IMPACT OF ALCOHOL ON THE CITY OF COLLEGEDALE

 

 

Preliminary Research

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

by

 

Jon Green, PhD

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Submitted to the City Commission of Collegedale

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

January 26, 2003

(Available at http://www.eppygreen.com “Communities Crier”)
IMPACT OF ALCOHOL ON COLLEGEDALE

 

STATISTICS

 

1. Does the City of Collegedale want to go on record officially underwriting a social drug—in view of their active D.A.R.E. program?

Alcohol is society's legal, oldest and most popular drug.  (Narcotic Educational Foundation of America, 2002)

 

2. Why would the Commissioners knowingly walk the City of Collegedale into an inflationary trap?

In real dollars, alcohol costs less today than in 1981 because alcohol excise tax rates have failed to keep up with inflation. (Drug Strategies, 1999)

 

3. Why would the City of Collegedale knowingly choose to increase the risk for major segments of its citizens?

The availability of alcohol within a community can influence drinking rates and related problems (Drug Strategies, 1999)

a. Children & Young People - The median age at which children begin drinking is 13.  Young people who begin drinking before age 15 are four times more likely to develop alcohol dependence than those who begin drinking at age 21.  (CADCA, 1996)

b. College Students - Each year, college students spend approximately $5.5 billion on alcohol- more than they spend on soft drinks, milk, juice, tea, coffee and books combined. (Drug Strategies, 1999)

c. Young Adults - The highest prevalence of both binge and heavy drinking in 2000 was for young adults aged 18 to 25, with the peak rate occurring at age 21 [Legal age in TN is 21 – at the peak time]. (SAMHSA, 2000)

d. Adults - In a nationwide survey, Caucasians were more likely than any other race/ethnicity group to report current use of alcohol in 2000.  An estimated 50.7 percent of Caucasians reported past month use.  The next highest rates were for persons reporting more than one race (41.6 percent) and Hispanics (39.8 percent). The lowest current drinking rate reported was for Asians (28.0 percent).  The rate was 33.7 percent for African Americans and 35.1 percent for Native Americans/Alaska Natives. (SAMHSA, 2000)

 

4. Why would the Commissioners actively promote and/or permit a situation that will significantly increase crime in the City of Collegedale?

Crime Statistics - Percentages were figured per 1000 population and are averages of all counties (Wet vs. Dry) (CJI)

                     a. Crime comparison of 8 major crimes for 1998

Percentage Differences

                                                          122% more murder in wet

                                                            96% more rape in wet

                                                          326% more robberies in wet

                                                          127% more aggravated assault in wet

                                                            61% more burglaries in wet

                                                            29% more thefts in wet

                                                            86% more motor vehicle thefts in wet

                                                          205% more arson in wet

                        b. Crime comparison of 7 serious but not major crimes for 1999

Percentage Differences 

                                                          142% more negligent manslaughter in wet

                                                            27% more simple assault in wet

                                                          120% more stolen property in wet

                                                            92% more vandalism in wet

                                                            90% more weapons violations in wet

                                                            29% more DUI's in wet

                                                          106% more drunkenness in wet

 

5. Why impose upon the citizens of the City of Collegedale the risk of significantly increased victim costs? Will the City of Collegedale accept the financial responsibility for victim compensation, or do they prefer only to take the inflationary weakened income and let the innocent City of Collegedale citizen bear the victim expense?

A drunk driving crash costs innocent victims $26,000.  Comparable crime costs per victim: assault-$19,000; robbery-$13,000; motor vehicle theft-$4,000  (Miller et al, 1996a, 1996b) 

 

6. What is the advantage in taking a course which will significantly increase the risk of alcohol-related deaths in the City of Collegedale? Or is the life of one or more Collegedale citizens an acceptable expense for the added inflationary-weakened income to the City of Collegedale?

 

 

2001 Total
Traffic
Deaths

2001 Alcohol
Related
Deaths

Percent
Alcohol-
Related

Tennessee

1,251

537

43

 

7. Why would the City of Collegedale choose the financial income of ‘liquor by the drink” which has the clear potential for increasing convicted offenders by more than one-third?

Among the 5.3 million convicted offenders under the jurisdiction of corrections agencies in 1996, nearly 2 million, or about 36 percent, were estimated to have been drinking at the time of the offense.  (Greenfield, 1998)

 

8. Why would the City of Collegedale choose the financial approach of ‘liquor by the drink” which has the clear potential for increasing crime victims in Collegedale by more than a quarter? Is the financial solution of inflationary-weakened income more important than citizen safety?

According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, 40 percent of persons convicted of homicide and 25 percent of victims had been drinking at the time of the event.  (Hingson et al, October 2001)

 

9. While ‘liquor by the drink’ will not impact the city with respect to most transit motorists who patronize our hotel or eating establishments, is it acceptable to make the City of Collegedale streets more insecure because of patrons that remain within the City for more than two hours?

a. One arrest is made for driving under the influence for every 772 episodes of driving within two hours of drinking and for every 88 episodes of driving over the legal limit in the U.S.  (Zador et al 1995)

b. Adult and Juvenile Drug and Drunk Driving Arrests (Wet vs. Dry) (ADH)

            1) Average number of Adult Drunk Driving Arrests per 1000 population was 30% more in wet counties

2) Average number of Adult Alcohol Arrests per 1000 population was 34% more in wet counties

            c. Almost one-third (33 percent) of all pedestrians 16 years of age or older killed in traffic crashes in 2000 were intoxicated.  (NHTSA, 2000) 

            d. Alcohol involvement, either for the driver or the pedestrian - was reported in 47 percent of the traffic crashes that resulted in pedestrian fatalities.  Of the pedestrians involved, 31% were intoxicated.  The intoxication rate for the drivers involved was only 12 percent.  In 6 percent of the crashes, both the driver and the pedestrian were intoxicated. (NHTSA, 1999)

 

10. While the City of Collegedale has a fine D.A.R.E. program that limits crime due to drugs, is it reasonable to undercut their efforts and permit a drug that fosters more crime than all the other drugs they are fighting against?

a. Alcohol is closely linked with violence.  According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, many more violent crimes are committed under the influence of alcohol than all other drugs.  (Drug Strategies, 1999)

b. Adult and Juvenile Drug Arrests (Wet vs. Dry) (ADH)

1) Average number of Adult Drug Arrests per 1000 population

was 34% more in wet counties

                        2) Average number of Juvenile Arrests for Drug Violations per 1000    was 32% more in wet counties

 

11. Is it reasonable to permit an environment in the City of Collegedale which is consistent with significantly slower population growth?

Average Population Growth for 1990 to 2000 (Wet vs. Dry) (USCB)

Wet - 7.4% avg. growth

Dry - 22% avg. growth

 

12. Why would the City of Collegedale Commissioners knowingly choose to permit an environment in the City which will necessitate an increase in law enforcement personnel which are expected to be paid from inflation-weakened income? Why would this not contributed to a reduced financial benefit received from ‘liquor by the drink’ income?

            Average number of law enforcement personnel needed in 1998 (Wet vs. Dry) (ACIC)

Wet - 1 per 318 citizens

Dry - 1 per 501 citizens

 In other words, 37% more law enforcement personnel needed in wet counties

 

13. What plausible rationale could the Commissioners give the City of Collegedale citizens for the necessity to impose an additional tax upon their constituents in order to acquire inflationary-weakened income for the City? Granted, it is more subtle and politically more comfortable than direct assessment.

            The total cost of alcohol use by youth is $58,043 billion per year,2 the equivalent of $216.22 for every man, woman and child in the United States. (Levy, et al, 1999.)

 

14. What plausible rationale could the Commissioners give the City of Collegedale citizens for the necessity to foist upon their constituents $0.70 ‘tax’ for every ‘liquor by the drink’ served within the city limits in order to acquire inflationary-weakened income for the City? Which Collegedale citizen wants to help others buy their alcoholic beverages?

            a. The societal costs of alcohol-related crashes in Tennessee averaged $1.10 per drink consumed. People other than the drinking driver paid $.70 per drink. (PIRE)

          b. The societal costs [nationally] of alcohol-related crashes averaged $0 .80 per drink consumed.  People other than the drinking driver paid $0.40 per drink. (Miller, 1999)

 

15. Why should the City of Collegedale Commissioners have to subject their constituents to an environment which is consistently associated with personal risks, injury, insecurity, and subtle financial cost when Commissioners in a significant number of other communities have apparently found solutions, other than inflow of inflation-weakened income, that were more preferable to that of degrading their constituent’s environment?

            Dry counties:    Texas – 70%                Arkansas – 58%

Tennessee – 90% (permit no liquor by the drink)

 

 

CONCLUSION

 

In view of the above information many of the citizens of the City of Collegedale, and your supporters, are unable to understand how you might be willing to risk our health, welfare, happiness, and financial well-being ONLY on the ill-founded and short-sighted financial income or geographical expansion opportunities that are apparently being explored. Please answer our questions in writing, with statistical support, for the justification of such a course of action as to permit beer or other alcoholic beverages on a “liquor by the drink” basis within the area under your jurisdiction, which is OUR HOME.


References

 

(ACIC) Arkansas Criminal Information Center

 

(ADH) Arkansas Dept. of Health, Bureau of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention

 

(CADCA) Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of American, National Action Newsletter, Strategier "Preventing Youth Access to Alcohol from Commercial Sources, 1996

 

(CJI) Criminal Justice Institute at the University of Arkansas

 

Drug Strategies, Washington, D.C. "Keeping Score on Alcohol, Millennium Hangover" 1999. Made possible by a grant from Carnegie Corporation of New York

 

Greenfield, Lawrence A., "An Analysis of National Data on the Prevalence of Alcohol Involvement in Crime" April 1998

 

Hingson, Ralph, ScD; Heeren, Timothy, PhD; Zakocs, PHD "Age of Drinking Onset and Involvement in Physical Fights After Drinking"

 

Levy, D.T., Miller, T.R., Spicer, R. and Stewart, K. "Underage Drinking: Immediate

Consequences and Their Costs," Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation working paper, June 1999.

 

Miller, Ted et al, Pacific Institute, Calverton, MD, "Impaired Driving in the United States" Calverton, MD: Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation 1996a, 1996b.

 

Miller, Ted et al, Calverton, MD: Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, 1999

 

Narcotic Educational Foundation of America, Drug Abuse Education Provider of the California Narcotic Officers' Association, Santa Clarita, CA, 2002

 

(NHTSA) National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, National Center for Statistics & Analysis, Research & Development; Traffic Safety Facts 1999, Alcohol. DOT HS 809 323

 

(NHTSA) National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, National Center for Statistics & Analysis, Research & Development; Traffic Safety Facts 2000, Alcohol. DOT HS 809 323

 

PIRE. Calverton, MD: Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation

 

SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) "Summary of Findings From the 2000 National Household Survey on Drug Use" Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Applied Studies

 

(USCB) US Census Bureau

 

Zador, P., Krawchuk, S. and Moore, B., "Drinking and Driving Trips, Stops by Police, and Arrests:  Analysis of the 1995 National Survey of Drinking and Driving Attitudes and Behavior," Estat, Inc. Rockville, MD funded by NHTSA under contract DTNH22-98-P-05206, in press.


GROUP POINTS TO 'DRY' CITY AS A MODEL FOR SUCCESS

By Chris Menees          Messenger Staff Reporter         Union City, TN

 

Visitors to Jonesboro, Ark., will find plenty of national chain restaurants.

 

But they won't find liquor in them, Jonesboro resident Bob Hester said.

 

Hester, state director of the American Family Association of Arkansas, shared information about Jonesboro's growth Tuesday morning during a special meeting of the Citizens for a Better Community.

 

In promoting growth for Union City and opposing the liquor-by-the-drink referendum, the CBC feels the key components of growth are proactive leadership, affordable housing and the recruitment of new industry.

 

"We are all interested in growth, but we differ on the road to get there," said Trena Taylor of Union City, also a member of the Obion County Commission.

 

As keys to Jonesboro's growth, Hester credits "being a dry, clean, good, safe, healthy place to live," as well as a very aggressive Chamber of Com-merce and public officials who present the community in a positive manner to prospects.

 

"Alcohol in no way is the reason for our growth -- it's not there," he said.

Jonesboro doesn't have an interstate highway and is surrounded by four "wet" counties which have liquor, yet it continues to grow, according to Hester.

 

"To me, I think it's because our quality of life is so high and because we don't have alcohol," he said.

 

Jonesboro's population was 55,515 in 2000; it is projected to be at 60,000 by 2005.

 

There are neither a lack of eating establishments nor manufacturing plants there, Hester said.

 

Among the many eating establishments in Jonesboro are O'Charley's, Outback Steak-house, Ruby Tuesday, the Dixie Cafe, Cracker Barrel, Colton's Steakhouse & Grill, El Chico's, the International House of Pancakes, Perkins Family Restaurant, Ryan's Family Steakhouse, Western Sizzlin' Steakhouse, Barnhill's Restaurant and El Acapulco.

 

Hester said Outback officials initially indicated they would not come to "dry" Jonesboro but a short time later decided to locate there anyway due to the tremendous growth. He cited a similar decision to locate in Conway, Ark., in "dry" Faulkner County.

 

The CBC has repeatedly contacted numerous representatives of franchise restaurants to research their requirements for locating in a community. The group has consistently found they most always require a traffic count of between 35,000 and 50,000 minimum, with a population usually in excess of 35,000, within a three- to five-mile radius.

 

Jonesboro's 30-plus manufacturers include a new Nestlé factory which is being built, a new Frito-Lay plant, a new office furniture factory, a new Post Cereal plant and a Swift-Eckert turkey processing plant. In addition, Thomas Betts Manufacturing this past week consolidated two other locations with its Jonesboro operation, according to Hester, who added that the city's unemployment rate is below the national rate.

 

Plus, the successful city boasts four golf courses, two hospitals and a rehabilitation hospital, 22 pharmacies, 13 real estate agencies with 45 agents, 15 real estate developers and Arkansas State University, he said.

 

"We are a growing town. It's just a good place in every way," Hester said, adding that Jonesboro has a reputation for high standards.

 

Hester said Craighead County, Ark., where Jonesboro is located, was voted "dry" for the first time on Sept. 23, 1944. A group tried to reverse the alcohol ban in 1978, with voters overwhelmingly defeating the measure by a vote of 13,212 to 5,538.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MAJOR FRANCHISES LOCATED IN DRY CITIES

 

Major Hotel Franchises

Best Western                                        Comfort Inn                                          Days Inn

Hampton Inn                                        Holiday Inn Express                              Holiday Inn

Quality Suites                                       Ramada Limited                                   Ramada Inn

Regency Inn                                         Super 8 Motel

 

Major Restaurant Franchises

Arby’s                                                  Baskin Robbins                                    Burger King

China Buffet                                         CiCi’s Pizza                                         

Domino’s Pizza                         El Acapulco                                          El Chico

Fazoli’s                                                Kentucky Fried Chicken                      

International House of Pancakes           O’Charley’s                                        

Outback Steakhouse                            Papa John’s Pizza

Perkins Restaurant                                Pizza Hut                                              Pizza Inns

Popeye’s                                              Quizno’s Subs                                      Taco Bell

 


LOSS TO CITY OF COLLEGEDALE

OF DEANNEXATION

 

Geographical Loss

1.      17 acres

2.      City of Chattanooga will grab

3.      Negative Precedent

 

Financial Loss

            1. Revenue from 3 hotels

                        a. Assumptions

                                    1) Total of 150 rooms at 50% occupancy rate for 360 nights

                                    2) Hotel tax rate = 5% of gross hotel receipts

                        b. Computation

1) 150 rooms at 50% occupancy = 75 room nights x 360 nights = 27,000 room nights

2) Gross income = 27,000 room nights x $35 per room = $945,000

                                    3) Revenue generated = $945,000 x 5% tax = $47,500 per year

2. Revenue from 2 restaurants

            a. Not currently calculated. Would be in addition to the hotel income of $47,500 per year

 

SUMMARY OF FINANCIAL AND SOCIAL IMPACT

OF ANNEXATION WITHOUT LIQUOR BY THE DRINK

 

Refusing permission for ‘liquor by the drink’ would mean the City of Collegedale and its citizens would gain financial and security benefits while being protected from—

            a. Officially sanctioning a major drug

            b. Inflationary weakened monies produced by liquor tax

            c. Increased influence of drinking rates and related problems on Collegedale children, youth, college students, and young adults

            d. Increased crime expenditures

            e. Increased hidden taxes

            f. Increased stagnation of city growth

            g. Increased police expenditures

            h. Increased hidden taxes

            i. Increased risk on city streets