Sylacauga Sunday sales vote set for Tuesday

Sylacauga Residents will have the opportunity to vote Tuesday on Sunday alcohol sales in a special called municipal election.

The election will be for the purpose of determining whether the public favors the sale of alcoholic beverages on Sunday after 1 p.m. within the corporate limits of the city.

The polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday at the J. Craig Smith Community Center, 2 W. Eighth St., in Sylacauga.

The Sylacauga City Council passed a resolution in January asking the state Legislature to allow a referendum on Sunday sales. This marks the first time Sylacaugans have been allowed to vote on the issue.

The council received notification in June from the Legislature that the referendum could be held. The council unanimously approved allowing residents to vote.

The council initially asked the local legislative delegation to introduce the request in the 2013, but it was blocked at the time.

The city elected to forego the same request in 2014, under the promise it would not be blocked if submitted this year.

Mayor Doug Murphree said he supports the measure in hopes of getting more national restaurants to locate in Sylacauga.

The mayor said he believes it’s just a matter of time before all communities around the state will do away with “blue laws,” not selling alcohol on Sunday.

Murphree said Sunday alcohol sales would not bring in much more tax revenue.