News from Sept. 18, 2003 issue


Carrsville will vote on liquor sales
If the polls were open today, Carrsville would need just 11 yes votes to end its post-Prohibition heritage.

Since at least 1919, Carrsville like the vast majority of west Kentucky has been dry. In other words, the tiny Ohio River town in Livingston County doesn't allow the sale of alcoholic beverages.

Now, 21 registered voters will decide whether restaurants that seat 100 and derive 70 percent of their income from food sales can offer liquor by the drink. There would be no package sales.

Although there are no restaurants in Carrsville, 10 residents signed a petition to have the alcohol sales question put on the ballot Nov. 4. Based on registration figures currently available, Carrsville would go "moist" (as it's called when restaurants sell drinks) with just 11 favorable votes.

Roger Morris, a Carrsville resident and member of the city council, was instrumental in getting the petition completed and turned in to the Livingston County Clerk's office.

He said several people involved with tourism in the county had endorsed the idea. Whether it passes or not, Morris said it probably won't change Carrsville, a town of about 80 residents.

"I don't see any change in Carrsville if it does pass," said Morris pointing out that chances of a qualifying restaurant establishing there are slim. "We just thought it would be interesting to see what would happen. We've already done better than Princeton. They didn't even get it on the ballot."

Morris was alluding to the fact that Princeton's petition for a similar vote did not contain enough certified names. Mayfield will be voting on the issue this fall and Kuttawa in Lyon County passed the same law a couple of years ago.

Carrsville is an incorporated city, one of four in Livingston County. It is designated a Sixth Class City by Kentucky law, which means it may put the liquor question on the ballot and let its voters decide whether they want it or not. The law allowing restaurants to serve drinks if they meet certain requirements is relatively new. It was approved by the Kentucky General Assembly three years ago.

Morris said there is one quasi-restaurant in Carrsville, Light Rock Cafe, which serves meals to groups by reservation. He said that business has not expressed any interest either way in regard to the vote.

"I would say we're the smallest town in Kentucky to consider it," Morris said. "But we also have more Kentucky Colonels per capita than any other town. We have 10."

And in case anyone is starting to think about real estate in the town between Tolu and Birdsville, well, there's just one or two places for sale right now, Morris says.

"People usually hang onto their property in Carrsville. There's hardly ever anything for sale in the city," he said.


Marion implements motel, restaurant tax
It's official. Marion restaurants and overnight lodging facilities will begin collecting an extra three percent tax from their customers Oct. 1.
The first tax payment will be due in January for the last quarter of 2003. The tax will be collected and paid each quarter.
After about two months of fine-tuning the new tax ordinance, council members Monday night unanimously approved the levy on ready-to-eat meals sold at any restaurant, deli or cafeteria. The six-member board also voted unanimously to implement a tax on motels, hotels and bed and breakfasts.
The new tax is expected to generate $78,000 during the current city budget cycle, which will include tax payments for one-half year. In 2004-05, the tax would create $174,000 in revenue, according to figures projected by city planners, and $180,000 the next year. After five years, it would generate more than $200,000 annually.
The money will be used to promote and market activities, organizations, locations and events in the community. A seven-member Marion Tourism and Recreation Commission will be established to oversee spending of the money, which may also be used for recreation.
Each year, the commission will determine how the money raised from the new tax will be spent.
Merchants who collect, report and pay the tax quarterly to the city will be exempt from paying the annual Marion net profit tax. The council decided to exonerate those businesses from the profit tax in return for cooperation and paperwork involved with collecting the new three-percent motel and restaurant tax. The businesses will, however, have to pay their annual $25 occupational license fee. Those businesses exempt from having an occupational license are exempt from collecting the tax.
About a dozen residents attended the meeting, but only two, Jim and Merle Myers, were owners of businesses that will be affected by the new taxes. They own Myers Bed and Breakfast in Marion. They only had a couple of questions about fine points of the new tax. Otherwise, those attending the meeting indicated they supported the plan. Most represented Marion organizations that are tied to tourism.
The Tourism and Recreation Commission will be filled in the next couple of months. Mayor Mickey Alexander said Kentucky law provides for organization guidelines for the commission. It makes provisions for motel and restaurant owners to be on the commission so they can have input in how the money is spent.
City officials have said that studies show restaurant and motel receipts increase in areas where the tax is implemented because better promotion generates more traffic.
There has been little opposition to the new tax since the city first proposed the idea in July.