Will You Raise A Glass To Sunday Alcohol Sales?

Will Atlanta voters join the rest of the post-Prohibition world to allow retail sales of beer, wine and liquor on Sunday?

Nov. 8, election day, residents of the city will cast their ballots for — or against — Sunday sales.

The Peach State is one of 14 in the Union that has Sunday liquor sales bans dating back to Prohibition, according to ProhibitionRepeal.com.

Georgia has the added distinction, along with Indiana and Connecticut, of being the only three states in the country to ban Sunday retail sales of not just liquor, but beer and wine as well.

Opponents have said those with a taste for the fruit of the vine, can buy package alcohol Monday through Saturday. Sunday should be reserved for reflection.

Supporters say it will bring in extra sales tax revenue — which they see as a good thng in a less-than-robust economy.

Residents of East Atlanta Patch also will be asked to vote on a special local option sales tax for the Atlanta Public Schools.

That one-penny or SPLOST tax, if approved, will go toward building new schools, refurbishing existing buildings and other purposes such as upgrading school buses and service fleet vehicles. If it fails, the district will have to go into its general fund to pay for such projects.

Voters have approved several such special taxes for APS in the past several years.

This time, however, they weren't being asked to do so when following a year where the district was thrust into the national spotlight for rampant cheating on standardized tests and the threat of losing its accreditation because APS' board dysfunction.

Some parents say the schools' physical upkeep and maintenance shouldn't suffer because of those issues.

Residents of the East Atlanta Patch have two issues on the Nov. ballot:

• A special local option sales tax for the Atlanta Public Schools
• Sunday alcohol sales

How will you vote?