More reports coming in to the state Ethics Commission from both sides in state and local battles over retail alcohol sales.
The biggest is from Our Community, Our Dollars, the committee backing local option elections in Saline, Faulkner and Craighhead Counties. With the latest report, Walmart has put $1 million and Kum & Go $50,000 into the campaign. Petitions are being counted in Saline and Craighead. Petitioning will continue into August in Faulkner.
The They Win, You Lose Committee, with $268,000 from alcohol retailers in Conway County, is the biggest anti- force on record. It is targeting the effort in next-door Faulkner County. But retailers have also contributed to campaigns against the Craighead local option issue.
Two committees, Craighead Pride and Local Citizens for Safety and Propserity, have raised more than $60,000 from alcohol retailers in Poinsett County to fight the local option in Craighead.