Sunday Alcohol Sales in Holly Springs?

With the General Assembly approving legislation this week that would allow counties and cities to vote on Sunday alcohol sales, the mayor of Holly Springs said this November the city will allow residents to decide.

"It's our intention to include it on the ballot," said Mayor Timothy Downing. The city doesn't have a position on Sunday alcohol sales, he said, but it's a "voter issue."

"It'a not our position to keep it from the voters," he said.

The city has one open council seat that will also be on the ballot. Residents will vote Nov. 8 to fill the Post 3 left by Jacqueline Patrick-Archer in early March.

Gov. Nathan Deal has said he will sign the alcohol measure, Senate Bill 10, which the House approved this week, according to the AJC. The bill passed the Senate earlier after being stalled there since 2007.

The measure would allow alcohol sales in liquor stores, grocery stores and convenience stores. Restaurants are already able to sell alcohol by the drink on Sundays in many places.

Georgia is one of only three states that ban packaged alcohol sales, including beer, wine and hard liquor, on Sunday.

Many liquor stores are opposed to the idea. There are three in Holly Springs.

"I don't think we'll see a gain in business," said Ron Wikle, co-owner of Uncle Jack's Spirits.

Wikle said the measure would be good for convenience and grocery stores because they are already open.

Now his store will simply have to stretch six days into seven, he said. There will be additional staffing and overhead.

Other opponents of the bill say Sunday alcohol sales would result in more traffic accidents. However, according to Politifact Georgia, those claims aren't true.

Jerry Luquire, the president of the Georgia Christian Coalition, said that if the governor signs off on the measure, most, if not all, metro Atlanta cities and counties will approve Sunday alcohol sales, provided city councils and county commissions place the measure on a ballot, according to.

A Feb. 10 poll by The Schapiro Group, an Atlanta-based public opinion research firm, said 78 percent of Georgia voters want the opportunity to vote on Sunday alcohol sales. In metro Atlanta, 83 percent were in favor of the measure.