Friday's Internet Edition, July 04, 2008.
|
The spokesman for the citizens group announced this week that the funding of a study seen necessary to move in that direction is not materializing.
Jim Kanzenbach of Citizens for a Progressive Copperas Cove (CPCC), said Monday that his organization has not received what he termed “sufficient financial backing” to contract with a consultant who would conduct a marketing study among local voters to ensure the success of a local beer and wine sales option election.
Kanzenbach, CPCC’s chair, said many Copperas Cove businesses have pledged financial support to the local option effort, and several have actually written checks.
“The problem is kind of a ‘Catch 22’,” Kanzenbach said, “Some of our corporate supporters won’t write us checks until we have the results of a professional consultant’s study, and the consultant won’t do the study until he has the money.”
“So, we’re caught between the proverbial rock and a hard place.”
Kanzenbach said that while the CPCC’s fundraising efforts have been respectable, the group has, to date, fallen several thousand dollars short of the amount needed to secure the services of a consultant.
“In light of that,” Kanzenbach said, “our executive committee has voted to wait another week to see if the financial backing we need is available. If sufficient funds aren’t forthcoming, then our efforts may be tabled until we can see that a study is financially feasible.”
Kanzenbach said his committee has from the outset placed a high priority on having an independent consultant gather information about the community to provide a fair, unbiased, statistically accurate view of the desires and feelings of the citizens.
“The results would give us the best possible information to determine if we would continue with the project or not,” Kanzenbach said.
Kanzenbach also said that the committee would not proceed based on hearsay or personal opinions.
“I have personally received verbal support from city officials, social leaders and from some religious leaders, as well,” Kanzenbach said. “However, they said could not publicly support the issue for personal reasons.”
“This issue has never been about alcohol,” Kanzenbach said. “It has been about revenue for the city, and that has been estimated at between $80,000 and $100,000 a year. That’s enough to fund three policemen for the city or to buy three new squad cars.”
For further information, or to reach Kanzenbach directly, email Citizens4Cove@earthlink.net