Theocracy: Behind the Zion Curtain

St. George is an up and coming city. Our city has been placed on prestigious lists like,  “HGTV’s 10 Places Where Americans are Moving”, CNNMoney’s 100 Best Places to Live” and “Forbes Magazine’s Best Small Places for Business and Careers” . St. George is a gateway city to several national parks and hosts multiple athletic events. In a phone conversation with the President of the St. George City Chamber of Commerce, Greg McArthur told me that St. George attracts approximately 1.5 million tourists per year. Our junior college has recently been promoted to university status and the downtown area is in the process of being revived.

 However, St. George officials who are working so hard to promote growth and strengthen our city’s economy, continue to enforce and stand behind state laws and city ordinances on alcohol and dancing, that, if changed, have the potential to positively affect our local economy.

 Utah laws prohibit establishments with liquor licenses from having more than 20% of their sales from alcohol, which makes it very difficult to profit from serving alcohol. Utah law also requires that if you order an alcoholic beverage you must also order food.  In St. George, it is illegal for establishments who do have their liquor license to allow dancing. These laws restrict and prohibit activities that are legal and profitable across the country. City ordinances and state laws on alcohol and dancing are inhibiting economic growth in St. George City; therefore, laws and ordinances must be changed to allow businesses to offer these products and services that are in demand that would positively impact the city’s economy.

Strict state laws and city ordinances  govern alcohol and dancing in St. George. The city's economy could benefit from allowing businesses such as bars, pubs, music venues, dance clubs and other establishments that sale alcohol and allow dancing to exist. As a University city, that is host to 1.5 million tourists, and home to an increasingly diverse population, there is an economic opportunity for our city to capitalize on increased demand for these types of establishments. Having laws that prohibit these types of establishments force current residents and tourists to go to other cities to spend money they would have spent here.

In a comparison between St. George, Utah and Grand Junction, Colorado, I found that St. George has 76,817 residents and its University, Dixie State, has 8,840 students.  Grand Junction has 59,778 residents and its’ University, Colorado Mesa has 9,005 students. Two very similarly sized cities with similarly sized universities with one stark contrast between the two, the number of bars, pubs and night clubs. Grand Junction offers residents 22 options, while St. George offers one, appropriately named, The One and Only. How is it that our city has only been issued 56 liquor licenses (including restaurants) and Grand Junction with nearly 17,000 less residents has issued nearly three times as many at 154 liquor licenses?  Potential residents and students may bypass St. George as a primary residence due to a lack of nightlife. These findings leave us asking, why? Research suggests it is because Utah laws are heavily influenced by the L.D.S. churches views on alcohol. 

 In the United States it is imperative that state laws and city ordinances are not influenced by the religious beliefs of elected officials. Utah's current alcohol laws are reflective of the L.D.S churches views on drinking alcohol. In an article titled, 'Zion Curtain' to Fall? Utah Bill Would Scale Back State's Strict Liquor Rules, Representative Kraig Powell proposes changes be made to existing state liquor laws because of the negative effect it is having on tourism.  Mormon church leaders oppose the changes and say that current rules are "closely tied to the moral culture of the state." Our local economy is impacted negatively by forcing religious beliefs of alcohol being immoral on tourist that visit Utah and residents who do not share the same beliefs. 

As residents of this beautiful, up and coming city, it is important that, regardless of our religious beliefs, we stay objective and implement laws that promote a diverse and thriving economy.