Alcohol sales will remain the same in Frisco after a measure to take the city completely wet failed at the polls on Saturday by more than two to one margin.
A group called the Frisco Committee for Economic Growth spent at least $170,000 in the petition process and during the campaign in favor of allowing liquor stores, bars and nightclubs in the city. An automated phone poll it did three weeks ago showed the measure passing by 60 percent.
Advertisem*nt
“I’m just baffled,” said John Hatch of Texas Petition Strategies, the company that coordinated the campaign that included 100,000 pieces of mail, 65,000 phone calls and 2,700 newspaper inserts. “It doesn’t make much sense to me.”
Advertisem*nt
Even as the polls were closing on Saturday, Frisco City Council member Bob Allen said he thought defeating the measure was a long shot. But the group called Keeping Frisco First put out its message at every election forum, on social media and in signs plastered across the city. They argued that outside interests shouldn’t decide what happens in Frisco and that passage would erode local control.
Breaking News
Get the latest breaking news from North Texas and beyond.
“We worked for what was important to us, not what was important for other entities that we don’t think had the best interest of Frisco at heart,” Allen said.
It also had the backing of many city leaders: the mayor, all six council members, all seven council candidates, all school board members, all school board candidates, the Frisco Chamber of Commerce, the Frisco ISD Council of PTAs, several former mayors and a host of other big names.
Advertisem*nt
The campaign in favor of passage was funded with $90,000 from the Texas Hospitality Association, a nonprofit made up of businesses that sell or serve alcoholic beverages. The other $80,000 came from Wild Pitch Sports Bar & Grill, which sought to change the rules because it sold too much alcohol. The Frisco sports barfaces a hearing later this month with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission because its alcohol sales exceeded 50 percent of its revenues every month between February 2013 and October 2015, records show.
Businesses that exceed the alcohol revenue limit are required to become a private club, which typically carries more fees and more administrative work. Private clubs are also required to get a specific use permit from the city, which allows city officials some control over a club's location.
Some have said that a measure seeking only package liquor sales might have had a better chance at succeeding.
Advertisem*nt
“We need to recognize that there was apparently a desire for some change, and we need to go look at that,” Allen said.
Advertisem*nt
Voters are also choosing two new Frisco city council members and one new Frisco ISD board trustee after incumbents declined to run or reached term limits.
With unofficial results,both city council races areheaded to runoffs after none of the candidates received more than 50 percent of the vote.
ThePlace 2 city council runoff willbe betweenShona Huffman and Terri Green. Candidate Eric Hall finished third.
Advertisem*nt
In the Place 2 Frisco ISD school board race, Steven Noskin won the seat with 39 percent of the vote over Anjali Shirvaikar andPhil Ramirez.
It seems like the article delves into a local election in Frisco regarding alcohol sales. Let's break down the concepts and information embedded within it:
-
Alcohol Sales Measure: The article discusses a failed measure to make Frisco a completely "wet" city, allowing liquor stores, bars, and nightclubs. This measure was defeated by a significant margin despite significant investment and campaigning in its favor.
-
Campaign Efforts: The Frisco Committee for Economic Growth invested heavily in the campaign, spending $170,000 on the petition process, mail, phone calls, and newspaper inserts. Despite their efforts, the measure did not pass.
-
Opposition: The opposition group, Keeping Frisco First, argued against outside interests influencing Frisco's decisions and emphasized the importance of local control. They received support from various city leaders, school board members, former mayors, and local organizations like the Frisco Chamber of Commerce.
-
Funding Sources: The campaign supporting the measure received funding from the Texas Hospitality Association ($90,000) and Wild Pitch Sports Bar & Grill ($80,000). The bar sought the change due to issues with exceeding the alcohol revenue limit, which would have required it to become a private club.
-
Regulations and Revenue Limits: Businesses exceeding the alcohol revenue limit are required to become private clubs, facing additional fees and administrative work. Moreover, they need a specific use permit from the city, giving officials control over their location.
-
Possible Alternatives: Some suggested that a measure focusing solely on package liquor sales might have had a better chance of success, hinting at potential alternative approaches for future attempts.
-
Local Elections: The article mentions the broader context of local elections, including the races for Frisco city council members and the Frisco ISD board trustee, where no candidate received more than 50% of the vote, leading to runoffs.
-
Results: Steven Noskin won the Place 2 Frisco ISD school board race with 39% of the vote, while in the city council races, Shona Huffman and Terri Green will compete in a runoff for the Place 2 seat, with Eric Hall finishing third.
This article encompasses elements of local governance, regulatory issues surrounding alcohol sales, campaign strategies, funding influence, community sentiment, and the dynamics of local elections. Understanding these details helps grasp the nuances of how decisions about alcohol sales and local governance are made and influenced in the context of Frisco.
