Gov.
Sonny Perdue made one last pitch Thursday, before he heads to China on
a trade mission, to derail legislation that would allow package sales
of alcohol on Sundays.
Perdue, who leaves Sunday, would miss the end of the 2008 session, now scheduled to finish April 4, a week from today.
On Thursday, Perdue's office sent to newspapers across the state an article titled "The tragic cost of Sunday alcohol sales."
In it, the governor, a conservative Christian who does not drink,
argues that Sunday sales would lead to more alcohol-related fatalities.
He cites a New Mexico study —- widely circulated by opponents —-
that says traffic fatalities rose on Sundays in counties that allowed
alcohol sales.
Supporters of the legislation say the study is flawed and that
fatalities have not increased in other states with such Sunday sales.
Perdue wrote: "Do no harm. It may sound like a simple concept, but
it is one that I am afraid supporters of Sunday alcohol sales may have
forgotten.
"Above all else, I believe it is the responsibility of the governor
and General Assembly to reject a piece of legislation that hurts more
people than it helps," he wrote.
"Allowing the sale of alcohol in grocery stories as well as liquor stores on Sunday will do far more harm than good.
"In fact, other than those who profit from those sales, it will not help anyone."
For more than a year, Perdue has slammed the proposal to allow
voters to decide whether to approve Sunday sales of beer, wine and
liquor in stores.
Last year, he said Georgians who want to drink on Sundays need to manage their time better.
This year, he said Georgians "need a little relief" on Sundays. And
he compared allowing a vote on the issue to letting Georgians decide
whether prostitution should be legal.
In contrast, he has not spoken out against legislation that would
allow the Sunday sale of beer in Gwinnett County's new baseball
stadium.
Supporters of that bill expect him to sign it, if it passes the General Assembly.
As both a state senator and governor, Perdue has opposed virtually all legislation to expand the sale of alcohol.
According to Senate records, he voted for final passage of 1996
legislation that expanded alcohol sales at bars and restaurants into
Sunday morning in certain areas. Before, he had voted against the same
bill when it came to the Senate floor for debate.
Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle, who has helped stall this year's bill on Sunday sales, also voted against the 1996 measure.
Perdue spokesman Bert Brantley said he could not respond to
questions on the 1996 final vote because "I don't know what the
circumstances were." The governor was unavailable for comment.
Former state Sen. Chuck Clay, who co-sponsored the 1996 measure,
said it was aimed at allowing more bars and restaurants to continue
selling alcohol until 2:55 a.m. on Sundays for the Olympics.
The fate of this year's Sunday sales bill remains undetermined. It
could die without a vote in the House, despite Speaker Glenn
Richardson's support.
Asked whether the House would vote on the issue, Richardson's
spokeswoman, Clelia Davis, said, "That is a decision that will be made
next week."
Other House Republicans have said that they doubt it will come up for a vote.
Meanwhile, the House gave easy final passage Thursday to Senate Bill
385, which would let limousine services sell alcoholic beverages to
customers.
Lobbyists for the grocery-store industry, which supports Sunday
package sales, are hoping Perdue fails in his latest effort to kill
their legislation.
"Consumers have responded strongly," said Kathy Kuzava, an industry
lobbyist, "that they want the right to vote on the issue of whether or
not they get to purchase a bottle of wine on Sunday and drive home and
enjoy it in the safety of their home."
