JACKSONVILLE —
The Cherokee County Conservative Women’s Group is to be applauded for being the first to provide a venue for the two sides of the alcohol election debate to meet and deliver their positions in a public forum.
Other political, merchant and citizen groups should now follow these ladies’ lead and set times and places for representatives from both committees to repeat the performance — and both Progress Jacksonville, which supports legalizing alcohol sales in Jacksonville, and Family First Jacksonville, which opposes such sales, should be at the ready to not only make their arguments as they did Tuesday, but expound on them and continue to offer support for their respective cases.
Whether the city will allow alcohol sales in convenience and grocery stores is a decision left to the voters, but the voters must be informed before they go to the polls.
It’s also a decision, once made to allow those sales, that cannot be reversed easily — as one person said, “Once you open that door, there’s no closing it.”
The voters of Jacksonville not only deserve to hear arguments from both sides of the issue, but they should be allowed the time afterward to do their own research — there is more at stake with this issue than just whether or not Johnny Local can buy beer at the convenience store.
Will alcohol sales boost Jacksonville’s economy, as Progress Jacksonville argues? Or can our economy grow as rapidly without alcohol sales, as Family First Jacksonville argues?
Should the sale of beer and wine be allowed in town because there are health benefits of both, as the “pro sales” folks have said? Or would having such ease of access only be a temptation too great to control for many, as the “anti sales” folks say?
It was high time for these two groups to come together in a single venue and present their respective arguments, and allow each other to present counter arguments as appropriate.
It needs to happen again and again between now and May 8.
We owe it to our voters to give them as much information about both sides of the issue as possible.
And we owe it to ourselves, as voters, to make what we believe will be the absolute best choice for the future of our city.
Editorials
April 10, 2010
Let’s continue the debate
Editorial for April 11, 2010
- Editorials
-
- EDITORIAL: Seizure of AP phone records insult to independent press
- EDITORIAL: Debate night was electric
- Does my FitCOUNTY T-shirt make me look fat?
- EDITORIAL: Does this make me a bad mom?
- EDITORIAL: Autism epidemic continues to grow
- Editorial: Community is what you make it
-
Election ground rules
Throughout the coming months there will be a series of job fairs across the country — with some people hoping to keep their jobs, while others want to take it away from them.
-
Not just who we are, but who we aspire to be
Rarely in our country's history have non-elected officials had a profound effect on public policy. While rare, it does happen from time to time.
-
County budget discussion needs to begin soon
When county commissioners were forming the current fiscal year's budget this past summer, there was a lot of talk.
-
Silence from LMC can be deafening
Each time there's news about a change at Lon Morris — whether it be the departure of an official or the delay of paychecks — the rumor mill in the area begins to fire up again.
- More Editorials Headlines
Raw: Trucker Bumps I-5 Bridge Before Collapse
Raw: Texas Deputy Shot by Colo. Suspect Honored
Major Detours Following Wash. Bridge Collapse
American Held in Grisly Czech Murders
Raw: Jersey Shore Reopens for Summer
UK-bound Pakistan Plane Diverted, 2 Men Arrested
Officials: Tsarnaev Friend Linked to Slaying
Obama:Sexual Assault Threatens Trust in Military
Bridge Collapse Survivor: 'Rough Day'
Jersey Shore Open for Business
Raw: Memorial Day Flags Placed at Arlington
New Wheelchair Lift Promises More Access
First Person: Mom Discusses Famous Tornado Photo
Raw Video: Washington State Bridge Collapse
Boy Scouts Approve Plan to Accept Gay Boys
