Dylan Hedrick is currently gathering signatures on a petition so that a local option liquor election can be held in May 2024. If the 20,000 signatures are obtained and verified by Garland’s city secretary, then an election is held and won, the sale of packaged liquor for off-site consumption will be legal in Garland.
It’s important to note that the effort to legalize packaged liquor sales is not a city of Garland initiative. It is a citizen-led effort. Dylan Hedrick, a Garland City Council member, is leading the effort as a private citizen.
It will be much like what Garland already has for selling beer and wine, but this law will include packaged liquor.
According to Hedrick, the State of Texas has two methods to allow to change the existing alcohol laws. One way is through legislation. That method was recently tried when Angie Chen Button sponsored HB 1694. However, the bill failed.
The other option is through a citizen led initiative. It is 100% citizen driven. It requires signatures on a petition, and the number of signatures is based on the number of registered voters that voted in the previous gubernatorial election. That number is 20,000.
The city is losing thousands of tax dollars to surrounding cities that sell packaged liquor. Hedrick’s estimated financial impact is approximately $500,000 per year in sales tax that would be collected. He added that $500,000 per year would fund five additional police officers, more street improvements and more events presented by the Parks & Recreations Department.
“It could contribute to public safety and quality of life…Right now that tax money is going to other cities and they are getting the benefits. I’d like for it to stay here in Garland,” Hedrick said.
He pointed out that easy access to alcohol already exists because of the proximity of surrounding cities that offer packaged liquor sales.
“Let’s capture those sales tax dollars for Garland,” Hedrick said.
Hedrick cited a tax increase as the only way for the city to raise more funds. He added that Garland citizens do not spend as much money per capita as citizens in many other cities. That might be due to our choice of retail as well as the amount of disposable income of people in Garland. Consequently, Garland’s collected sales tax amount is lower.
“When we compare ourselves to other cities, we are lower on the income scale,” Hedrick said.
To get the same kind of money that sales tax on packaged liquor would bring in, he said that Garland citizens would have to have higher incomes and more nationally known retailers – like Costco and Whole Foods.
“We don’t have that type of retail here due to our economic factors,” Hedrick said. “To bring more tax money, we would have to draw that type of retail. Costco has indicated in the past that they would like to open a store in Garland but without package liquor sales, they wouldn’t be able to.”
“With some of our laws, we are shooting ourselves in the foot,” Hedrick said.
Some Garland residents have voiced concern that offering packaged liquor sales would add to the amount of crime and driving while intoxicated incidents.
“Our police department does a fantastic job of regulating all types of businesses. Also, people already buy beer and wine which can be abused the same as any other kind of drug,” Hedrick said. “And people are kidding themselves if they think crime isn’t already here.”
He has also done an analysis of TxDot data and said that it’s hard to see a difference in Garland’s DWI incidents when compared to Collin and Dallas counties and surrounding cities when looking at the number of crashes per capita.
Because Garland allows the sale of adult beverages at restaurants, a potential drunken driving problem already exists. Hedrick believes that “people who want to drink are going to drink.”
“Our crime rate is really small…It’s that small town feel and the way people take care of each other,” he said.
Other citizens have voiced concerns about the location of the stores. Thy fear that small liquor stores will be popping up all over town.
The regulations for acceptable locations for package stores are currently unclear. According to the Planning and Development Department director, Will Guerin, city staff will begin to research the laws and regulations as the petition nears the required number of signatures.
For more information visit GarlandLOVE.com or email garlandlocaloption@gmail.com.