Published: June 15, 2009 04:32 pm      

Voting 'wet' — 06/16/09

Recession may slow economic benefits of Paintsville election

For the first time since World War II, the sale of alcohol soon will be legal in Paintsville. By a narrow margin of just 56 votes, voters in last Tuesday’s special wet-dry election agreed that the Johnson County seat would be “wet” for the first time since 1944 — not just “moist” but “wet.”

While communities throughout the state — including Russell and the previously “dry” areas of Boyd County, Ashland and Catlettsburg — have convinced voters opposed to bars and packaged liquor stores to approve “moist” referenda which restrict the sale of alcoholic beverages by the drink to restaurants that seat at least 100 and derive at least 70 percent of their revenue from non-alcohol sales. The “moist” laws have significantly increased the sale of alcohol by the drink throughout the state and boosted the construction of large, national chain restaurants in previously dry communities.

But Paintsville voters have approved the full scale of alcohol sales including bars and liquor stores. It now will be up to the Paintsville City Council to approve an ordinance governing alcohol sales in the city. That should not be as difficult as it may seem. Cities new to the sale of alcohol typically copy ordinances on the books in other cities. If all goes smoothly, the first liquor stores and restaurants selling alcoholic could open in Paintsville this fall.

Supporters of the sale of alcohol in Paintsville contend that it will promote economic development and bring new jobs to the small town. And it will — eventually. However, the nationwide recession could slow the arrival of new restaurants in Paintsville. We’re convinced the slow economy is why the new “moist” laws in Russell and Boyd County have yet to generate the promised flurry of economic development.

No doubt that there are more than few residents of Paintsville who think the sale of alcohol will do more harm than good. However, all Tuesday’s vote really does is legalize the sale of alcohol in Paintsville. Just because Paintsville and other area communities were “dry” has never meant it was impossible to buy alcohol in those communities.

In fact, the late Harry Caudill, author of “Night Comes to the Cumberlands,” was convinced the “dry” laws in communities throughout eastern Kentucky did more to promote a disrespect for the law than it did to discourage the consumption of alcohol. Communities were officially dry but just about anyone over the age of 15 knew where to buy booze.

When young people see adults regularly ignore the law, it teaches a disrespect for that and other laws. In the long run, that disrespect for the law was the most devastating impact of the outlawing liquor sales in area where booze is illegal but plentiful, Caudill contended.

A week ago, the people of Paintsville voted to end the hypocrisy regarding alcohol sales. While it may not happen immediately, alcohol sales ultimately will provide a much-needed shot in the arm for Paintsville’s economy.