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Alcohol sales on ballot in Monterey
Published Thursday, November 15, 2007
VIDALIA — Monterey residents will head to the polls Saturday to decide if they will allow the continued sale of alcohol in Police Jury District 5B.
The alcohol referendum was placed on the ballot after 426 of the district’s voters signed a petition calling for it.
First Baptist Church of Monterey’s pastor, the Rev. Gene Lee — who said he was not speaking for one side of the issue or the other — said the petition was a grassroots effort that was not headed by any church or organization.
“I believe the reason people signed the petition was because they wanted to vote and have a say-so in the issue,” he said. “I think that probably the reason why it never came up before was because there were no hard liquor sales before.”
Three businesses could be affected by outcome of the referendum: Paul’s Grocery, Taunton’s of Monterey and J.L.’s Place.
Another business, P.J.’s Corner Stop — which is considered to be in the Monterey area — will not be affected because it lies just outside the boundaries of District 5B.
Jake Rogers, the owner of Monterey’s only bar, J.L.’s Place, said if the referendum fails it would shut his business down.
His business has been in Monterey for approximately 30 years, Rogers said, and has always sold beer but only began selling hard liquor in February.
But those sales are important to his business, he said.
“I need the liquor, too,” he said. “I might be able to make it but the mixed drinks help.”
Rogers said he has been trying to support the other local businesses that could be affected by the referendum as well.
“I’m talking it up and trying to get people to go out and vote ‘yes’ for all of those propositions,” he said. “We need our little businesses down here, and it’s really going to affect them both.”
Jeffery Paul, the owner of Paul’s Grocery, said he initially signed the petition because it was his understanding that it was a petition to rid the area of hard liquor sales.
“Personally, I am against hard liquor,” he said.
But Paul is encouraging those who ask him to vote “yes” for propositions one and four because he is afraid the wording of proposition four could cancel out proposition one if four fails, he said.
“Common sense says when you read proposition four, which if it fails will eliminate anything with more than 0.5 percent alcohol, that would include beer,” Paul said.
“I have been told (the propositions) stand alone, but unless I hear an opinion from the attorney general that says otherwise, I can’t see how proposition four would exclude beer,” he said.
There is demand for at least limited alcohol sales in the Monterey area, Paul said.
“My customers want me to continue to sell beer,” he said. “My customers want to buy their beer locally.”
Cutting out beer sales would also hamper his business, Paul said.
“It would hurt for sure,” he said. “Economically it would hurt me.”
At this point, proposition five would not affect any businesses in the area because Monterey does not have any restaurants, Rogers said.
If it passes, however, Rogers said he plans to open one on a local lake.
A vote for all of the propositions will maintain the current status quo. A vote against any of them will restrict alcohol sales in some way.
Comments
Posted by buttercup26 (anonymous) on November 15, 2007 at 1:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)
oh what the heck!! SELL IT!! dry counties can really brun some ones butt especially when you don't know IT'S A DRY COUNTY! HAHA!
Posted by djarum_black (anonymous) on November 15, 2007 at 5:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)
maybe it's just me... but uh.. hasn't prohibition been over for a very long time now? lol
Posted by noneya (anonymous) on November 15, 2007 at 8:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)
if a person is going to drink, they will...even if it means DRIVING to the next town to buy it.
Posted by beammeupscotty (anonymous) on November 15, 2007 at 8:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Left my comments on the vote page. I think Monterey has more serious concerns than this.
Posted by ConstantComment (anonymous) on November 15, 2007 at 8:47 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Noneya's right. And teens who want to rebel a bit by tasting the forbidden could end up dying in accidents because they are driving drunk down those scary two-lane roads. Better to preach temperance from the pulpit and let people choose than use government to restrict folks' private lives. If visiting hunters and fishermen realize they can't buy one beer, they'll buy cases when they come and drink way more than if they know there's one beer if they want to buy it there. A nice sit down restaurant by the lake would be nice and offer more economic incentive if people can enjoy some wine with their meal.
Posted by beammeupscotty (anonymous) on November 15, 2007 at 11:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Democracy and freedom sometimes don't go hand in hand. Personal freedom to make choices should never come down to a majority vote. Beer is okay but not liquor, is almost as dumb as gambling is okay on the water but not land.
Posted by ChooseOrLose (anonymous) on November 15, 2007 at 12:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Well now don't you know, scotty, that as long as we keep all of our sins on the Mississippi River, they just wash down stream to places like New Orleans? New Orleans looks like a good place for all of our sins to end up! Or even better, let's just let 'em run all the way down into the gulf of Mexico!
Haha...I love to drink and gamble. I'm glad I was able to buy beer in Monterey when I was hanging out with my friend there. It would have been a LOOONNNGGG drive to Jonesville or Ferriday to buy beer and vodka!!! The businesses in Monterrey will suffer if those propositions pass. Some people like to stop and get everything they need all in one stop. If you don't have what they want, chances of getting revenue from them aren't as likely. Not everyone likes beer...it's really unfair to only offer beer and no other liquor. And, I like beer with a higher alcohol content than .5 but half the stuff I prefer isn't available in any gas stations in Concordia Parish anyway! My friends from there all thought the rest of my friends and I were strange since we don't drink Budweiser and Coors products. Import beer or Abita beer is soooo good.
Posted by JDR (anonymous) on November 15, 2007 at 12:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)
monterey is full of outlaws as it is. the last thing anyone needs is for them to be runnin' around all liquor'd up. just drink your budweiser and be happy.
tip#- if you're thinking about stopping at any establishment in monterey and you're in a truck with valuables in the back....DON'T. i don't care what it is empty gas can, 1/2 quart of oil, whatever it is it'll be gone when you get back.
ps- when i say monterey i mean monterey..., acme, wildsville, jonesboro, and of course harrisonburg.
Posted by firered (anonymous) on November 15, 2007 at 1:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)
hmmm... i've been to Monterey a whole lot and have never had anything stolen from me. Heck I even leave my keys in the ignition when I'm there... Yeah there's a few mischievous kids down there but where are they not? Don't down the whole town for a few idiots!
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