ordered a couple of beers. The waitress looked at us as if we were aliens; in a way we were. Well, we were very disappointed and that is when it struck me that I was now in Starkville, Miss. I would have to say I fully support Sunday sales of alcohol. The rest of the states have survived the sale of alcohol on Sunday. It is time for Starkville to progress and realize that it is a pointless law which only prevents businesses from earning extra income and keeping friends from enjoying a beverage during the big game.
Donald Ward
I’m against the sale of alcoholic beverages on Sundays. We need fewer opportunities for irresponsible people to buy alcohol, not more. Haven’t there been enough deaths brought on by drunk driving? We can all remember some of those written about in the paper or that we might have heard about personally.
Awhile back, there was a very large drunken brawl in front of a convenience store on Highway 12 inside the city limits. Haven’t we seen enough of that kind of behavior? How many cases of domestic violence started with too much alcohol.
Try attending a Mississippi State sports event and see the drinking and drunken behavior of fans on each side. Have you ever had to dodge a beer bottle or had some of it drip on you?
I think it’s pretty depressing to hear that Starkville and MSU need more alcohol in order to bring in business and conventions. That’s like saying that casinos are good for the economy. We have too many good things to offer in Starkville to say we need more alcohol to bring in jobs.
I think the police, sheriff’s department,and ambulance drivers, not to mention grieving families, would quickly disagree with that. I can’t begin to imagine the kinds of things they have to see in their line of work. Why add more to it?
Let’s think better of our town than needing more alcohol to bring people here. Accentuate the positive.
Linda Roberts
I support Sunday alcohol sales. Starkville is a sophisticated town that should be able to balance having a strong religious community at the same time as good food, wine and spirits. My morality does not need to be protected by the city or county government.
Ed Swan
I do NOT support allowing alcoholic beverage sales on Sundays. It’s scary enough to drive around the rest of the week, wondering if a drunk driver is going to take your life. At least on Sunday, we have one day of being able to drive around town knowing that the chances are fewer.
I have often seen people go into a store and buy a bottle of beer, have it put in a sack, take it to their car, open it and drink half of it before they ever leave the store. I have called 911 about this before and was told that 911 is for life and death emergency situations only.
I always wonder if the sirens I hear later on, is because the person I saw earlier has hurt/killed either himself or someone else. The drinking and driving allowed in Starkville is the main reason I stay home most of the time and don’t go out and enjoy what I think is a wonderful town to live in.
I’m sure the Starkville Police Department does all it can to deter drinking and driving, but as long as there are alcoholic beverages sold on any day, there is going to be the chance of a drunk driver killing either him/herself or someone else.
Pam Beatty
This issue is a matter of economic development, tourism, and fairness.
No one wants to see an increase in alcohol related health and safety issues, but those issues should be dealt with on Sunday the same way they are dealt with every other day of the week. Existing laws must be enforced.
Respect should be given to those who choose to set a particular day of the week aside as “a day of rest,” spiritual reflection, prayer, meditation, or whatever they choose so long as it does not infringe upon the right of others. For many, this day is Sunday, but for others it may be another day of the week. Removing a ban on the sale of alcohol would not force any particular group to change their habits, beliefs, or practices.
Why change things now when we have done just fine living with the ordinance up until now? Because Starkville is quickly developing into an attractive tourist destination. We have world-class restaurants, new hotels, a calendar filled with entertainment and sporting events, and a great central location for excursions all over the state.
When planning a vacation, one wants to get the most for their time and money. Knowing that restaurants are open and providing full service throughout the weekend encourages visitors to choose to stay in Starkville, and stay longer. Tourism is one of the most effective ways for a community to raise revenue. It is outside money coming in. With so much of our money and efforts by the city and the GSDP to promote our city as a tourist destination, why would we want to restrict the one business that has the most to offer in that area?
By not allowing restaurants the ability to do business seven days a week, just like any other business, we are turning away potential revenue, and lessening the impact of all other tourism efforts by making our community less attractive to visitors.
Troy DeRego
I think the sale of alcoholic beverages on Sunday is a disgrace to Starkville. Everybody seems to think it generates more money, but to who?
I have seen the results of drinking of alcoholic beverages in caskets. Is this a growth to our city. I think most of the people making comments think it’s cute to have something to say.
No sales on Sunday, please. Go to church on this day.
Jim Mills
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Last Updated ( Monday, 13 July 2009 )
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