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Let’s follow ‘Brunch Bill’ results

By Staff | Nov 11, 2016

The voters of Jefferson County were heard Nov. 8 when they voted 73.29 percent (unofficially) to pass the ‘Brunch Bill’ that will allow alcohol sales in restaurants and bars on Sundays beginning at 10 a.m.

The folks pushing the passage of this vote claim that the passage will bring significant increases in business into the county. They claimed that tourists to the area were leaving because they could not have alcohol with their brunch.

While I really don’t have an opinion one way or another whether someone has some champagne in their orange juice, I do find it difficult to believe that people who are coming to our beautiful area to visit would curtail said visit because they couldn’t drink. Sadly, if that is the case, the concern should be about more than this bill.

Regardless, the voters spoke and starting soon, the ability to order said alcohol will be in place.

We would challenge those establishments who will benefit from these sales to keep a realistic count to determine the actual increased benefit of the passage of the issue.

With today’s technology, it should not be difficult to keep track of how many alcoholic drinks are sold on any given Sunday between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. (the former legal selling time). If for no other reason than to provide proof positive that the measure was a successful one, say a six-month report and then a year-long report shared with the public would be interesting.

Local municipalities have already passed the bill under their Home Rule provisions. Perhaps those businesses within the towns can shed some economic light on how their sales have improved their business.

In the meantime, those who wish to drink in the privacy of their own homes on Sunday before 1 p.m. — you still need to head to the store on Saturday night.

Otherwise, you need to travel to a local watering hole to watch sporting events, etc. with a cold beer in your hand.