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Apr 21, 2009 10:37 pm US/Central
Why A Sunday Liquor Sales Bill Never Passes
ST. PAUL (WCCO) ―
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The Minnesota Licensed Beverage Association (MLBA), which represents alcohol retailers in the state, doesn't support allowing alcohol sales on Sunday. (File)
CBS
Think about it -- it's Sunday afternoon, football is on TV, friends are invited over and you forgot to buy the beer.
"Pepsi, peanuts and pretzels doesn't go over very well," said Todd Erlandson, a consumer who would like Minnesota to allow alcohol sales on Sunday.
"I call it the World War III amendment because every time it comes up, it really generates some passions for Minnesotans," said State Rep. Greg Davids, R-Preston.
For the six years he's been on the Commerce Committee, the legislation has come up. It was overwhelmingly voted down in Commerce Committee at the end of last month. On Tuesday, it was brought up in the Tax Committee and it was voted down by voice vote again Tuesday afternoon.
The Minnesota Licensed Beverage Association (MLBA), which represents alcohol retailers in the state, doesn't support allowing alcohol sales on Sunday.
"For a lot of the owners, these are mom and pop shops and it's the only day they have off is Sunday and they don't want to give that up," Davids said.
Barry Nesseth owns Hometown Wine and Spirits in Wanamingo, about 20 miles from Wisconsin. He said he loses about 15 percent of his business to Wisconsin every Sunday.
"It sticks in my craw a little. I've seen our state government do so many bad things for business and I'm just tired of it," Nesseth said.
Minnesota is one of 15 states that does not allow alcohol sales on Sunday. Wisconsin, Iowa, North Dakota and South Dakota do. There are no good official statistics on how many alcohol sales are lost to the border states, but Davids said it's not a big impact.
The legislation introduced on Tuesday would have allowed municipalities to offer Sunday liquor licenses to individual stores. They would have the option to apply. Nesseth said he just wants the choice.
"It should be their choice to say that we can't do that. It just doesn't make good sense for small businesses and the state," he said.
But the MLBA said if one store opens up, others will feel as though they will need to open too.
Davids said he doesn't believe the state is losing much tax revenue because Sunday sales wouldn't offer a huge spike.
"Basically what you're doing is spreading six days of sales into seven," he said.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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