Fresh Loaf

With roughly four months until Georgia lawmakers return to the Gold Dome to wreak havoc upon our pristine and precious state, thirsty residents and fans of freedom are moving forward with a petition to convince Gov. Sonny Perdue to finally do away with its ridiculous laws prohibiting the purchase of alcohol in stores on Sundays.

The petition, which was started by Twitter user AtlantaBeer, very plainly states:

Georgia law prevents retail sales of beer on Sundays despite the will of the people. Why does Gov Perdue block every attempt to change this law?

Good question. We’ve always heard state lawmakers are hesitant to push for an end to Sunday Sales because Perdue’s made clear he’d veto the bill. Also, next legislative session is during an election year. Lawmakers are big on red-meat issues when they’re up for re-election — think “guns, gays, and God” — and tend to shy away from measures that could change the status quo.

That doesn’t mean you can’t join in the fun. Here’s the petition website.

After the jump, the map of people ACROSS THE COUNTRY who think Georgians deserve the right to booze on the Sabbath. It’s the dawn of a new day, suckas!

(H/T to everyone in Georgia who uses Twitter)

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Earlier today, Gov. Sonny Perdue told reporters the soon-to-be-released April 2009 revenue figures were “not encouraging.”

He wasn’t fibbing. The revenue figures landed in our inboxes a few minutes ago. And to be honest, they’re rather terrible.

Net revenue collections of sales, personal income and corporate incomes taxes last month totaled $1.4 billion, down from $1.8 billion the same time last year. That’s a decrease of 20.6 percent. The year-to-date decrease in revenue collection is 9.6 percent.

According to figures released by the governor’s office, however, booze is still selling like it’s hot.

Perdue did note that last April’s figures were some of the highest the state had ever recorded. But man,  governor, you’ve made the right choice to veto the giant tax-cutting beast sitting on your desk. That thing might get you on Grover Norquist’s speed dial, but it’d just push the state deeper into the red.

If you’re a numbers lover, download the April 2009 revenue figures. (Warning: PDF)

(Photo by Joeff Davis)

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Amount, in percentage, total taxes and other revenues decreased in March 2009 compared to March 2008: 14.5

Amount, in percentage, individual income tax revenue declined in March 2009 compared to March 2008: 18.8

Amount, in percentage, sales tax revenue declined in March 2009 compared to March 2008: 5.9

Amount, in percentage, gas tax revenue declined in March 2009 compared to March 2008: 28.6

Amount, in percentage, alcoholic beverage tax revenue increased as of March 2009: 8

Estimated amount of money, in sales tax, Sunday beer and wine sales could generate: $3.3 million

Number of states other than Georgia that ban alcohol sales in stores on Sunday: 2

Number of times in the last three years state lawmakers have tried to pass a bill allowing Sunday sales: 3

Percentage of Georgians in a 2008 poll who support Sunday sales: 65

Sources: ajc.com, Georgia Department of Revenue, AJC/Mason Dixon poll

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On Monday, state Sen. Seth Harp, R-Midland, tried to revive a bill that would allow cities and counties to vote whether they wanted to purchase alcohol in stores on Sundays. It was shot down.

Courtesy of the Senate Press Office, here’s video of the lawmaker’s valiant effort. UPDATE: Well, the freedom haters are sabotaging my attempts to embed the video. Here’s the link. UPDATE, PART II: Thanks to the excellent Michael in the Senate Press Office, we have video! Get ready to shed a tear.

Harp told lawmakers that a poll taken in one of Georgia’s most religious counties found more than 60 percent of respondents supported Sunday sales. In metro Atlanta, he said, support for the measure was more than 90 percent — a statistic which I think is hilarious.

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Mauricia: I’m drinking more to forget what’s going on. I’ve been unemployed for almost two years. But when it gets better, we’ll all be in a better place. Until then, I’ll continue to live life in a loving, fun way so that I don’t miss a day of appreciation and gratitude for what I have. Everything happens for a reason. I understand I’m on a path, and I’m not going to be bummed out about whether I have money in my pocket. And by drinking more, I eat less, so I’ve lost weight.

Clay: I work in a bar. The only way to make money right now is to network with other bartenders. So I’m constantly going out and drinking at other places to encourage them to come into my bar, so I make money off of them. It’s all one big family. I’m trying to build a clientele with service-industry people, so I’m always out drinking. It’s the not greatest thing. I also attempt to have a little bit more fun to encourage people to come by so they see my personality as a bartender. You’re constantly selling yourself.

Julie: It hasn’t affected me at all, because I’m a stripper. I make too much money for it to affect me. It’s just a working girl’s way of making it through without a man. People spend more during a depression on stripping and drinking, because they want to feel good. The naked body is an expression of life. You’re supposed to celebrate it. But I drink only on a select occasion because my body is what I live off of. I love to party, but I work hard on my body and keep it in pristine shape.

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Lovers of gourmet food and booze rejoice: That quaint store where you could buy luxurious-sounding grub — but not wine — may soon be able to legally stock booze.

Yesterday, the Atlanta City Council passed legislation that would allow such gourmet food shops as the Cabbagetown Market and the Mercantile on DeKalb Avenue to stock beer, wine and malt beverages. The legislation, which essentially now gives those and similar stores a legal classification in the city’s code, was penned by Councilmember Natalyn Archibong and passed 8-2. Such stores won’t be allowed to sell lotto tickets or “other games of chance,” gasoline or tobacco. They also can’t operate drive-thru windows or cash checks. But bring on the booze!

If she chooses, Mayor Shirley Franklin has eight days to veto the bill.

To peruse Archibong’s bill, laden with good ole fashioned legalese and multiple uses of “whereas,” click here. Keep in mind that an amendment — supposedly a minor tweak — was added to the legislation. I’m waiting on Archibong’s staff to return a call and clarify what in entails.

UPDATE: Here’s the “specialty food store” legislation as passed in Monday’s council meeting. I received some emails from folks who said they had problems opening the file I posted yesterday. If this one fails to open, shoot me an email and I’ll send it to you directly.

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The AJC’s James Salzer reports state Sen. Seth Harp, R-Midland, has withdrawn the bill that would allow cities and counties to decide if they wanted stores to be able to sell booze on the Sabbath. He says it didn’t have enough votes to pass:

Sober like us: Shafer & Sonny

The committee was supposed to vote on the bill Wednesday, but supporters knew by the time the meeting began that they wouldn’t have enough votes to pass it.

It marked the third consecutive year the bill to allow Sunday sales has stalled in the Senate.

Sen. Seth Harp (R-Midland), said he would bring the bill back up in the future and supporters hinted they would make it a campaign issue next year.

Welcome to Georgia, where nothing ever happens.

(Update by Scott Henry):
There’s a rumor floating around that Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle, R-Gainesville, was involved in getting the bill killed. Harp isn’t buying it. He says Cagle “told me personally” that he favored the bill getting a floor vote. And if SB 16 had reached the floor, Harp is confident it would’ve passed.

Who was the real villain, then?

(more…)

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State Sen. David Shafer, R-Duluth, had disappointing news just now for a Capitol committee room packed with Spuds McKenzies and partypoopers: For a variety of reasons, the number of lawmakers needed for a quorum could not be rounded up, and a much-anticipated hearing about Sunday alcohol sales would have to be postponed. Carry on.

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In 5,000 years, when a humanoid alien race sifts through the wasteland we ultimately created here on Earth, they will reach into the rubble of what once was the Georgia Capitol and find one piece of paper that, despite the ravages of time and the post-apocalyptic elements, will be preserved. It will be unripped. It will shine from under ash. It will have been the finest moment in this edifice’s history.

It will read:

Eureka! On Monday, state Sen. Seth Harp, R-Midland — along with three co-sponsors — pre-filed a bill that, if passed and signed by Gov. Sonny Perdue, would allow Georgia cities and counties to vote whether alcohol could be sold on the Sabbath inside their boundaries.

If you’ve long wanted to purchase booze on Sunday — be it for cooking, sporting events or to self-medicate — this is the bill you want to watch. And if you’ve ever just wanted to have a voice in the issue, it’s that too. Andre at Peach Pundit writes more on the possible political dynamics.

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Researchers at the University of Georgia and University of Missouri say people at risk of drinking and driving are less likely to get behind the wheel if they think they’ll be caught in the act.

Essentially, all the laws in the world won’t to deter people from cruising after boozing — it takes convincing them they’ll be stopped in the never-awkward roadblock.

All U.S. states have laws designed to deter impaired driving, but there is little evidence on what works to deter drivers who have a high risk of drinking and driving. The researchers found that the existence of laws, such as the .08 blood alcohol content and open container restrictions, affect only those less likely to drink and drive, and the actual number of impaired driving arrests in a state has no significant effect on drivers’ likelihood of drinking and driving.

“Essentially, law enforcement needs to focus on perceptions; it is important that drivers perceive that they will be caught if they drive impaired,” said Lilliard Richardson, professor in the MU Truman School of Public Affairs. “We found that high-risk drivers are less likely to drink and drive if they perceive they are likely to be stopped or arrested by police. However, the mere existence of laws designed to discourage people from drinking and driving does not impact high-risk drivers. The results provide support for the value of high-visibility enforcement campaigns. Public safety education and media efforts are important components of the overall strategy for reducing impaired driving.”

Now a show of hands: Who got behind the wheel after pouring a punchbowl down their gullet at the cul-de-sac Christmas bash? Yeah, me neither!

(Photo courtesy of Help-for-DUI.com. Tip of the hat to Joeventures)

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