Taking sides on alcohol sales

[TexasStooge]

Residents weigh convenience against cost to the area

By ERIC AASEN / The Dallas Morning News

For some residents, the upcoming beer and wine sales election boils down to convenience. For others, it's cost.

The Sept. 11 election is the hottest issue in Irving at the moment. Voters will decide whether to allow grocery and convenience stores to sell alcohol. Early voting starts Wednesday.

Here are some frequently asked questions, along with answers, about beer and wine sales.

Question: What do supporters of alcohol sales say about the election? What are opponents saying?

Answer: Supporters say Irving will benefit from sales tax revenue from beer and wine sales. They say loosened restrictions would make it easier for residents to buy alcohol closer to home while attracting higher-end groceries to town.

Opponents say alcohol sales will harm the city's quality of life. Central and south Irving would be vulnerable to having many stores selling alcohol, they say, because they aren't protected from deed restrictions.

Question: How much revenue from alcohol sales does the city stand to receive?

Answer: It's unclear. City officials aren't estimating how much the city could receive in taxes from alcohol sales before the election. Doing so would be presumptive, said David Leininger, Irving's financial services director.

However, sales supporters cite a study saying Irving would gain at least at $1.1 million each year from alcohol sales tax revenue in certain parts of the city. Opponents say the amount would be insignificant compared with the overall city budget.

Question: Sales supporters say that alcohol sales might enable Irving to attract more specialty retail stores such as Central Market and Whole Foods Market. Is that true?

Answer: It's hard to say. But the ability to sell beer and wine doesn't appear to be the deciding factor for some stores. Some Whole Foods stores in the Dallas-Fort Worth area don't sell beer and wine, said Scott Simons, the company's marketing manager. And the firm recently opened two stores in Colorado that don't sell alcohol, he said. Whole Foods opens stores partly based on population density, demographics and even parking availability, Mr. Simons said.

Question: Opponents have printed door-hangers that imply sexually oriented businesses could come to Irving if stores could sell alcohol. Could that happen?

Answer: Sexually oriented businesses could come to town regardless of the Sept. 11 vote's outcome. But the businesses would be restricted to certain parts of the city. They must be 1,000 feet from a variety of buildings – including churches, schools, hospitals and residences, said Charles Anderson, the city's deputy attorney.

Many factors help determine whether strip-club owners decide to open in a certain town, but whether stores sell beer and wine isn't always one of them, said Angelina Spencer, executive director for ACE National, a trade association for strip-club owners and executives. Some sexually oriented businesses prefer not to allow alcohol because they can generate more money by selling soft drinks or juice, she said.

Question: What's the city's authority in regulating alcohol sales?

Answer: State provisions limit the city's ability to regulate sales. The city could limit the hours that beer – but not wine – is sold. The city could also require establishments that sell alcohol to be at least 300 feet from private schools. Currently, that rule applies to churches, hospitals and public schools. The city could extend that limit to 1,000 feet for private schools that request extensions.

The city also has the authority to prohibit retail establishments from offering customers drive-through purchases of food and beverages.

Question: What is the City Council saying about these regulations?

Answer: The council recently decided not to instruct a commission to study zoning ordinances before the election. It appears that the city won't be doing much about the matter until after Sept. 11, if residents approve sales.

Question: Where do council members stand on alcohol sales?

Answer: Five members – including Mayor Joe Putnam – say they oppose alcohol sales. The other four members aren't talking publicly about the matter, saying it's up to voters to decide. The council played no role bringing the matter to a vote.

Question: When and where can I vote?

Answer: Early voting will be from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday and Aug. 26 through 28; from 1 to 6 p.m. Aug. 29; from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 30 through Sept. 3; and from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sept. 7.

Early voting will be at City Hall, 825 W. Irving Blvd.; Irving Arts Center, 3333 N. MacArthur Blvd.; and Barbara Bush Middle School, 505 Cowboys Pkwy.

Question: How can I contact supporters and opponents of alcohol sales?

Answer: Supporters and opponents have formed groups. Each group has a Web site:

Irving Citizens for Economic Growth, which supports sales, is at http://www.irvingbeerandwine.com.

Irving Concerned Citizens Coalition, which opposes sales, is at http://www.irvingccc.org.

Irving First, another opposition group, is at http://www.irvingfirst.org.