Little River County near 'wet' vote

Backers tout alcohol revenue; foes fear for public safety

A map showing the location of Little River County.
A map showing the location of Little River County.

Residents of a south Arkansas county will decide Nov. 8 whether to allow alcohol sales in their shrinking area on the edge of Texarkana.


















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If Little River County turns wet, it would be allowed to have two liquor stores -- based on its population of about 13,000 people -- along with beer and wine sales at grocery stores. Passing the measure also would allow restaurants to sell alcoholic beverages without having to apply for a private-club license.

In all cases, the potential vendors would have to apply for and receive a permit from the state Alcoholic Beverage Control Division.

But for Kirk Babb, turning the county from dry to wet isn't about alcohol. It's about adding sales tax revenue in Little River County that for decades has been going to Miller County or Bowie County, Texas, where people travel to buy alcohol.

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Babb, an Ashdown resident, is chairman of Vote for Growth in Little River, which collected more than 2,000 signatures to get the ballot measure to a vote.

His opinion echoes what many groups across Arkansas -- in Johnson, Randolph, Independence and Crawford counties just this year -- have argued in petitioning to legalize alcohol sales.

It's not about the drinks; it's about the money.

Babb said local sales taxes are already too high, noting that Ashdown residents pay a combined sales tax of 10.75 percent, but that needed revenue can come in other ways.

"We have a fairly high millage, and we have a high sales tax," Babb said. "What if there was another way to bring money into the community that wouldn't cost anybody anything because they're already buying those goods and services?"

Little River County has a local sales tax of 2.25 percent, and the towns of Ashdown, Foreman and Wilton have local sales taxes of 2 percent, 1 percent and 1 percent, respectively. The statewide sales tax is 6.5 percent.

But Tonja Parker, chairman of the newly formed Families First In Little River County, said she was more concerned about public safety and the risks of bringing more alcohol into the county.

"The only way they're for it is not having to drive to go get it. They can walk to it," Parker said. "It's not a need. It's just a want or desire."

A Center for Business & Economic Research in the Sam Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas study requested by Babb's group estimated about $800,000 in increased sales tax revenue for the county, based on credit and debit card charges by county residents in other nearby locations.

Parker expressed skepticism of those figures and said some of the increased revenue would be offset by an increase in crime, but Babb's group has argued that similar measures in other places haven't resulted in increased crime.

Others have voiced concerns about allowing alcohol sales, citing religious reasons, Babb said.

Vote for Growth in Little River started up about a year ago, filing its first report with the Arkansas Ethics Commission on Sept. 2, 2015, and receiving $1,250 from two Ashdown companies that same day.

The group is mostly backed by Wal-Mart Stores of Bentonville, which gave $60,100 from January through June, according to Ethics Commission filings. The group also received $5,000 from E-Z Mart Stores of Texarkana, Texas. E-Z Mart and Wal-Mart have stores in Little River County.

The group also has received $1,000 from Vestco real estate company, $250 from the Pharr Group, and $1,000 from First Guaranty Insurance -- all of Ashdown. Babb works for First Guaranty Insurance, which sells life insurance.

Vote for Growth in Little River raised $67,350.31 overall through July 31 and spent $51,361.09 of that gathering signatures through paid canvassers, with the remaining funds raised going toward legal services and advertising.

Parker filed Families First In Little River County's statement of organization with the Arkansas Ethics Commission on Aug. 10. The commission had not received any fundraising reports for the group as of Thursday. Parker said she has not done any fundraising but has purchased yard signs that read "Vote 'no' to intoxicating liquor sales" and "Keep Little River safe and clean."

Little River County's alcohol-sales measure is one of two on the ballot in November in Arkansas.

Farmington, in Washington County, also will decide whether to begin allowing alcohol sales in the town.

Similar petitions in Johnson, Independence, Randolph, Yell and Crawford counties failed to get enough signatures to bring alcohol sales to a vote.

About half of the state's 75 counties are wet, although some have exceptions for certain dry cities and townships.

Metro on 10/23/2016

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