Blue laws mean bad business for towns

Published Wednesday, December 2, 2009

The Town of Camp Hill has voted to allow Sunday alcohol sales in its town limits, a move that could mean more money for the town.

The reason is that Camp Hill is the only municipality in Tallapoosa County that can sell liquor on Sunday. While this act doesn’t allow for bars to sell alcohol on that day of the week, it does allow package stores and convenience store to sell it.

So those in Dadeville and other areas around Lake Martin, who go on a beer run won’t have to go to Lee County to purchase their alcoholic drinks. Instead, they can spend their money here in the county.

Blue laws, such as a restriction on Sunday alcohol sales, are still enforced in many areas across the state for religious reasons or as a tradition, but these rules are outdated and archaic.

If you believe not allowing businesses to sell alcohol on Sundays will make people not drink, think again. Folks in Tallapoosa County will go somewhere to drink on Sunday when they want to. Either they will stockpile beer on Saturday or they will travel to Auburn or other parts of Lee County to get their alcohol fix. And that tax revenue is leaving the county every Sunday.

There is a beer tax assessed on the sale of alcoholic beverages and many aspects of county government, including cities, schools and the county commission benefit form this revenue.

County administrator Blake Beck estimated that the county receives $70,000 a year from this beer tax.

Other areas of Tallapoosa County should consider legalizing Sunday sales if only to protect our tax revenue.

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