Politics & Government

Sunday Alcohol Sales Could Be More Popular in Some Cities than Others

The Sunday Alcohol Bill is a hot topic in the Georgia General Assembly but maybe not so much in Sandy Springs.

The Georgia General Assembly may be closer than ever to allowing voters in local communities to decide whether beer and wine can be sold in stores on Sunday. But it may not be a pressing issue for Sandy Springs residents.

City Councilman Tibby DeJulio said the measure has not come up in his conversations with residents or Council members.

“No one has asked me about it,” he said. “No one has expressed any opinions for or against. I have not received any emails for or against.”

Find out what's happening in Sandy Springswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

New Gov. Nathan Deal has said he would not veto the proposal, in stark contrast to his predecessor, former Gov. Sonny Perdue.

If the Georgia General Assembly passes House Bill 69 and Senate Bill 10, county commissions and city councils would face the question of whether to put the question before their voters.

Find out what's happening in Sandy Springswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The next regularly scheduled municipal elections for Atlanta and Sandy Springs aren’t until 2013, though some nearby municipalities – Smyrna, Austell, Dunwoody and Decatur – already have elections this fall and could add the question to their ballots.

A special election for Sandy Springs residents to vote on Sunday alcohol sales could be too expensive, DeJulio said.

"I couldn’t tell you whether I would call for a special election. I would have to figure out what the financials are,” he added.

The special election to fill former City Council member Ashley Jenkins’ seat could run close to $30,000. 

“That might be combined if we have to have a run-off,” said DeJulio. “And that’s just for one district.  If we were to have a special election for the whole city [for Sunday alcohol sales], we’re talking about a pretty expensive process.”

The last general citywide election cost about $250,000, the Councilman said.

No countywide elections are scheduled for Fulton County until November 2012.

Holding a special election in Fulton County could cost anywhere from $400,000 to $750,000, according to several county election offices.

In Atlanta, Mayor Kasim Reed has not decided whether to try to hold a special election on the issue, said communications director Sonji Jacobs.

House Bill 69 sailed through the House Regulated Industries Committee on Wednesday, with no opposition. One of its sponsors, Powder Springs state Rep. Earl Ehrhart, is seen by many as one of Georgia’s most influential legislators.

The Senate version of the bill, SB10, may face a stronger challenge. It is sponsored by Smyrna state Sen. Doug Stoner.

Jerry Luquire, president of the Georgia Christian Coalition, said he had 22 “no” votes in the Senate by late in the week, and needed six or seven more to derail the measure.

“Local governments are contacting their senators, saying they don’t want the heat that this issue brings,” Luquire said. “They don’t want to have to make that decision, as to whether or not to allow such a referendum.”

Luquire would not name the communities that he said were trying to block the bill. He acknowledged that, if the measures pass the legislature, then most, if not all, metro Atlanta cities and counties would approve Sunday alcohol sales, if city councils and county commissions place the measure on a ballot.

A Feb. 10 poll by The Schapiro Group, an Atlanta-based public opinion research firm, said 78 percent of Georgia voters want the opportunity to vote on Sunday alcohol sales. In metro Atlanta, 83 percent were in favor of the measure. The results were part of the firm’s annual Georgia Legislative Poll, and was not conducted for any corporate sponsor.

If given the chance to decide, 61 percent of metro Atlantans said they would vote for Sunday alcohol sales. Twelve percent were “probably in favor;” 5 percent were “probably against;” 16 percent were “definitely against;” and 6 percent were undecided.

Metro Atlanta voters, men, and residents of urban and suburban areas are most likely to vote in favor, while voters over age 60, non-metro Atlanta voters, and rural residents are the most likely to vote against, the survey found.

Adrianne Murchison contributed to this story.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here