DeSoto trying yet again to legalize beer and wine sales

by Brian Allen of Best Southwest Citizen

With Glenn Heights passing beer/wine sales, it’s no surprise that supporters in DeSoto want to take another pass. A November 2007 attempt to legalize beer and wine sales fell nearly 400 votes short.

In local elections, 400 votes is a pretty huge swath. I covered that election as well as Duncanville’s successful beer and wine push. I’m not sure supporters will be able to change 400 minds in a two-year span, but beer and wine in Glenn Heights wasn’t in play in 2007 either.

I can tell you from experience few elections are as contentious as those regarding the sale of any alcoholic beverage. I suspect Steve Snyder, who had the joy of being stuck in the media maelstrom of numerous failed Lancaster beer and wine drives, would agree.

That’s in no small part because beer and wine sales is a political issue that religious leaders often get involved in. Most churches don’t weigh in one way or the other regarding who ends up on the council or the school board. But religious activists feel compelled to speak out where alcohol is concerned.

I totally get that. I don’t drink myself, I’ve simply never had any desire to. That said, I don’t really care if other people do as long as they don’t drive or otherwise endanger people. I do get the obvious economic benefits from beer and wine sales. It cannot be fun for the economically inclined in Lancaster or DeSoto to look at that huge Costco building in Duncanville and wonder what might have been.

Whether those of us that don’t drink like it or not, alcohol does oil the wheels of commerce to a great extent. I only offer one prediction where DeSoto’s beer and wine drive is concerned. Things are going to get ugly. They always do when these issues are on the table. You’re going to see neighbors, church members and possibly husbands and wives on different sides of this.

There are a number of questions I don’t pretend to have the answers to. If DeSoto starts packaged beer and wine sales, what does this mean for Lancaster? Will the last city to pass packaged beer and wine in this area (if it does turn out not to be Glenn Heights) find enough financial reward to warrant the political three-ring circus necessary to get there?

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Anonymous

I say we start taxing churches..that way we wouldn't have to worry about revenue streams here in Texas..It is encouraging that the ultra religious are slowly being separated from local politics..Any forward thinking city is foolish nowadays to ignore the potential for sales tax profits versus simply acquiescing to the fake moral outrage we have endured for way too long.

Travis Bush Verified

4 months ago
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Desoto is in dire need of a major boost to the tax base. One of the primary reasons Albertsons in Desoto pulled up stakes, from what ive been told, was the fact they didnt allow beer/wine sales in city limits. The main issue in D-town is a new resident vs old guard mentality that has been a major issue in the southern "white flight" suburbs for years, the same parties who griped about the highways and DART bringing in the "undesirables" over the years. I'll say the same thing I told people when the naysayers in the duncanhood when they were putting in beer/wine sales: DEAL WITH IT.

Chris Kidd Verified

4 months ago
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So do people in Desoto not drink? Or must they simply drive to another town when they want to buy alcohol? And how many of the "antis" drink secretly behind closed doors?