A vote YES these propositions will allow grocery stores, like our Walmart, to sell beer, wine and alcohol. Being dry, our Town and Parish could be losing to neighboring communities more than $600,000 a year in sales tax revenues. It will also allow restaurants to serve alcohol.

Grocery stores report for every $1 they lose in alcohol sales; they lose an additional $3 in general sales. This can be as much as $25,000 - $150,000 a week in lost sales. A large number of people from Arkansas come to Oak Grove to shop, combined with the number of people who live in our retail shopping area, Oak Grove is losing hundreds of thousands of dollars in sales tax revenues.

Background 

• Currently there are 5 versions of ‘wet’ in Louisiana
• Elections can be held in virtually any voting jurisdiction and the State of Louisiana has several uniform election days that a local option alcohol election can be held.
• Louisiana law requires a 2-step process for an election to be held. A petition signed by at least 25% of the registered voters is required to call the election. Once enough signatures are gathered, the Town Council is required by law to order the election.
• More than 350 Oak Grove residents signed the petition calling the election October 12th Election.
• Prop 4 allows alcohol sales in grocery and convenience stores
• Prop 5 allows alcohol sales in restaurants

Oak Grove—DRY for off-premise consumptions and Restaurants are Dry as well Oak Grove is dry for all-alcohol. We are asking voters to approve Proposition #4 so they can sell beer/wine and spirits for off-premise use and consumption. We are supporting Proposition #5 so
restaurants can sell alcohol with their food.

• The purpose of this effort is to allow the Citizens of the City of Oak Grove to vote on these issues so the community can keep its tax revenue (estimated at more than $600,000) from going to other jurisdictions.
• The Louisiana Economic Growth Committee includes individuals and business leaders who support giving the voters the opportunity to vote on these issues. National and local retailers have contributed to these efforts in the past and many will support these efforts to allow their customers the right to vote on these issues.
• Sales tax revenue for the city and parish can be used to pay for police, fire, EMS, parks, roads, and schools. Cities/Parishes that cannot raise enough money to meet their budgets with sales tax are often forced to raise property taxes.