After being around for the past two wet/dry campaigns, Donald and Joyce Gunter know what they believe and know what to expect.

The Holly Pond couple have supported the “vote dry” initiatives in both previous Cullman referendums, and plan to combat the legal sale of alcohol once again this November.

“There is no good that ever comes out of alcohol, and I believe more availability to alcohol will be a bad thing for Cullman County,” Donald said. “Cullman is a special county, and I want to keep it that way. We’ve been involved every time, and we’ll be involved again.”

Though they live outside the city limits — and can’t vote on the legal sales referendum on Nov. 2  — Joyce said she frequents Cullman and still considers herself a part of the community, and wants to encourage city residents who can vote on the issue to vote dry.

“We love Cullman, we do our business in Cullman and it’s the county seat,” she said. “People come to Cullman now because it is unique, and we love the direction Cullman is going in.”

The Gunters are not alone in their convictions, and were joined by nearly 75 like-minded citizens Thursday night at First Baptist Church in Cullman, as proponents to keep the city dry organized at an impromptu meeting.

The initiative, called “Celebrate Cullman Vote No,” will replace the “Keep Cullman Special” mantra that has emblazoned yard signs for the past decade whenever a wet/dry vote has surfaced.

“Why ‘Celebrate Cullman’?” asked Jim O’Dillon, a member of the pro-dry ad hoc committee. “Because Cullman is a great place. We have been recognized for growing in industry, even though other places are not, and our schools are third in the state. We’ve accomplished this all without alcohol money and we should continue to do it without alcohol money.”

Local business owner Steve Cummings, chairman of the committee, said he believes opponents can once again nix the referendum, as the “no” votes won in both 2004 and 2002.

“I think we can beat this,” he said. “Can you explain to me why alcohol would make Cullman better?”

Organization, information

Ed Hayes, pastor of First Baptist Church, said voters should approach the issue with caution, since it is very hard to repeal the decision once a city does go wet.

“When you’re told there will be a strict ordinance, I have no doubt that’s how it might start out, but once the camel gets his nose into the tent, he’s in the tent,” he said. “The best thing is to keep the camel’s nose out of the tent. We do not feel like we are praying selfishly about this issue, but we are praying for, and this is about, our community.”

With only a month of lead time until the referendum is held, East Side Baptist Church Pastor Ken Allen said opponents to alcohol sales need to organize quickly.

“We need to get more votes than last time, and all of us need to take an active role with our friends and family to make sure we get out the vote,” he said. “We need to use Facebook to get the word out, and since six years have passed, there are a lot of new voters out there to reach.”

Jack Collins, with the West Cullman Baptist Association, distributed some information at the Thursday night gathering and spoke about how alcohol taxes are distributed in wet communities. According to data confirmed by the Alabama Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC) Board, the wholesale price for case lot sales of liquor and fortified wine include a markup of 16.99 percent, and the wholesale price for bottle sales of liquor and fortified wine include a markup of 30 percent. Collins questioned why city residents would want to approve alcohol sales, when the majority of revenue is sent back to the state.

Collins noted the city of Athens, which legalized alcohol sales in 2004, and pointed out that of the $2.1 million in sales at the one ABC store in Athens, only $123,643 stays in the city.

“Any wet city sends out hundreds of thousands of dollars more than they bring in,” he said, referring to outgoing tax revenue. “If we’re going from best back to better, you’ll later see what you’ve lost and can’t regain.”

Though a large percentage of alcohol tax money does go back to the state coffers, alcohol sales tax revenue from other stores in Athens provided $1.6 million in additional local revenue in 2007, three years after sales were legalized, according to data from Athens city hall compiled by The News-Courier.

City and county sales tax in Athens was also up annually in the three years after alcohol sales were approved, with an additional $1.6 million in the city, and a nearly $3 million increase for Limestone County.

Some feedback was also offered on the proposed economic and civic benefits that have been associated with alcohol sales. The Cullman Area Chamber of Commerce had an economic impact study compiled in 2004 — at the time of the last wet/dry vote — and the study summarized that legal sales of alcohol would lead to greater retail choices and more sales tax collections.

Collins mentioned the nearby city of Decatur, which legalized alcohol sales in the 1970s, and noted how some stores at the Decatur Mall have recently closed, despite legal sales in the city. The mall reportedly lost three tenants earlier this year, and was also sold to a new owner last month.

“That money spent on alcohol could have been used to buy shoes and clothes and to keep those stores in business, because you only get so much money,” Collins said. “You can’t turn liquor into shoes, and you can’t turn liquor into diapers.”

Despite the turmoil at the Decatur Mall, a new large-scale retail development recently opened in the city on Point Mallard Parkway, anchored by a Target, Old Navy, Kohl’s, and Panera Bread. As far as financial stability is concerned, the city of Decatur ranks 13th in per capita revenue and ninth in fund balances, out of the 23 largest cities in the state, according to the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama.

The religious discussion

Though the Bible is often cited in the debate over alcohol sales, O’Dillon said he hopes dry proponents will instead focus on the potential effects sales could have on the community.

“Most Christians have their own opinions on that, and for a lot of folks the question may come down to is it okay to have a beer at a ball game, or a drink with dinner,” he said. “But, we’re not even talking about that, we’re talking about how it just wouldn’t be good for Cullman … Let’s leave hairsplitting about what the Bible says out of it, and realize that alcohol is just not something we need here.”

Joyce Gunter said she agrees that the religious argument shouldn’t be made against social drinking, but instead about what the Bible says in reference to drunkenness.

“I don’t think a drink with dinner will send you to hell, but there are so many warnings in scripture about what abuse can do,” she said. “I think that’s something a wise person can put together.”

* Trent Moore can be reached by e-mail at trentm@cullmantimes.com, or by telephone at 734-2131, ext. 220.