Petition Seeks Another Liquor by the Drink Referendum

It has failed at the polls twice before but a local businessman is hoping third time’s a charm in trying to get liquor by the drink in Smithville restaurants.
Randy Paris has started another petition drive calling for a public referendum to allow the licensed sales of liquor in restaurants within the City of Smithville.
The petition seeks to authorize the sale of alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises in the City of Smithville. Only 80 valid signatures are needed to get the referendum on the ballot in conjunction with the Tennessee General and US Presidential Election on Tuesday, November 8.
In 2012 a referendum to get liquor in Smithville restaurants failed by a vote of 402 to 333. Two years later, a similar referendum failed by just 15 votes, 412 to 397. In the same election November 2014, Smithville voters narrowly approved another referendum to allow retail package stores to sell liquor within the city. The vote was 406 to 401.
Smithville now has two liquor stores.
Paris said he believes liquor by the drink would boost the local economy and generate more tax revenue.
Dennis Stanley, Administrator of Elections said that “State law allows individuals to submit a properly worded petition calling for such a referendum. In this case, the referendum is for the sale of alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises within the Smithville City Limits.”
“Based on TCA 57-3-196(C), the petition must be signed by 10% or more of the registered voters voting for Governor in the last election in the city,” Stanley said.
If the petition is returned by the deadline and includes the required number of signatures by registered voters in Smithville, the issue will be placed on the November 8 ballot.
TCA 57-3-101 (A) states that “alcoholic beverage means and includes alcohol, spirits, liquor, wine, high alcohol content beer, and every liquid containing alcohol, spirits, wine and high alcohol content beer and capable of being consumed by a human being, other than patent medicine or beer, as defined in 57-5-101 (b).
If approved by the voters, the City of Smithville would have to establish an ordinance regarding city regulations but the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission would have the sole authority over the issuance of liquor licenses to eligible Smithville businesses for consumption on the premises.