Wet Petition Being Circulated in Polk County

Statistics show alcohol sales in Polk County will boost our economy, improve our quality of life, and decrease alcohol related traffic accidents, DWI’s arrests, and traffic deaths on our roads to Oklahoma.

The Committee for Growth Polk County is conducting a petition drive to put the question of alcohol sales on the ballot for the November 2020 election. “Since 1946 we have been leaving our alcohol tax dollars in other Arkansas Counties and Oklahoma. That means Polk County residents have lost millions of dollars for our cities and our county.

Economic studies done by the University of Arkansas for counties our size show that the potential for tax revenues for the county and cities could exceed $120,000 a year and that does not include new construction, new jobs and additional millage from the package stores that will be built.

Boyette Strategic Advisors, a leading economic development consulting firm, reported in 2009 that there were more DWI’s and alcohol related fatalities in dry counties than wet counties.  This report supports the belief that If Polk County is wet there will be fewer people drinking and driving from Oklahoma and surrounding wet counties.

Money Magazine reported that the top 10 “Best Places to Live in America” in our size category rated on jobs/economy, affordable housing, safety, education, and leisure/arts were all in wet counties. A vote for a wet county is not only an economic issue but a quality of life issue.

“We are asking our registered voters to study the facts and not chase myths and rumors and follow their conscience.  The Committee for Growth Polk County is not trying to change people’s beliefs nor does it have a litmus test for our elected officials, we just want people to consider the benefits of having a wet county,” said Committee for Growth Polk County C0-Chaiman Rick Chrisman.

Petition signing stations are set up in Cove at Scotty’s, in Mena at Ouachita Roasters, American Artisans, The Market on 71, Kess’s Corner, and the Northside Shopping Center.

Cars lined up to sign the petition to place the wet option on the 2020 November ballot. The petition is being circulated by the Committee for Growth Polk County. Photo:Tori Stockton

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Jeri Pearson

Jeri is the News Director for Pulse Multi-Media and Editor of The Polk County Pulse. She has 10 years of experience in community focused journalism and has won multiple press association awards.

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