US: Prohibition Retreats a Few Paces

The passage of the 21st Amendment to the Constitution on Dec. 5, 1933, may have ended Prohibition on a national basis, but many municipalities across the country decided to remain dry. I grew up in a small town outside Philadelphia that had no liquor stores, no beer distributorships and no restaurants serving wine, beer or spirits. As a result, there also were no high-end restaurants, and those looking for work as servers, busboys or chefs had to go elsewhere. Over the years, the number of dry towns has gradually decreased, a trend that continued this spring following elections in Texas and Pennsylvania. In Texas on May 11, citizens voted to allow alcohol sales in 18 out of 22 local elections. Plano, Texas, a suburb north of Dallas in one of the country’s fastest-growing counties, was the largest community to vote to go “wet,” and it did so with a 66% to 34% margin (12,325 votes in favor, 6,542 against). Allowing alcohol sales in Plano will mean the city sees more sales tax revenue that previously went to other communities, and it will allow area restaurants and bars more choices even if state law requires them to buy from in-county suppliers. According to the Distilled Spirits Council, since 2004 Texas voters have passed 509 out of 641 alcohol elections. “Prohibition-era laws don’t make sense in today’s economy, and that’s why voters across Texas are striking them down for good,” said council vice president Dale Szyndrowksi. “These elections reflect modern demographics, and we expect the trend will continue as voters and policymakers seek convenience and revenue, respectively.”

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