Pearland alcohol petition falls short again Group, sponsored by chamber of commerce, wanted to loosen restrictions

A group hoping to broaden alcohol sales in Pearland isn't giving up after a recent second attempt to petition for an election on the proposal fell short.

Leadership Pearland's effort to gather enough signatures to put the matter on the city's May ballot fizzled when it only gathered 4,842 signatures by a Jan. 12 deadline.

The group had 60 days to collect 7,038 signatures. The number collected was low enough that city officials weren't required to verify their authenticity. A previous petition fell short last year when it garnered 2,000 signatures.

The group will regroup and try again, said member Seth Thompson.

"It's not failure at all, just a readjustment," Thompson said of the group's ongoing efforts, noting that supporters couldn't mobilize enough volunteers who could dedicate to be full-time block-walkers to secure signatures. He said shorter winter days and the holiday season posed difficulties, too.

"The bright side is this serves as a PR campaign," he said. "A lot more people are aware now."

Leadership Pearland is a program sponsored by the Pearland Chamber of Commerce that aims to bring together individuals looking to be more involved in community affairs.

The group feels that loosening restrictions on alcohol sales would lead to more entertainment opportunities in Pearland and mean "increased local commerce, increased sales-tax revenue and alleviating reliance on property taxes," according to Thompson.

Under current rules, only businesses that have a food and beverage permit - such as restaurants - may serve mixed alcoholic beverages and beer. To get a permit, 51 percent or more of an establishment's gross sales must come from food, a requirement Thompson believes discourages businesses like pubs, wine bars, liquor stores and some higher-end restaurants from operating in the city.

Thompson said the first petition attempt, made last year, lacked enough people to collect signatures and was hampered by rainy weather. He had hoped a pre-campaign marketing effort and a "substantial increase in manpower" would propel them to success. The group also created a political action committee to help raise money.

"When you discuss the issue with people in person, they're for it. We just need better outreach; to be in front of more people," he said.

Gary Bucek is a business consultant who worked with the chamber to help in the effort.

He said he might have recommended that the group have delayed its most recent effort a year or two, maybe until the next gubernatorial election when voters may be more active.

But he believes Pearland will see reformed rules on alcohol sales in 2016 despite this setback.

"You hate to lick your wounds," Bucek said, "but we fell short of our volunteer goals. It's hard with a volunteer effort because you've got people with jobs and families of their own."

Bucek believes hiring a firm to get signatures would be most effective, although he said it would cost well over $100,000.

Pearland Mayor Tom Reid believes the current rules in Pearland are adequate.

"Maybe we'll see change over time, but most everybody seems content with what we've got for now," he said, "I didn't see a great outcry for it."

Thompson and Bucek doubt the failure of the petition drive stemmed from opposition by residents who've voiced concerns about the possibility for an increase in drunken driving or proliferation of liquor stores if the law was changed.

"There's 8,000 people in Pearland who want this," Thompson said. "We'll probably have to hire a firm to get to them for us."