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January 28, 2010

January 29, 2010

Anonymous The Jacksonville Daily Progress Thu Jan 28, 2010, 02:30 PM CST

All changes require responsible adults

Retail sale of alcohol in Jacksonville may be controversial, but the real issues of alcohol abuse, litter, and bad behavior from alcohol and drug abuse are already with us. Those are unlikely to change because of where the purchase is made. Resulting sales tax could help put books in our library, repair our streets, and pay for our employees by keeping money in our town. This is why the Progress Committee is working to educate and inform neighbors about their privilege to decide what they want here, or down the highway.

Jacksonville is a good town with quality people who like their hometown mostly like it is. At the same time most want to see Jacksonville keep taxes low, services inexpensive, and to generate jobs for breadwinners.

Alcoholic beverages in Cherokee County has long been a complex issue and they have always been available by many means. JISD schools already teach about drug and alcohol use, along with sex education and birth control, obesity and unhealthy diet and lack of exercise. We educate our kids this way, because we cannot otherwise prepare them to meet the issues of a society that is not always responsible. That still does not promise that they will not drink, get obese, never exercise, nor become sexually active as teens. Wish it would. Most importantly, selling alcohol is not consuming alcohol, anymore than selling condoms is promoting abuse or promiscuity, or selling cheese fries is promoting obesity.

In the 1970s Jacksonville considered retail sales of alcohol, when the closest for sale other than local bootleggers was in Palestine, outside the county and twenty miles away. Today we are faced with issues that we cannot control other than by education and mature adult examples of healthy living. Our adults cannot remove fatty fast foods, nor get rid of the open display of condoms in our drug stores. Our police cannot even remove drugs or prostitution from our streets. Nor can we completely eliminate alcohol sales. So we are left with doing the education of our kids so they can know how to best live good and healthy lives, and to show them as adults how one can live responsibly by our appropriate behavior in eating, our relationships, and choices in the use of alcohol or any other substances that can be misused or abused.

Alcohol is for sale in Cuney, in Rusk, and Troup is circulating a petition. Jacksonville allowed private club sales of liquor as well as beer and wine some years ago. Clearly, all residents that WANT to purchase alcohol, already are able to do so easily and nearby.

So, our local issue is about selling beer and wine in our stores. Local stores have to be conscientious about inspecting ID of purchasers and keep kids from buying. Otherwise, legitimate grocery stores would face big fines and problems. They do not want that. In contrast right now, bootleggers and “friends” can easily go over to Cuney and return and resell whatever the kids want to purchase. Local controls by local citizen store managers are much safer.

Jacksonville is blessed with community leaders who are good people, and certainly of high moral and value standards. That is why their leadership is accepted. Many of them choose to stay silent on this proposal for retail of beer and wine only sales, although they do know that Jacksonville needs the tax revenue, and to keep as much retail business within our city limits as possible. Most do not want to see citizens get angry or feel betrayed, and consequently do not advocate for nor fight against this proposal. The voters are the ones that should and will determine if retail sales of non-hard liquor (beer and wine only) in local retail stores will occur.

The choice is an adult decision, with both pro and con consequences. That is why it is given to adult voters to make a choice between Cuney, Rusk, Troup, or Jacksonville to collect this sales tax.

Bob Lewis

Lake Jacksonville

Keep current GOP chair

The the Cherokee County Republican constituency:

Over the years I have watched the Cherokee County Republican party grow under the direction of many county chairs. In March, Republicans have an opportunity to keep a person in this office who, in my opinion, has energized the position to stellar heights. That person is Mrs. Josie D. Schoolcraft.

Mrs. Schoolcraft’s energy, determination, experience and tenacity make her the candidate of choice for a very complicated, time-consuming position.

During the 2008 election, nine candidates ran for office on the Republican ballot, and seven took office in January 2009.

For the March 2 primary, 23 Republicans are on the ballot.

The Republican party needs to re-elect Mrs. Schoolcraft; her experience and knowledge are crucial.

When you enter the voting booth for early voting (Feb. 16-26) or on March 2, please vote for Mrs. Josie D. Schoolcraft, Cherokee County Republican party chair.

Gordon Thrall

Jacksonville

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