Liquor sales approved by Copperas Cove voters

By LYNETTE SOWELL

Cove Leader-Press

 

Copperas Cove voters went to the polls and the majority made their voices heard with a resounding “yes” to legalizing the sale of liquor and mixed beverages within the city limits of Copperas Cove.

 

Proposition one or the “liquor option” as it has also been called, passed with a 4-1 margin, 5,896 votes in favor of, with 1,615 voters against the measure.

 

The third time was indeed the charm, with the liquor petition team learning more each time they went out to collect signatures for the petition within a 60-day window.

 

Mitch Lofton was one of the petition drive leaders who has spent the past several years trying to get the proposition on the ballot.

 

He pointed to the fact that the number of opponents to the measure, 1,615, is still less than the petition signatures needed to get the option on the ballot—1,745, to be exact.

 

“This just shows people that you can make a change if you get together and work together to make it happen.” Lofton said.

 

He said that on Tuesday evening, he was out of town at a basketball game and cell phone service wasn’t very good. Then on the drive back to Copperas Cove, he received at least 14 messages from members of the petition team.

 

On Wednesday, looking back on this year’s efforts, Lofton said they were optimistic the measure would pass this time around.

 

Now, the time comes to wait and see who will be the first to open up shop in Copperas Cove.

 

Lofton said he’s hoping it’ll be small, “mom and pop” type establishments that will bring sales tax dollars to Copperas Cove and keep residents from driving to Killeen to buy liquor.

 

“Any location which currently holds a permit to sell alcoholic beverages in the city can continue to do so. Any business which wishes to obtain a new permit to sell alcohol under the conditions approved by voters will need to apply for a permit,” said Chris Porter, a public information officer with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission. “Once the results are canvassed, the city can immediately begin certifying applications by businesses wishing to sell alcohol (the first step for any application). Once certified, those applications can be turned in to TABC, where it usually takes about 39 days to process a new application.”

 

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