Atlanta
(2010-02-03)
null
The city is appealing a court ruling that says it didn't go through the necessary steps to legalize Sunday alcohol sales.
Jonathan Shapiro reports
Last week, a Gwinnet judge said Snellville's city council "disenfranchised" voters by failing to hold a referendum on the alcohol ordinance.
But Snellville city leaders say the judge got it wrong.
Snellville is now appealing the decision and requesting an immediate stay for the alcohol licenses that were already granted.
City manager Russell Treadway says the stay is vital so Snellville's restaurants can remain viable in the tough economy.
TREADWAY: The seven restaurants that were serving on Sunday, they were looking at increases in their total sales of anywhere between 30 and 65 percent. Clearly for those businesses, that's a significant increase in the amount of business they were doing on Sundays.
But opponents of the ordinance are adamant that regardless of the economic impact, the city council broke the law.
Here's former Snellville city councilman Robert Jenkins.
JENKINS: It's not about personalities or moral issues. It's simply about following the law.
Jenkins says at the very least, the voters of Snellville should get to vote on the issue themselves.
For WABE News, I'm Jonathan Shapiro. © Copyright 2010, WABE
