Dripping Springs Weekly Bulletins

Alcohol Sales in Our Community Those who seek to bring alcohol to our small community have been very active. They are everywhere getting names on “the petition.” Mail-outs have been coming to our homes once or twice a week. Tax revenue has been their emphasis, but alcohol and its availability is at the heart of this effort and this petition. I wonder how many really believe “H-E-B, Chili’s and Randall’s will build here” just because alcohol can be sold in Dripping Springs? Ask yourself this question: Did your taxes go down when the lottery came to Texas? Or Liquor-by-the-drink in 1970? First, we need to see what the Bible says about this subject. Note the following passages of scripture: “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise,” Proverbs 20:1. “Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine. Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder. Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things,” Proverbs 23:29-33. “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God,” Galatians 5:19-21. It has been interesting to survey various national publications that inform taxpayers on the subject of alcohol consumption and tax revenue. They show that bringing alcohol into a community brings added problems and costs, and is not an economic asset. In others words, the economics are a powerful argument against the sale of alcohol in any given city or town. In those publications, two very clear points are obvious on nearly every site: Tax entities are crying out for increased taxes on the sale of alcoholic beverages. Why? Cities, states and local communities are spending much more on the problems brought in by alcohol sales than they receive from their sale. Ohio, South Carolina and New Mexico are examples. Did the sale of alcohol lower taxes in these communities? The answer is a resounding NO! To the contrary, local taxes are being spent on increased law enforcement, legal costs, alcohol abuse programs, lost productivity, premature death. etc. Look at the facts, not the claims! When it comes to the over-all numbers—the amount of revenue coming in from alcohol sales as contrasted with the costs of such sales—the proportion was in the range of 1-6. In other words, for every one dollar brought into a local community by alcohol revenue, they spend at least six dollars to pay for the resulting problems. Don’t kid yourselves—alcohol will not lower our taxes! Washington State revealed: “For every dollar Washington state collects in tax revenue from alcohol sales, over seven dollars is spent as a result of alcohol abuse.” According to official sources, in 1997 the costs of alcohol and other drug abuse in Texas were placed at $19.3 billion. U.S. Government sources say the ratio is increasing. From 1974 to 1990 alcohol-related costs rose from $25.3 billion to $136 billion, while revenue was only $13.5 billion. That’s a ratio of $1 of revenue for every $10 of expense. Michigan officials reported: “Alcohol and violence are partners in crime. Research shows that liquor licensees asked for ID from underage kids, but still sold them beer.” Also revealed were figures that say 1998’s total national revenue from “alcohol taxes amounted to $17.4 billion.” The same source, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, also states national expenses related to alcohol were “$246 billion.” For every $1 brought in by alcohol in America, $14 must be spent to clean up the mess it brings. Why should results in Dripping Springs will be different? Look these facts up for yourselves. They come from objective, reliable sources. Then add to the equation all the negative effects alcohol will bring to our way of life and the attendant risks to all of us. Carl B. Garner

From USA Today and The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse 15.1 million in the USA are either alcoholics or problem drinkers. 107,800 deaths yearly are attributed to alcohol. Costs to the US economy from alcohol: $70.3 billion in 1985, $85.9 billion in 1988, and $246 billion in 1998. (These include the cost of workdays lost, premature deaths, health costs, etc.) Alcohol directly contributes to: …83% of all fire deaths. …72% of all aggravated assaults. …70% of all sexual abuses, including rape and incest. …69% of all drownings and 60% of deaths from falls. …54% of all violent crimes, including half of all murders. …50% of all fatal auto accidents. …50% of all spousal abuse, and 40% of all child-abuse deaths.

"How Good and How Pleasant it is ......." In Psalm 133:1, David, by inspiration, wrote, "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!" To this we say a hearty "Amen!" It is such a wonderfully warm, "good feeling" to be a part of a congregation where brethren love one another as they ought, and where peace and unity prevails. We should all be thankful to God that such is the present status here! But this is the very reason I feel compelled to sound this warning: be vigilant against Satan lest he "creep in unawares" to sow seeds of discord! To coin a WWII axiom, "The price of freedom is constant vigilance," in like manner, I believe the "price of unity" is the same! Thus, the apostle exhorted Christians to give "diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace," Eph. 4:3. It is undoubtedly the "devil's delight" to disturb the peace and harmony of the Lord's church. If he possibly can, Satan will set brother against brother, disrupt the tranquility of a congregation and divide brethren. Whenever and wherever he succeeds, it is heartrending! Every time it happens it sets the cause of Christ back for years in that place. In fact, I don't know of anything that is more distressful, disconcerting, heartbreaking and hurtful than "church trouble." We just must not allow it to ever happen here! Read often the portion of the prayer of our dear Savior that pertains to this subject as recorded in John 17:20-23. Surely we all want to see the Lord's will be done, and obviously, for His disciples to "be one" was (is) very much His will. If we will follow New Testament teachings, we will remain unified (Read John 13:34-35; Romans 12:9-10; 1 Corinthians 13:1-7; Galatians 5:13-15; Colossians 3:12-15; 1 Thessalonians 3:12-13; 2 Timothy 2:24; Hebrews 10:23; 1 John 3:14-18, etc.). Maxie B. Boren