By Jay Sanderson
When Butler County voters go to the polls on November 8, they’ll be confronted with many choices that can form the way forward for not simply our nation, however our native communities as nicely. On the nationwide degree, management of Congress is at stake. On the state degree, we select who shall be governor for the following 4 years. On the native degree, we’ll determine on who ought to symbolize us within the subsequent legislative session in Topeka. Nonetheless, there’s one other essential option to be made in our county that might impression the way forward for enterprise for our cities.
The ultimate merchandise in your Election Day poll would be the following County Query: “Shall sale of alcoholic liquor by the person drink in Butler County be allowed in public locations and not using a requirement that any portion of their gross receipts be from gross sales of meals?”
Typically occasions, we see these sorts of measures on our poll and don’t actually know what they’re, so an evidence of this query is critical.
It’s pretty difficult, however to elucidate it merely, when prohibition resulted in Kansas, every county was required to decide on if it needed to be a dry county – companies can promote no alcohol of any variety, a moist county – the place companies can promote alcohol with none restriction, or they might undertake what’s referred to as the 30% rule.
Butler County was one of many locations that went the 30% route, that means the present regulation in Butler County requires any institution that sells particular person alcoholic drinks, whether or not its beer, wine or a cocktail, present that 30% of their income be from gross sales of meals.
This doesn’t essentially have an effect on eating places – they’re food-first institutions. As an alternative, consider your favourite hole-in-the-wall bar or place to fulfill up with buddies for a beer, or consider your favourite golf course. They aren’t promoting steak dinners at a excessive value. They’re promoting sizzling canines and chips. So, for each $5 beer they promote, they need to promote two sizzling canines at $2 a bit. Which means you probably have three beers throughout your spherical of golf, they have to promote you six sizzling canines to make 30% of their gross sales {dollars} be from meals. And actually, who eats six sizzling canines on the golf course?
It’s not simply golf programs. There are bars throughout which might be in danger. They need to discover a approach to promote sufficient low-cost meals to have the ability to mean you can are available in and luxuriate in an evening out with your mates or in case you simply need a fast beer after work earlier than you head residence.
And actually, why ought to they need to promote meals in any respect? The regulation is basically saying in case you purchase a beer, you MUST purchase meals. Think about going to the grocery retailer and being informed that in case you purchase milk, you MUST purchase bathroom paper. It’s fully ridiculous.
If any institution falls below the requirement of 30% of its income coming from meals, they’re vulnerable to dropping their license and shutting. More often than not they by no means re-open. None of us ought to wish to see that occur, as a result of anytime a enterprise closes, it’s unhealthy for our cities.
Our neighboring counties – Sedgwick County, Cowley County and Chase County have all voted to get rid of the 30% rule, so companies there can function with out this suffocating requirement hanging over them. We have to create a degree taking part in subject in Butler County. We would like the identical guidelines they’ve.
Along with coping with the potential for dropping present companies, leaving the 30% requirement in place will trigger injury to the long run surroundings for enterprise in Butler County.
Our bigger communities like El Dorado, Augusta, and Andover will all battle to recruit new companies that may wish to serve alcohol if this rule stays. These companies trying to develop will probably go someplace the place it’s simpler and fewer restrictive. It means Butler County loses a enterprise, and that’s unhealthy for all of us. We must always intention to create an environment the place we welcome new companies with open arms however leaving this 30% rule in place does the precise reverse. It sends a transparent message that we aren’t all that enterprise pleasant.
So, whenever you’re on the polls on Election Day, we should vote sure on the county query. A sure vote means you need this arcane, prohibition- period and completely absurd rule to go away. A sure vote means your favourite bar, golf course or another institution can promote you a beer and never have to fret about meals. A sure vote means freedom of alternative of the place and the way you get your beer. A sure vote means you imagine the federal government shouldn’t inform us how one can dwell our lives. A sure vote means you assist a business-friendly surroundings in Butler County.
While you go to the polls on November 8, discover the County Query, it will likely be the final merchandise in your poll, and Vote Sure for Beer Freedom
