Overton Commission Will Consider Liquor Referendum In January

A tax auditor trying to find additional revenue for Overton County suggested a liquor-by-the-drink referendum.

Overton County Commissioners voted to table the idea for a November, 2024 referendum on the issue. The city of Livingston already has liquor-by-the-drink. The commission will return to the issue at their January meeting.

County Executive Steven Barlow said the referendum is a way for the county to generate more revenue without raising other taxes.

“Were doing these things to help trying not to raise any taxes to the public,” Barlow said. “You know, it comes down to a point where we can’t keep paying our bills out of a savings account.”

The referendum would have regulations on how liquor by the drink is sold. At least 51 percent of the revenue from an establishment selling liquor will have to come from food. Barlow said he wants people to understand that this referendum does not mean liquor stores and bars will be popping up all over the county.

“To straighten that up, it can’t just be someone selling bologna sandwiches unless they sell a lot of bologna sandwiches, but it has to be a legit restaurant or business that sells food,” Barlow said.

A passing vote would have seen a referendum on liquor by the drink in the county on the November 2024 Ballot. Several commissioners tried to vote down the issue of going before a public vote.

“This is putting it to the public,” Barlow said. “This is not one commissioner voting on this, this is putting up and asking people what do you think about it. It wasn’t any of our idea.”

“So, the sales tax auditor actually came up with this, and it would be another way for the county to make taxes. Their thought on this is there going somewhere. If you drink or don’t drink this has nothing to do with me, but the ones that do drink, they’re going somewhere. Their idea is it might be able to bring restaurants to our area. It might be able to create that source of tax income from going somewhere else.”