There are distortions and falsehoods being presented as fact by the Trigg Citizens Against Alcohol in their efforts to sell their prohibition position as a “quality of life” issue in Trigg County through the local media outlets.
TCAA says that people who support Grow Trigg are in some way deficient in morals, family values and virtue. The individuals that I know in the Grow Trigg organization are fine upstanding, articulate, largely Christian taxpayers who have lived productive lives with careers and have raised their families while instilling in their children the value of tolerance and diversity. Many of the membership are of the more progressive Baptist faith that do not themselves drink alcohol but are tolerant of those who do and they understand the economic issues.
The Central City report by the LRBA/TCAA was instructive. There must be two Central Cities in Kentucky. The TCAA’s Central City has become a haven of sinful activity since it optioned itself wet for alcohol in 2002. Their reports says that the city has four package stores and no other tangible benefits.
The Central City I grew up near and some of my neighbors grew up in is the Green River Region of Muhlenberg (pop 32,000). Our Central City (pop 5.5k) has been designated as the fastest growing fourth class city in the Commonwealth since going wet on option in 2002. Along the way the city economic base has been expanded by more than $1 million in restaurant construction and renovation, several clubs and outlet stores, a new industrial park. The benefit tax ration of 3 percent of alcohol sales is $180,000 annually. The “wet” vote has produced no increase in DUI arrests.
The TCAA ad asks the question do we wish the Trigg County Community to go the way of Central City? The answer is a resounding YES!
Jerry W. Nanney
Cadiz
