Legalizing alcohol sales on Memphis ballot

By Editor | October 28, 2020 |

Mayor, city council seat

By Whitney Wyatt/The Red River Sun—

MEMPHIS – In addition to electing a mayor, a city
council member and changing the designation of the type
of economic development sales tax collected, voters have
the option to legalize the sale of all alcoholic beverages in
Memphis.

As of Oct. 22, 31.88% of Hall County registered voters
had cast their ballots.

“We are excited with the number of voters who have
turned out for early voting,” said Hall County and District
Clerk Olivia Dunn. Of the 1,926 total registered voters,
614 have voted early or by mail.

City of Memphis Secretary Cindy Woodard added they
usually have fewer than 400 voters for city elections. With
this election being a presidential race, she realizes part of
the voters were county voters. But it’s still a big turnout.

“Because of COVID-19, all Memphis voting will be in
the Memphis Community Center,” Woodard explained.
“It’s a bigger building. Voters can enter one way and exit
the other.”

They also have spaced out the voting machines to practice
social distancing. She said one of the reasons voters
are coming out in full force is Proposition 1, which is the
legal sale of all alcoholic beverages including mixed beverages.

Gerald Wiles, owner of The Rock Inn, is part of Committee
for a Stronger Memphis, a group of citizens that
presented an application for a petition to the City earlier
this year.

“I think Memphis is the only town between Amarillo
and Fort Worth, located on 287, that is not wet,” Wiles
said. “A dry county is kind of unheard of.”

He said four or five years ago Precinct 4 voted to go
wet, which is Turkey and a section that comes into Memphis
on the highway from Lakeview. But for those not in
that section, they can’t sell alcoholic beverages. Wiles said
Proposition 1 is for the entire city limits.

“I think it gives everyone involved an opportunity to
expand their business,” Wiles said. “We just want the opportunity
to choose and give others that opportunity. I
think it will increase jobs, the tax base and property values
throughout the city.”

While Wiles said it will follow rules for churches and
schools, Memphis Church of Christ Minister Mark Lance
said he thinks it will cause more problems and troubles.

“It’s detrimental to our community,” Lance said. “I don’t
care how much money it adds to the city, it’s not worth it.”

He said the main reason he is against the proposition is
because alcohol causes many problems in families. Lance
said it’s related to spousal abuse, child abuse and alcoholism.

He also thinks this would provide easier access to alcohol
for young people, and teen pregnancy would go up.

On top of that, there’s Highway 287.

“I think it will cause more wrecks,” Lance said. “Highway
287 is very busy. There’s a lot of trucks. Accidents
will go up.”

He said he has lost four classmates in accidents. “I was
against alcohol before I became a minister,” Lance said. “I
saw their families’ suffering.”

Proposition 2 also is on the ballot.

According to an information letter the City of Memphis
sent out in a monthly water bill:

“Proposition 2 is to change the designation of the type
of economic development sales tax Memphis collects from
a Type A to a Type B. Currently Memphis is a Type A
which means funds can only be used for business-related
job creation and job retention projects. The change to
Type B, allows funds to be used for the same as Type A,
plus projects that improve a community’s quality of life,
including parks, professional and amateur sport and athletic
facilities, tourism and entertainment facilities, affordable
housing, water supply facilities, airport facilities
and other improvements or expenditures that promote
new or expanded business activity that create or retain primary
jobs.”

In the race for mayor, Tyson Pate is running against incumbent
Joe Davis. In the city council seat, Daena Santos
is running against incumbent Woody Richardson.

For those who haven’t voted, the polls are open from 7
a.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 28 and from 8:30 a.m.
to noon and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 29 and
Friday, Oct. 30. The early voting polling location for all
precincts is at the Memphis Community Center, located
at 721 Robertson St.

Election Day polling locations are precincts 101, 202,
302 and 402 at the Memphis Community Center, precinct
201 at City Hall of Lakeview, precinct 301 at City
Hall of Estelline and precinct 401 at Bob Wills Center in
Turkey.

“When you arrive to the polls, masks and hand sanitizer
will be available,” Dunn said. “You are not required
to wear a mask; it is highly recommended.”

Dunn also said cotton swabs will be used to touch the
voting machines. Sample ballots are on page 8.