Is Benton County as a "No Booze" County? (Springdale: sales, home)

[RogersArkansas]

Should Benton County, Arkansas stay a "Dry County"? (For those readers who don't know, Benton County, which includes Bentonville, Rogers, Bella Vista, and Springdale, does not allow the sale of "packaged alcoholic bevergages - wine, beer, etc.)

[sergio]

No, of course not. People are just driving to Washington County or to Missouri to get the booze and come back. All the law does is take money out of the pockets of businesses and make people drive while possibly impaired. Instead, repeal the law and tax the hell out of the booze. Then lower the ridiculous sales taxes and maybe even the personal property tax. We pay out our butts on taxes and give away possible sources of revenue to our neighbors. Does this make sense? If the lawmakers in this county would wake up, they would see that this stupid law doesnt prevent anything. I work at a local hospital and see drunks coming in all the time. So your law isnt preventing anything except us from collecting on another source of revenue!

[Capt. Dan]

Sergio--same for the lottery. Alot of Razorbacks spend ALOT of $$$ on Missouri lottery which benifits MISSOURI schools!

[bchris02]

Originally Posted by sergio

No, of course not. People are just driving to Washington County or to Missouri to get the booze and come back. All the law does is take money out of the pockets of businesses and make people drive while possibly impaired. Instead, repeal the law and tax the hell out of the booze. Then lower the ridiculous sales taxes and maybe even the personal property tax. We pay out our butts on taxes and give away possible sources of revenue to our neighbors. Does this make sense? If the lawmakers in this county would wake up, they would see that this stupid law doesnt prevent anything. I work at a local hospital and see drunks coming in all the time. So your law isnt preventing anything except us from collecting on another source of revenue!

I'm suprised with the influx of new people from out of state into Benton County, a more liberal interpretation of Proverbs 20:1 hasn't had time to take hold.

[Longmiestr]

Benton County is the wettest Dry County in the State. You can go to a Private Club or Restaurant and drink your self silly, and then drive home , but you can't pick up a bottle of wine or six pack to take home with you unless you go Missouri or Washington County. Never could figure out the reasoning in that.

[nmnita]

We have only visited and learned quickly about crossing over to MO to buy our wine. We had the same situation when we lived in Lewisville, TX. All around sold hard stuff or certainly beer and wine, but not Lewisville. Oh no, the siners were on their way to hell. But everyone of us sinners stopped in Flower Mound or Highland Village on our way to Hell and gave our tax bucks t them. While we were at it we did some grocery shopping and spent a little more. Just in the past few years the voters in Lewisville wised up: you can now buy beer and wine. Benton County, hopefully will see the light one of these days.

Nita

[DC at the Ridge]

Springdale is actually in Washington County, so you can purchase alcohol there. There have been numerous efforts to make Benton County "wet", but changing a county from dry to wet requires a tremendous effort according to the Arkansas state legislation. It requires a huge number of signatures just to get the change on the ballot for a vote. In the meantime, of course, you can go to just about any non-fast food restaurant and order a drink, there are numerous clubs, and we're surrounded by other counties and states eager to sell us alcohol. Personally, I don't mind the occasional run to Missouri, it's a chance to purchase cheaper gas as well.

DC

[jdslady]

I agree totally. Benton County is the wettest dry county in the state and has been for years. I work in Law Enforcement and believe me, being a "dry" county doesn't keep the drunk drivers out or the domestic disturbances that are alcohol related down. If the money is going to be spent anyway, go ahead and make this a wet county so we can benefit from the profits instead of sending it to another state or county. As a mother of 2 different kids that have been hit by a drunk driver, in 2 seperate accidents, and a brother that was killed by a drunk driver believe me I would rather it not be around at all, but we all know that will never happen.

[Stormcrow73]

Originally Posted by DC at the Ridge

There have been numerous efforts to make Benton County "wet", but changing a county from dry to wet requires a tremendous effort according to the Arkansas state legislation. It requires a huge number of signatures just to get the change on the ballot for a vote.
DC

1/3 of all registered voters in the county must sign a petition for it to be put on a ballot. For the current effort, they must secure 39,000 signatures, all of which much be verified!!

[DC at the Ridge]

I may be behind the times, but I thought it was 38% of registered voters had to sign the petition. Considering the mess of the vote counts during the last Presidential election, it's pretty clear the County Clerk needs to do some major maintenance on the voter registration records, so verifying petition signatures is probably a nightmare.

DC