Hartselle Does Not Need Alcohol, I Am Proud Of Our City The Way It Is , DRY, I Have Been Praying, THERE IS POWER IN PRAYER, I Will Be Voting , NO

Sometimes it amazes me home some peoples minds work. No alcohol sales in a city means no alcohol in the city. It remind me of the intro to a movie from the past. "A Long time ago in a galaxy gar, far away...."

It all boils down to free will. Those of us who have developed some sort of spiritual life have, no doubt, pondered the notion of a loving God versus the evil in the world. But, for a moment, let's imagine a world with no free will to choose right or wrong - a world with no evil, pain, injustice etc. What if you had no freedom to choose and your life was decided for you to ensure that you never made a wrong choice that might lead to pain for someone else. Your days here on Earth would be acting out a script already written to the tiniest detail. For example you would not have the choice of what to eat or wear because we know that bad diets can lead to bad health and possible pain, and your daily decision to express yourself in what you wear would not be necessary because it might lead to someone elses's misjudgment of you and emotional distress.

You wouldn't get to choose to have a nice glass of wine with dinner because one could lead to several and you might drive drunk and kill an innocent person (or animal). Your mate would be chosen for you so there would be no chance of infidelity or abuse. I wouldn't have the option of writing on this blog because it might offend someone and you wouldn't be able to give your comment either.

With no free will there might not be war or famine, but there would also be no reason to get up in the morning, no motivation to live, nothing to work for, no opportunity to develop relationships with other fallible human beings - not even the chance to help someone less fortunate than you because no one would be less fortunate. Without pain there would be no joy.

It would be Pleasantville. Everything in God's world would be black and white - no colors - that might bring on doubts, questions, human failings, or emotions. I love this movie because it reminds me how boring and useless our lives would be if they were perfect.

Free will causes pain and suffering every day in this world and we may not understand why those who inflict pain on others have chosen to do that. But out free will allows us to make the world a little bit better every day too. It allows us the choices that make us who we are as individuals. I'm sure God wouldn't have created a whole world just for robots. Our free will is what makes us human.

For all the blathering about Hartselle being so "special".....I think that some people just need to wake up, get out from in front of their black and white TV, and join the real world.

Vote YES! I will be praying for a YES vote Linda.

I must respond, relative to comments made in today`s Decatur Daily article "Vote May Change Hartselle."

(1) It was stated that the city's budget has increased from $7.2 million to $10.4 million since Hartselle rejected legalization of alcohol sales in 2002. The budget has primarily increased due to inflation, not real growth. The city's budget is over 50% dependent on sales tax, which is a direct indicator of relative economic development. From 2002 through 2011, when devaluing the dollar due to inflation, there was a net decrease of 13.2% ($569,573) buying power of the revenue dollar from sales tax. This reflects a general decline in retail sales, highly significant when considering that sales tax historically contributes 50% or more of Hartselle's total budget. It is interesting to note that the average per capita sales tax revenue of wet cities surrounding Hartselle is 55% greater ($544 to $352).

(2) Comments relative to new business investment since 2002 beg discussion of lost businesses and jobs during the same period. Hartselle has averaged less than one significant new business during the past 10 years. Meanwhile, Cullman, since legalizing alcohol sales in 2010 (with a population of only 520 more than Hartselle), has seen 10 new restaurants (Logan's Roadhouse, Shogun, Moe's BBQ, Jim & Nick's BBQ, Shane's Rib Shack, Blue Moose Cafe, The Local Standard, Grumpy's, High Tide Sports Grill and Mt. Fuji Japanese Steakhouse). Also, other businesses opening in Cullman since legal alcohol sales include a Nissan auto dealership, a second Walgreens, Cellular South, Jade apple, What A Girl Wants, 123 Furniture, and Blessed Twice.

About jobs: Although job numbers are not mentioned in the article, those opposed to legalizing sales claim creation of 200 jobs by new businesses which have opened and another 200 planned during the next three years by the Busche Company plant (formerly Copeland plant). Busche plans to begin their operation with a nucleus of 40 - 50 employees and ramp up to 200 over the next three years. Those opposing legal sales fail to mention that a total of 677 jobs have been lost by the closing of only Copeland, the Hartselle Medical Center and Abercrombie Chevrolet, a net loss of 277 jobs from these three alone, when compared with those claimed above, even assuming that Busche was at 200 now, rather than three years down the road. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are 6% fewer businesses operating and 21% fewer people earning a paycheck in Hartselle than in 2002.

(3) Opening of Morgan Center Business Park (MCBP): This park is a potential "lightning strike" for Morgan County and the region in providing much needed jobs. However, unless those wage earners have shopping opportunities in Hartselle resulting in sales tax revenue, no significant company-generated revenue will be realized for 10 years. It has become customary to abate non-educational property taxes for 10 years as incentive for desirable industries to locate in our area. Also, sales taxes are commonly abated during construction of a new plant. Unless Hartselle fills existing retail market gaps, to permit these employess opportunities to shop comprehensively in Hartselle, thus preventing business leakage to other communities, MCBP revenue benefits will be relatively minimum.

(4) As noted in the article, population is a prime consideration of retailers for locating in a community. However, population is only one element of overall demographics that retailers consider when selecting a community in which to locate. Three major developers having interests in developing in Hartselle are documented as saying that legaliztion of alcohol sales is a major consideration by retailers. In this regard, I provide the following quotes: (A) Decatur Daily, September 28, 2011 - City Council President Kenny Thompson said, " If we're going to get some of the retail development we want, we have to be wet." He further stated, according to the article, that a national supermarket is refusing to come to Hartselle because alcohol sales are not legal. (B) On October 3, 2011, the Decatur Daily reported that Mayor Tankersley said that Hartselle cannot have a serious discussion about retail development without including alcohol sales. The article further quoted him, "When we talk to retailers, this plays into their decision."

Continued population growth without a balance of sales tax-revenue-producing retail development will negatively impact provision of city services. Mayor Tankersley said it best, as quoted in the Hartselle Courier Journal on August 12, 2012. "The biggest challenge (for the next city administration) will be creating enough retail development to provide the services that our citizens and community have become used to and deserve."

As illustrated above, those opposing legalized alcohol sales in Hartselle only go conveniently far in discussing the issues. This is likely why they refused last summer to publically debate the issue with those of us promoting legalized sales.

Timothy - a world without sin would be kinda like heaven wouldn't it?

After watching the presidential election process for the last year, we've learned to differentiate fiction and fact. We know the country isn't doing well despite what our president says on the campaign trail. In the same way, we know that the facts publicized by Families for a Safe Hartselle are fiction.

The facts are that Hartselle has lost busineses and jobs--just look around at all the empty buildings and talk to business people who are holding on to solvency by their fingernails. To stop this slide, to grow, and to improve our quality of life (like Cullman) we need to vote yes for alcohol sales. I've talked to many people from Cullman. They only have good things to say about their decision to allow alcohol sales. They urge us to follow their lead and Vote Yes for Hartselle.

If It Goes Wet, It Will Really Change, CRIMES COMES TO HARTSELLE, WHERE THERE IS ALCOHOL , THERE IS MORE CRIME