[on2wheels52]

To clarify the 'wet-dry' issue a bit, some states allow local jurisdictions to determine alcohol sales, 'dry' counties don't allow sale of such (possession is another matter). Arkansas is one that offers the voters that option. A neighboring county is taking a novel approach to the iniative.


"ASH FLAT, Ark. (AP) -- An effort to return alcohol sales to Sharp County, which has been dry for more than 60 years, has come up with a novel appeal.

Allowing sales of alcoholic beverages in the county would help the environment, according to members of a group called Save Energy Reap Taxes that is circulating petitions seeking a wet-dry vote.

"The people who live in Cave City have to travel 70 miles round-trip. That's a long trip just to get alcohol - and that's a lot of greenhouse gases," says Ruth Reynolds, a member of the organization.

The help-the-environment argument is in addition to an appeal to help the county's economy - by raising local sales tax revenues that now go to nearby Missouri, where alcohol sales are allowed- and the straightforward and more traditional claim that people who drink beer, wine and liquor should be allowed to buy them locally.

"It would be very significant to change the wet-dry county law so that people would not have to travel so far and emit greenhouse gas emissions to buy their booze," Reynolds said.

Sharp County is surrounded by dry counties, so a trip to buy alcoholic beverages usually involves a fairly lengthy drive into Missouri.

"Every time you burn a gallon of gas you emit 22 pounds of carbon dioxide," Reynolds said.

And those trips take money out of Sharp County, SERT argues.

Stu Freigy, a certified public accountant who's a member of the group, says legalizing alcohol sales could bring thousands of dollars in for local governments in Sharp County by boosting local sales tax revenues.

"Sharp County residents I visited with in Missouri say they're tired of the drive and spending their money to support another state," Freigy said.

Freigy said arguments against alcohol sales based on prevention of drinking don't hold up.

"We proved you're not going to prevent drinking with prohibition," he said. "That was done in the 20th century - this is now the 21st century. Don't you think it's time Sharp County moved at least into the 20th century?"

The group is collecting signatures on petitions to put the question on the November 2008 ballot. They'll need about 5,000 signatures of county voters and have so far collected about 1,600, SERT members say."

My county has been 'wet' since the early '80's, which was a small factor in my decision to locate here.