Anti-alcohol forces come together in Williamsburg

About 50 people gathered at the Cumberland Inn to discuss ways to defeat alcohol related ballot initiatives in Williamsburg and Corbin.

Over 50 people gathered at the Cumberland Inn Monday evening for over an hour to discuss how they can defeat a ballot initiative, which would allow the sale of alcohol by the drink in Williamsburg.

"I don’t want it any more than we already have it, and I’m sure you don’t want it either," University of the Cumberlands President Dr. James Taylor told the crowd.

"I’m sure all of us have seen circumstances where people have destroyed their lives because they may not know if they are an alcoholic or not until they take their first drink."

Donald Cole, Executive Director of the Kentucky League on Alcohol and Gambling Problems, was the keynote speaker during Monday’s forum, which was organized by the Citizens Against the Sale of Alcohol.

Cole said that the latest statistic he had estimates that 14 percent of cars on the road are being operated by someone driving under the influence.

Cole cautioned that as the number of accidents goes up due to the sale of alcohol, so would automobile insurance rates.

"I was living in a wet county when I retired," Cole noted. "I moved back to my home county, which is dry. I was able to go up one step in the amount of coverage I carried and still had money left over from what it cost me in a wet county."

As the number of alcohol outlets increase, so do the number of alcohol problems, such as drinking and driving, higher rates of motor vehicle pedestrian injuries, and child abuse and neglect, he said.

"Add it up, addictions, accidents, fatalities, bankruptcies, child abuse, date rape, divorce, domestic violence, foreclosures, higher health care costs, homelessness, illness and injury," Cole said. "Go ahead and add to the list that they are saying now more and more that cancer is one of the results of alcohol. They are saying no amount of alcohol is safe to drink."

Selling alcohol legally won’t solve the problems of the community, Cole said.

"Alcohol won’t give you one dime to buy a pencil for a child in school. It will not pave one street," he said. "A 3 to 5 percent tax can be added on legally."

The alcohol tax money and the license fees can only be used for three things: policing, enforcement of alcohol laws or for regulation of alcohol.

"The money from alcohol goes to the breweries. It goes to those, who are selling. It goes to the wholesaler. It goes to the retailer and the local salesman," Cole said.

He said the best ways to fight are to knock on doors, contact people, and put out yard signs and door hangers.

Corbin alcohol initiative

Corbin voters will go to the polls on Feb. 14 to vote on a ballot referendum, which would allow the sale of packaged alcohol and lower the requirement of food sales at restaurants, which serve alcohol, from 70 to 50 percent.

New Hope Church of God Pastor Mike Addison spoke at the forum on behalf of the Concerned Citizens for Corbin, which has printed over 1,000 yards signs that it plans to distribute around Corbin.

Addison said the group has secured a billboard in Corbin encouraging people to vote no on that ballot measure.

The group, which has obtained the names and addresses of every Corbin voter, plans to go door-to-door on Feb. 3 in an effort to defeat increased alcohol sales.

Cole said one of the biggest lies is that allowing package sales will do away with bootleggers.

Keeping it civil

On Jan. 17, the Citizens for Progress submitted a petition with 400 names seeking a ballot referendum, which would allow the sale of alcohol by the drink in restaurants seating at least 100 people and deriving at least 70 percent of their revenue from the sale of food.

Several of the speakers Monday expressed a desire to keep the debate with pro-alcohol supporters civil.

"I respectfully agree to disagree with the people, who want to sell alcohol because I know the day after the election, we are still going to have to live with them," Taylor said.

Gerald Mullins, who is co-chair of the Citizens Against the Sale of Alcohol, said he has reviewed the petition, which contains the signatures of several friends, some of whom are fellow churchgoers.

He encouraged people to oppose the sale of alcohol, but to do it with love.

"I don’t want to see this. I know the tragedies. I know what alcohol can do," Mullins said. "We defeated this once before. We can do it again."

Three year wait

Those, who can’t get to the polls on Election Day, can still vote via absentee ballot.

If voters rejected the ballot initiative, it can’t be voted upon again for three years. If they approve the ballot initiative, anti-alcohol forces would also have to wait three years before placing the matter back on the ballot again.

One audience member suggested getting a petition together in Corbin to revoke the 2003 moist vote there.

Pat Marple, Chairman of the Citizens Against the Sale of Alcohol, said about three or four years after Corbin approved the sale of alcohol, some community members tried to get a petition to put the measure on the ballot again, but they couldn’t get enough signatures on a petition.

Support needed

Mullins said the opposition is relying on churches not to get involved.

Marple said workers and more volunteers are needed, in addition to donations.

On Monday, the Citizens Against the Sale of Alcohol got registered with the election finance registry in Frankfort, and can now officially accept donations.

Marple said donations are needed because the group currently has zero money.

Churches can donate to the effort out of their general fund, but can’t take up a love offering.

Contributions can be mailed to P.O. Box 1137, Williamsburg, KY 40769.

Mullins said he has heard people compare living in Williamsburg to living in Mayberry, which is fine by him.

"I like living in Mayberry. I want to see it stay that way," he said.

Marple noted that every town and city has a personality and is different.

"This is my town. This is your town. I have a passion to keep this town safe and to keep this town dry," Marple added.