Benton County, Ark Group Turns in Petitions for Alcohol Sales Vote
By: KARK 4 News, Little Rock, AR
Updated: July 13, 2012
BENTONVILLE, Ark. -- A group in Benton County, working to legalize retail alcohol sales, turned in more than 50,000 signatures Thursday morning.
Keep Dollars in Benton County wants to put the wet/dry issue on the November ballot, and spent the last four months circulating petitions.
Despite a dry status it isn't hard to find a bar in Benton County.
"Benton county's been the wettest dry county for the last 55 years that i'm aware of."
"Right now we have about 128 private clubs."
In Benton County, club owners are allowed to serve alcohol by having their guests sign membership cards, making them a member of the club-type deal.
Simple for diners, but not for the restaurant or bar dispensing the booze.
"It's like setting up two businesses, it gets a little complicated."
Carl Garrett owns two restaurants in Benton County and says his customers make it clear. They like a drink with dinner. "Chianti's, San Giovases, Montipuliccanos they want it. They want a martini. They want a beer," Garret says.
But to serve up a glass of wine in Benton County, Garrett had to buy a separate non-profit company, to purchase, and dispense the drinks.
"It makes it challenging, It's very expensive," he says." Those 128 private clubs have to go to Washington County to purchase their alcohol."
"They have to go to a retail liquor store and pay over cost. They have to pay sales tax."
Marshal Ney's group Keep Dollars in Benton County wants to change that and just turned in 56,000 signatures in an effort to get the question on November's ballot.
"The economic prosperity of the county is what is at issue here." Ney says if the county goes wet, wholesalers will be able to deliver drinks at competitive rates and those savings could be passed on to consumers.
"I think it's great, people like the opportunity to come to a restaurant and drink a glass of wine without signing in and jumping through hoops."
"Coming from the family of an alcoholic I don't see it as a positive thing."
Not everyone is interested in making it cheaper or easier to drink and say its better to keep sales outside of county lines.
The County Clerk has 10 days to verify the signatures, but Keep Dollars in Benton County say they did a check of their own before turning the petitions in.
Keep Dollars in Benton County wants to put the wet/dry issue on the November ballot, and spent the last four months circulating petitions.
Despite a dry status it isn't hard to find a bar in Benton County.
"Benton county's been the wettest dry county for the last 55 years that i'm aware of."
"Right now we have about 128 private clubs."
In Benton County, club owners are allowed to serve alcohol by having their guests sign membership cards, making them a member of the club-type deal.
Simple for diners, but not for the restaurant or bar dispensing the booze.
"It's like setting up two businesses, it gets a little complicated."
Carl Garrett owns two restaurants in Benton County and says his customers make it clear. They like a drink with dinner. "Chianti's, San Giovases, Montipuliccanos they want it. They want a martini. They want a beer," Garret says.
But to serve up a glass of wine in Benton County, Garrett had to buy a separate non-profit company, to purchase, and dispense the drinks.
"It makes it challenging, It's very expensive," he says." Those 128 private clubs have to go to Washington County to purchase their alcohol."
"They have to go to a retail liquor store and pay over cost. They have to pay sales tax."
Marshal Ney's group Keep Dollars in Benton County wants to change that and just turned in 56,000 signatures in an effort to get the question on November's ballot.
"The economic prosperity of the county is what is at issue here." Ney says if the county goes wet, wholesalers will be able to deliver drinks at competitive rates and those savings could be passed on to consumers.
"I think it's great, people like the opportunity to come to a restaurant and drink a glass of wine without signing in and jumping through hoops."
"Coming from the family of an alcoholic I don't see it as a positive thing."
Not everyone is interested in making it cheaper or easier to drink and say its better to keep sales outside of county lines.
The County Clerk has 10 days to verify the signatures, but Keep Dollars in Benton County say they did a check of their own before turning the petitions in.
