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Hernando Today

Meager profits from alcohol sales not worth cost to society

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 1, 2009

The issue: Beer and wine sales at county-sponsored Reggae Sunfest. Our opinion: Minuscule profit hardly worth the liability, conflicting societal message.

Hernando County Parks Director Pat Fagan would like everyone to think alcohol sales from last weekend's county-sponsored Reggae Sunfest was a rousing success, bringing in much needed revenue to the county's dwindling coffers.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

While Fagan would also like everyone to believe the event netted an overall $8,324 profit, that's not accurate either.

Fagan failed to include an important expense: labor.

With 11 parks and recreation employees putting in 12 hours each to serve wine and beer all day, that's 132 hours spent serving drinks instead of performing their normal duties during regular work hours. At a conservative $12 an hour including benefits, that's another $1,584 in expense. The profit drops to an overall $6,740, which included $1,118 in soda sales, $1,137.75 from food and craft vendors and $500 from two sponsorships.

On the alcohol side alone, beer and wine sales totaled $4,044. The cost of the beer and wine was $840, a state alcohol permit cost $25, insurance was an additional $741.11 and cups, wrist bands, tickets and sales tax totaled $174.20 for a total profit of $2,263.29.

If beer and wine sales combined for 80 percent of drink sales, then 80 percent of county employees' time was spent pouring it for a labor cost of $1,267.20. That makes the final profit on beer and wine sales at Reggae Sunfest a measly $996.09.

The sheriff's department spends more than that in one day combating drunken driving.

Which brings us to the most important expense left out of this equation - one on which a dollar figure simply can't be calculated: the hypocritical costs to society of government-sponsored alcohol sales. It's in direct conflict with the expense and tragedy law enforcement must deal with on a daily basis trying to keep drunken drivers off our streets.

On one hand, taxpayers are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars annually for the sheriff's department to combat drunken driving. On the other hand, the parks department is selling and promoting alcohol consumption at a public venue for peanuts in profits.

Simple question: How do you think imbibing attendees got home?

Fagan was also quick to point out there were no alcohol-related problems whatsoever.

Well, except one little one when they had to cut off a patron who had more than he could hold. Fagan said the man thanked the county's bartenders for looking out for his well-being. Obviously drunk, the man was served no more alcohol.

We doubt he walked home.

It makes no sense for the county's parks department to promote alcohol sales - especially for a measly $996 profit that could have gone into the pockets of private enterprise where it belongs.

We think Reggae Sunfest was an excellent event and one that brought visitors to our county as well as giving locals something fun to do during these tough economic times. With more bands, better promotion and a private business providing the libations, the event could be an even bigger draw in the future.

But let us stress once again: The county has no business promoting alcohol sales, having county employees serve as bartenders and then trying to persuade taxpayers this is a legitimate revenue stream that will somehow help fund county government.

That's simply nonsense.

The issue: Beer and wine sales at county-sponsored Reggae Sunfest.

Our opinion: Minuscule profit hardly worth the liability, conflicting societal message.

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