Pro-liquor advocates speak on referendum

Published 7:00 pm Friday, May 31, 2013

Organizers of the petition that forced a referendum on liquor sales in Brookhaven are anticipating the vote on June 4 and hoping that vote will duplicate the success they achieved with the petition.

Some of these organizers met with The Daily Leader this week to argue their case for a “yes” vote on the referendum.

These advocates included Kathy Behan, who spearheaded the initial petition; Bill Boerner, a local attorney; George Faust, a local business owner, Amy Valentine, a local Republican Party leader; and Josh Smith, a local business leader.

Opponents of legal liquor sales have warned Brookhaven’s quality of life and reputation could suffer and fear an increase in crime. Proponents have quite a different view.

“Brookhaven is a wonderful place to live. It is family friendly. It is a wonderful place to raise children,” Boehner said. “Legalizing the sale of alcohol in Brookhaven will make it better. It’s not going to put anything in jeopardy.”

The city’s past experience with beer supports his point, Boehner believes.

If liquor would cause an influx of social negatives and crime, then the city would have seen a similar influx when beer was legalized, he said.

Boehner, however, believes Brookhaven did not suffer any ill affects from the legalization of beer in the city.

Also speaking to the concern that alcohol sales pose a threat to Brookhaven’s way of life, Faust pointed to the example of cities he described as prosperous and growing.

“Liquor is not destroying Madison; it’s not destroying Southaven,” he said. “It’s not destroying all these Mississippi towns that are jumping off the page.”

There was another point advocates repeated multiple times: “Alcohol is here already.”

Pointing to the nearby access to alcohol for Brookhaven residents in Wesson or McComb, Smith said there’s no reason not to legalize what many Brookhaven residents already use, particularly since the city could stand to benefit from that legalization.

“It’s here,” Smith said. “We might as well enjoy the sales tax.”

Advocates of liquor sales further framed alcohol as providing the opportunity for a more vibrant restaurant and tourism industry.

Speaking from his own experience doing business in Brookhaven, Smith said there are limited options for business dining in Brookhaven.

Finally, advocates also described the matter as one of personal choice.

“We have no interest in making someone take a drink,” Boehner said. “But we certainly believe that those who choose to use alcoholic beverages should have them available to them.”