Dear Editor,

I was looking around doing some research on the wet-dry issue and I came across some information that the Grow Hartselle web site has on it and I was taken aback by the information that was on it. It stated that,

“Francis, who is also on the city’s industrial development board, said the city contracted market research in 2007 that showed within at 12-minute drive time around Hartselle — if alcohol were legal – the projected annual gross sales would be $8.4 million. Calculated revenue from that amount of sales, based on sales tax and distributors’ fees, would be near $570,000, he said.”

That would mean that $161,539 would have to be spent a week. That is $12/week per person and $624/year per person or even $2,496/year for a family of four. At $6 a six pack that averages out to 26,293 six packs a week for a population of 14,322 as indicated by the 2011 census. That is assuming that everyone is drinking…a lot of us do not.

Also consider that a 12-minute drive in any direction from here takes you to a place that already sells alcohol or at least right to their doorstep. Will we really be able to draw extra revenue here from a place that already has alcohol? I do not really see that happening.

This is a wonderful community that has said “No” time and time again to the alcohol referendum. On Nov. 6 go out and vote “No” once again. Send the clear message that this fine town values people and safety more than the hope of a few dollars more. In a town this small, every vote does count. God Bless us all.

Mike Holland, Pastor

Oak Ridge UMC