Posted on 07/01/2005 1:36:57 PM PDT by Army Air Corps
Round two of a familiar debate is brewing in Littlefield over alcohol sales. Citizens will battle it out at a November 8th election. The controversy is whether or not to allow packaged liquor sales in the city. Littielfield residents are no stranger to this issue, you'll recall a similar election failed by only 27 votes last September. Now that another election is set opinions from both sides are circulating. Proponents say it comes down to driving and money.
You may only see poker chips and decks of cards at Chad Wright's poker hall, but look closer and you could see something else. "This hopefully will be the liquor store," said Wright who leads the effort which he hopes will soon allow packaged liquor sales in the city of Littlefield, meaning his poker hall could become a liquor store. Write said, "I'm tired of driving everywhere, tired of seeing the tax dollars of Littlefield leave town."
In a recent letter to the local paper, Wright states up to 750 people leave town to buy liquor, which he says amounts to an average yearly basis of $1.3 to $2.9 million leaving town.
However, opponents say in a Christian community, alcohol is a moral issue. One opponene said, "It causes trouble. Young people, old people, it just causes trouble."
Right now, Littlefield residents have to take the 20 mile drive to Levelland if they want to buy alcohol. On the way back, who's to say they won't crack open a six pack. Littlefield resident, Rudy Torrez knows many people like that. "Coming back they'll drink one, two three, by the time they get into town."
Wright says, "They say it's too tempting not to grab a couple and drink on the way back." Wright goes onto say, "They say the sales tax revenue for Littlefield was down 10% from last year, so we're offering to give themsales tax without having to spend a dime."
Once again voters have the final say.
Voter turnout for the last alcohol election totaled 1,983out of 4,254 registered voters. The last mayoral election had a turnout of 634.
So, what are your thoughts on this? When I first moved to Lubbock, I was taken aback by the "dry" nature of the town. If San Antonio went dry, there would be riots in the streets...
I was in Uvalde, TX a couple of weeks ago. I had to join a club to get a beer with my steak. Silliness. Before I began traveling for work, I didn't realize there were still dry counties in this country, in this century. Talk about Nanny-Statism.
Uvalde! I have a lot of relatives in Uvalde. You have Freepmail.
I am from San Antonio where even the Baptists have keggers. :-)
Around here, the folsk who operate the liquor stores hust outside the city limits have been opposed to making Lubbock a "wet" city. Already, some liquor stores near Slaton are a little worried about the possible competition that chain grocery stores might pose.
I think that they're squeezing all they can out of me on taxes, and it's irresponsible of them not to allow those potential tax revenues into the city limits to use for city services. I've got mixed feelings on liquor in the city limits but I'm all for beer & wine in the city limits. You know why you always go fishing with 2 baptists? Because if you take just 1, he'll drink all the beer.
Suprise you there was a good market on a Baptist campus?
Not surprised at all. ;-)
I like that one. When I lived in SA, a catholic friend of mine told this joke:
Q: What is the difference between a Baptist and a Catholic?
A: Catholics greet one another in the liquor store.
I'm old enough to remember the Army Air Corp, were you born here, or is that how you got to Texas?
When I was young, discounting Moonshine, when one left the Gulf Coast it was dry country. I think my dad had the first ice chest ever made.
Texan, born and raised. Some of my ancestors came here during the Spanish Land Grants.
The Freeper name is a tribute to many of my relatives who served in the USAAC (later, USAAF). A few others served in the Navy and Marine Corps.
I have been to Langtry many times. It IS in the middle of nowhere. Even the space aliens think that it is too remote. :-)
On the Littlefield thing, my roommate, in college, was from there. It was truly dry there. If things have not changed, they will have problems passing a wet vote. I mean those people are serious about demon rum.
Another nearby town (New Deal) had also tried to vote on the issue. They voted narrowly for dry status. There isn't a whole heck of a lot in New Deal; I think that it is smaller than Junction. Heck, it may be the size of Balmorhea.
Littlefield is home of the Caprock Soaring Society; they have some records for distance, altitude, and endurance gliding.
Also, some of my ancestors are German and came here between 1840 and 1845. These are the latecomers in my ancestry.
Distance was given in minutes, and the highway was thirty miles away.
Our current city leadership is about to squish us on taxes. It is no wonder why some folks live in Abernathy, Slaton, and Shallowater and commute to work in Lubbock.
I lived in Balmorhea for a year and that was remote. It could be worse, I could have lived in Study Butte!
I think that I have a photo of me standing on the porch of Judge Roy Bean's dispensary of justice (taken when I was a wee lad).
"I went to Hardin Simmons, and it was a long drive to get a drink back then."
My parents attended Texas A&I (now, Texas A&M, Kingsville). At that time, Kingsville was dry and folks had to drive about forty miles to procure "adult beverages."
Young people would laugh, when I wanted to call home, I would go to the phone office, and the operator would call the next town, and that one would call the next, and the next until it finally got across Texas to the Gulf Coast.
Five minute call home could take an hour.
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