Personal Essay: I Propose To Change The Status Of Craighead County, Ar

Personal Essay: I Propose To Change the Status of Craighead County, AR From A Dry
To A Wet County


I propose to change the current status of Craighead County, Arkansas
from a dry county to a wet county.   Although there are strong arguments that the
benefits of being a dry county are greater than the drawbacks, it is important
to reassess those ideas.   There are two very important drawbacks to a dry county.
One is the loss of businesses and revenues from businesses that sell or serve
alcoholic beverages.   The second is the safety of those who consume alcohol.
First, we must consider the annual amount of money that leaves the
pockets of Craighead County citizens and goes into the neighboring counties.   As
most know you are unable to purchase alcohol under the current laws.   Yet,
people do not refrain from the consumption of alcoholic beverages.   Logically we
can conclude that people purchase the alcohol elsewhere.   Money that could
recycle itself into the economy of Craighead County contributes to others.
There are numerous small businesses along the county line that sell only alcohol.
Craighead is a college county.   College students spend approximately $4.2
billion annually to purchase 430 million gallons of alcoholic beverages.   These
businesses could be run here, in Jonesboro, instead of places like Harrisburg
and Truman.   The fact is that people are going to drink.   Why not sell to
Craighead citizens in Craighead?   It makes far greater sense to put back where
you take out.   Meaning if you earn a living in Craighead one should purchase
from those there as well.   If the citizens could legally buy alcohol her they
would not be helping out their neighbors.   Not only by bringing in those stores
that specialize in alcohol, but those businesses who serve it as well, Craighead
could increase it"s income for small business men and for the county. Tax money
from liquor sales goes 20% to counties on basis of unincorporated population,
and   80% to cities on basis of...