Opponents: Council didn't look at all costs of Sunday alcohol sales

By: SCNow Staff | SCNow
Published: August 27, 2008

It’s been nearly two weeks since Florence City Council voted to allow a referendum regarding Sunday alcohol sales to appear on the ballot in November.

The referendum will allow voters to decide “whether or not to authorize temporary permits for the sale of alcoholic beverages on Sunday in the City of Florence,” according to a city ordinance.

The issue is expected to generate plenty of controversy during the next few months, from supporters and opponents alike.

Jim Crooks, who serves as pastor at Southside Baptist Church in Florence, said he was against Sunday alcohol sales.

“I don’t understand why people can’t eat a meal one day a week without drinking liquor and having a beer with their meal. I don’t understand that. It doesn’t make sense to me,” Crooks said.

Crooks added he wasn’t just against the issue for personal moral reasons, but he also was against the issue for reasons relating to public safety. He said he didn’t think city council members took into account all the costs Sunday alcohol sales could cause the community.

“I know they want to balance a budget, but I’m wondering who’s going to do the study as to the costs of police, fire, EMS, hospitals ... .” Crooks said.

According to Crooks, he and others opposed to the referendum are setting up a Web site, votenoflorence.com, to spread their message. The Web site is still under construction, but a short paragraph is available on the site to describe its purpose — which is to encourage “citizens to vote no” in November.

“There is an ever-growing group of concerned Florence citizens who believe that Florence is a great place to live and raise a family and who do not want to see a few benefit while the entire city is endangered by the sale of alcohol on Sunday,” according to the Web site.

Crooks said he worries if the referendum to allow Sunday alcohol sales by the drink passes, other changes could be next.

“I will also say that I think this is the first step toward a whole lot of other monsters. I think they’ll sell it in restaurants now … blue laws will be next.”

The general election will be held Nov. 4.

— Staff writer Charles Tomlinson contributed to this report.