|
 |
Vote passes, Senatobia dry no longer
|
| By: Theron Fly |
January 29, 2013 |
|
The people have spoken, and the City of Senatobia will soon allow for the selling of alcohol following Tuesday's special called election.
More than 1,600 votes are officially in, and the issue passed in a landslide.
There were two separate items on the ballot: one where voters decide whether or not to allow the sale of liquor and wine, and in the other, voters decided whether or not to allow the sale of beer or light wine.
In the vote to allow the sale of liquor and wine, voters voted with 1,207 in favor and 412 against.
In the vote to allow the sale of beer and light wine, voters voted with 1,158 in favor and 425 against.
The results do not include affidavits, and there are roughly 100 affidavits to be counted.
This was the first time that an election on the sale of alcohol has been held by the city, as all previous votes on alcohol in Tate County were countywide. The city-only vote came on the heels of 2012 alcohol vote legislation.
In April 2012, the Mississippi State Legislature passed Senate Bill 2497, which enables cities with a population of 5,000 or more that are located within counties that have voted against alcohol sales to hold city elections to determine whether sales will be permitted within city limits.
In 2005, the last time a countywide vote on alcohol was held, the citizens of Tate County voted down the sale of alcohol, with 3,846 votes, or 61%, against, and 2,471 votes in favor.
At that time, within the city of Senatobia, there were 940 votes in favor and 1,349 votes, or 59% opposed.
Prior to the 2005 vote, a referendum was up for voting in 1972, when the matter failed by the narrow margin of 2,525 votes in favor with 2,924 votes against. Other attempts to get the referendum on the ballot fell short.
This was not the first election since the passing of Senate Bill 2497 that has resulted in the selling of alcohol.
In Alcorn County, the city of Corinth scheduled its own liquor vote as well, becoming the first city in the state to act on the new legislation. Alcorn County had previously held a vote in 1989 and the sale of beer was approved, but the sale of liquor and wine was voted down.
During the December 11 election, the residents of Corinth turned out in droves, approving liquor and wine sales by a margin of more than 2-1, according to the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal.
|
|
©The Democrat 2013
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
AL EDWARDS |
Jan, 31 2013 |
| |
It's time that that area joined the correct century. Atleast now you don't have to drive so far to buy a drink and leave your tax money in another county. Now, I think Senatobia will begin to grow.
|
|
|
|
Ozell Hullette |
Jan, 30 2013 |
| |
Well now..the city police will have something to do with their spare time. What do you mean? I'm about to tell ya! I grew up in Senatobia, left and served my country for 20yrs. I love Senatobia, but here's what makes me sick to my stomach. Without fail, everything I come home (3-4times per year)a local police officer will get behind me and run my plates for no apparent reason. I'm a reasonable person, so let's say that I have out-of-state plates on my vehicle and it's 2:45am. I'm observed cruising around the side streets of the city.....now that would be suspicious. But what is suspicious about exiting I55 and coming down main street through the heart of the city to US51 in the early evening hours? So with that said, I'm happy to see my beloved city honor what the people want. Now the PD will likely have something to do when they get bored. After all else, a response to why this behavior is deemed necessary from the PD would be appreciated.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
