New Jersey To Keep Alcohol In Speakeasies

All those people who went out to the polls to vote on alcohol laws — dry towns going wet — in New Jersey Wednesday were, well, not really interested in additional tax revenues from alcohol sales.

In Pitman, the GOP candidates rode into office by blasting a ballot question asking to allow liquor sales. The Republican mayor elect of the former Methodist camp: “A lot of people were upset about seeing a liquor license (question) on the ballot, upset that it even came up.”

Meanwhile, in Moorestown — the #1 place in the United States to live, Terrell Owens Front Yard Sit-Up Hall of Fame location, etc. — voters emphatically rejected liquor sales. The measure failed by a Taubenberger-like number, attracting only 38 percent of the vote.

That was partially the work of Baird C. Foster, who purchased 150 yellow signs opposing the measure. “The people who care about Moorestown’s heritage and civility have spoken,” he said. “People say you can’t fight city hall, or in this case town council, and the results speak for themselves.” He also noted a man pushed his wife in a wheelchair to vote, while an old woman walked slowly with a cane. Just to vote against alcohol!

So while Denver votes to tell the police to stop arresting pot smokers — joining Seattle and a few small towns who passed similar measures. Hey, the cops have more important things to do than stop people from smoking pot! The people say. The cops plan to keep issuing $100 tickets anyway. (More from the NYT.)

The catalyst for New Jersey’s rejection of alcohol seems to be this letter from Stanley Ralph in the Courier-Post:

Our vote on the liquor referendum question is not only a personal choice. It is also a choice of personal stewardship.

The character of this town is the sum total of the character of its residents. Towns become “best” because of the people who live there, work there, raise educated, law-abiding and socially conscious children there, and who work for the betterment of their town through volunteerism.

Moorestown is a great community because of the people who live here and struggle every day for a better town and better life. Now, as once before, we are at a crossroads. As we ponder, be mindful that we are stewards of the history and character of this town. It is our responsibility as citizens to commit our energy and exercise our rights of expression thoughtfully to make Moorestown a better place, an oasis from the urban sprawl and chain establishments that homogenize communities to the lowest common denominator.

As it should be, the people should make the choice. This is not an issue of economics or civility or progressiveness or lifestyle. We are stewards of a beautiful community, not knowing whether in our choice, we do good or harm.

The arguments and facts are either misleading or not compelling. Only large interests can afford the license; they will want a return on their investment. Ultimately, no part of Moorestown will be exempt — not Main Street, Lenola or the East End. We will only know in hindsight, when we can’t undo the damage.

I shall take the path less traveled elsewhere and vote “no” on Tuesday. I do this with thoughtful contemplation for my own conscience, for my family, for your family and for our historic and charming town.

Be a good steward of Moorestown. Join with me and vote your conscience on Tuesday. Be a part of preserving and protecting our township, our oasis.

Now that’s a call to arms against alcohol. I, too, am in favor of oases like Lenola and the East End. The path less traveled!

Update: Marijuana references in back-to-back posts! Ahh, Serious Journalism.