Dear Editor,

Due to the vast amount of false information submitted by Charles Kea in his letter to you published Jan. 24, I feel I must respond.

I have been in the electrical services business in the Coastal Empire for over 25 years. During this time I’ve worked on many restaurants and some so-called restaurants and some so-called restaurants/bars. I can tell you without a doubt that many bars in the Coastal Empire are considered restaurants because they ring up half their sales as food.

The state does not have enough auditors to verify the transactions of all these bars. Therefore, they are open seven days a week, pouring liquor and selling pickled eggs and hot pockets.

There’s nothing to prevent these bars from popping up all over Effingham County if the voters are deceived into thinking they’re going to get “family friendly” restaurants/bars. But I believe the voters of Effingham County are much wiser than this when given all the information.

We’ve heard it all before. Twenty years ago, some were saying we would have no growth if we did not allow liquor to be sold by the drink. They were all wrong then and they are still wrong today.

The growth in Effingham County has been phenomenal and orderly. It has exceeded everyone’s wildest expectations, especially the Georgia Department of Transportation. This growth will only continue and real family restaurants will come as they see the population grow. In the meantime, we have some very nice restaurants in Effingham County that deserve our support.

Mr. Kea was right about one thing. I don’t trust anyone to pour liquor around my family. I have seen the devastating, deadly results of alcohol and there’s nothing family friendly about it. Just ask the mother, wife or child of an alcoholic.

I hope and pray the voters are not deceived and vote no on bars and liquor.

Wayne T. Whitley Sr.
Rincon