The group trying to get a vote to allow alcohol sales in town say it's needed to help the economic condition of Valdese.
Citizens for New Business in Valdese has initiated procedures to ask for a vote on beer, wine, ABC store and liquor by the drink in the town.
"We need to do it," said Ben Cozort, a member of Citizens for New Business. "We can't continue to stay stagnate."
If voters allow the sell of beer, wine, ABC and liquor by the drink, the group believes it will bring new business to town and create new jobs, Cozort said. It also will economically benefit the town because it will get a portion of the tax revenues from sales, he said.
"This petition isn't a matter of whether you do drink or if you don't," Cozort said. "It's about where you buy it and who benefits from the sales."
He added, "No matter how the election turns out, those who have beer will have it before the election and after. Those who don't have it, they won't have it before the election and they won't have it after. It's a matter of where you buy it."
Beer, wine, ABC and liquor by the drink is allowed in Morganton.
Morganton City Manager Sally Sandy said the city budgeted $83,000 for North Carolina Beer and Wine Tax. The city expects the state to reimburse it that amount. However, Morganton will only get a third of the proceeds from the state because the state is keeping the rest due to the budget deficit it ran up against in its two-year budget.
The city also receives tax revenues from its ABC store. The city budgeted $289,383 for those revenues, Sandy said. That projection is based on tax revenue payments from previous years, she said.
That money goes into the city's general fund and is used for public safety capital fund, Sandy said, which buys things such as cars, equipment and other things.
As for creating new business, Sandy said having alcohol sales does help the ability to attract restaurants to a community, particularly chain restaurants.
Matt Ferris, another member of Citizens for New Business in Valdese and co-owner of Cornerstone Antiques, said there are restaurants that have looked at setting up shop in Valdese but because they couldn't sell alcohol, they moved on.
Jeff Jacumin, a member of the group, said being able to sell alcohol also will have an economic impact on surrounding communities. That's why he believes it is the business of surrounding communities and they want their support.
Jacumin lives in Rutherford College but belongs to service and civic clubs in Valdese and is co-owner of Waldensian Heritage Winery.
He said the winery, as well as the American Legion Hut in Valdese, are 100 percent behind the effort to get alcohol sales.
Even though he lives in Rutherford College, Jacumin believes he has a vested interest in what happens in Valdese.
But those signing a petition to call for a vote on the issue have to be registered voters in Valdese. The group has until Nov. 19 to get 35 percent of the 2,997 registered voters in the town to sign a petition and submit it to the Burke County Board of Elections, according to election officials.
The board of elections would set an election date between 60 and 120 days after receiving the petitions, according to state statutes.
Petitions are at Cornerstone Antiques on Main Street. The store is open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., seven days a week.
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement