TODAY'S ISSUE
No reason not to pass liquor by drink referendum
By Terry Robinson and Charlie Riehm
President and Chairman, respectively
The Norcross Progressive Development Committee
Special to GwinnettForum.com

APRIL 11, 2003 -- Our group of "progressive" Norcross residents want to respond to your recent thoughts commenting on the liquor-by-drink referendum to be held here in June. We found your article balanced and informative, but it seemed to us to deal more with the negatives than the positives of this initiative. Our findings may be of interest to your readers.

Our Progressive Development Committee has done a lot of research on both the pros and cons experienced in other communities when serving liquor was added to beer and wine, and we concluded that very few, if any, had any negative results.

As you noted, the Norcross City Council voted to allow beer and wine to be served here in 1994. While the reaction to that vote was emotional, we now have five restaurants downtown where there were only one at that time, and the restaurants have done an excellent job of controlling excessive drinking. Consequently, we think the moral issue has been decided favorably.

We found all but three Gwinnett communities allow serving liquor, and they have seen no problems when liquor was added to other alcoholic beverages being served.

These communities and others throughout the South have made this move for the same reasons:

• allow their current restaurants to compete with those in neighboring communities
  
  
• attract new upscale restaurants, all of which believe they must serve liquor to have a profitable investment
  
  
• rely on increased patronage of these restaurants to generate enough consumer traffic to support a healthy retail environment.
  

You mention resident concerns about problems that may result from serving liquor, such as bars and strip clubs. We looked at these carefully and found the following:

• Bars are now required to derive at least 50 percent of their revenue from serving food. That helps stop "seedy" ones from opening.
  
  
• Bar owner testimony and DUI statistics both confirm that a very high percentage of excessive alcohol consumption is due to beer; adding liquor does not appear to change this. Diners tend not to over-drink, and the food requirement supports this.
  
  
• Most drinking problems are a result of package store sales and abuses, as Duluth has found. We are NOT asking for package liquor sales here in Norcross.
  
  
• Norcross does not have the facilities and demographics for opening a profitable adult entertainment club, according to our contacts who know the economics involved. They will be further discouraged by tough ordinance and zoning restrictions, such as allowable hours of operation.

In sum, we have found no credible reasons for denying the serving of liquor. Further, we are conducting an "education" campaign to inform residents of both sides of the issue, and encouraging those with concerns and different opinions to speak out. We think the Council should be applauded for calling for the referendum and allowing informed citizens to decide the issue. And we certainly agree with your closing line-we are trying hard to get the voters out and demonstrate to all that we are a community on the move!

Thanks for the opportunity to share our data with you. We hope it will be useful to other readers as well.

ELLIOTT BRACK
Real peace will be most difficult, at best, in Iraq
By Elliott Brack
editor and publisher
GwinnettForum.com

APRIL 11, 2003 -- As we all watched the bringing down of statues in Iraq this week, one lingering thought stayed with us: just how much longer would this war in Iraq go on? Some have declared victory, but we wonder.

Though many Iraqi soldiers had deserted their positions and offered little resistance throughout the country, and now even in Baghdad, still there remain many dangers in stabilizing the capitol city---and the country.

Pockets of resistance, loyal to the Iraqi regime, Iraq, could hold out for days and weeks in the cities, making complete control and a peace difficult.

Our president may have been goaded into invading Iraq by what now appears to have been hollow threats by Saddam Hussein. In making this war, while our losses in lives were relatively few, this war will have wrecked many families in the loss of their loved ones, both here and in Iraq. While the toll in this country was relatively small, the number of needless deaths in Iraq is perhaps staggering.

Though our country can claim victory, the United States may find itself questioned even more by people in other countries with which it has disputes. Have we given up our role as the peacemaker of the world, seen quite differently by other nations, and also weakened the United Nations as we pressed this war?

Part of the answer lies in how we forge an Iraqi peace. It also will come up in our position in the United Nations.

We yearn for the peaceful completion of the fighting in Iraq, and for the day when the United States will be seen in the role as major contributor to the peace process for the whole world.

* * * * *

Time was when General Motors, everyone realized, was the largest company in the United States.

No more. Wal-Mart has long passed the carmaker, as it now racks up $246 billion in sales, compared to GM's $186 billion. Third at a close $182 billion is the oil giant, Exxon Mobil.

Others in the top 10 in the USA are Ford ($163 billion); General Electric ($131); Citigroup $100); Chevron-Texaco ($92); IBM ($83); American International Group (AIG) ($83); and Verizon Communications ($67). Whew!

All those price-cutting items and Super and regular Wal-Marts add up!

* * * * *

THAT CONTINUING MENACE of the neighborhoods, graffiti, seems to come out of nowhere. But time and time again, you hear the cure for graffiti: rapid removal. Seems that when those applying the graffiti realize that they will lose their marking quickly, they figure "It's not worth it."

High-tech help is on the way. San Diego police caught recent graffiti artists by using an ultrasonic sensor to detect spray paint cans in use.

One firm is using a motion detector and flash cam, which brightly flashes when someone comes within 100 feet. Potential graffiti vandals suspect they are being photographed and vamoose. And another firm is working on laser technology for the removal of graffiti.

Since fast removal action works so well, that's why reporting graffiti immediately after seeing it the first time is so important. In Gwinnett, call 770 822-5187.

* * * * *

ANOTHER QUICK CHANGE IN ROAD NAMES: Eva Kennedy Road becomes Jim Moore Road at Peachtree Industrial Boulevard.

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MORE: Contact Gwinnett Forum at: elliott@gwinnettforum.com

© 2003, Gwinnett Forum.com. Gwinnett Forum is an online community commentary for exploring pragmatic and sensible social, political and economic approaches to improve life in Gwinnett County, Ga. USA.

TODAY'S ISSUE: Norcross Citizen Group Backs Liquor Referendum
ELLIOTT BRACK: Solid Front Best Posture in Time of War
CARTOON: McLemore's World, a View in Baghdad
FEEDBACK: At 70 MPH, the Distance You Travel in a Second Is Amazing
NEWS: Duluth Concert Sunday and Local Author Speaks at Carter Center
TODAY'S QUOTE: The length of the future

RING MY BELL. Rotarians in Gwinnett County rang the bell at Christmas for the Salvation Army, collecting more than $10,000 while they were ringing the kettle bell. The Gwinnett Rotary Club raised the most, more than $4,000, with Andy McClung, center, chairing this event. To the left is Capt. Bret McElroy of the Gwinnett Salvation Army office, while at the right is Andy Miller, a member of the Gwinnett Club, who is the former national commissioner of the Salvation Army, for whom the rotating trophy is named. Duluth Rotary has won the award twice previously, and Norcross-Peachtree Corners has won it once.

OOPS DEPT. There was an error in the Tuesday picture. The Unity Run had receipts toward a playground totaling $3,000, not $300 as earlier reported.

"The future is much like the present, only longer."

-- Dan Quisenberry (former major league pitcher.)

"I didn't know that Driver's Education was not taught anymore at the state's high schools! I think it should be required, judging from what I am observing on our streets and highways around here."

-- David Earl Tyre, Jesup

7/20: Gulley on Gwinnett Reads

7/9: Long on using puppets to teach

7/2: Gelbrich on Providence Canyon

6/22: Terry Manning on Winn BBQ

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