A stiff repeal and a strong appeal

The recent change in alcohol ordinances on Sundays, ending the systematic financial handicapping of local bars and restaurants, is a welcome glimmer of hope heading into 2013.

Local bars now have the option to make a profit, hand the parish more tax dollars, help staff earn a better living for themselves and serve as community gathering places for an additional 52 days throughout the year.

But bar owners, musicians ?and socialites are not the only ?ones who should be interested in this development.

Even if one is a teetotaler, the Metro Council’s passing of Alison Gary’s proposal is a positive sign showing that yes, this civic body is capable of looking at certain quality-of-life and economic development issues and making decisions that, though they may be polarizing, show a strong willingness to compromise, find a middle ground and quickly build an actionable consensus.

The new ordinance allows retail stores to sell beer, liquor and wine prior to 11 a.m. on Sundays—making last-minute game planning for watching Saints football and hosting brunches easier—and for bars to serve alcoholic beverages between 11 a.m. and midnight.

Since the longstanding Sunday blue laws have been repealed, at least partially—bars still cannot serve as late as 2 a.m. on Monday mornings like they can any other day of the week—there is more hope that our city-parish leaders are interested in real, forward-thinking change by viewing issues through a new lens instead of simply clinging to the way things have been done in the past.

Looking forward, with a handful of new councilmembers and a third term for Mayor-President Kip Holden, 2013 should be the year that the leaders and citizens of East Baton Rouge Parish collectively acknowledge that, in many ways even beyond political party affiliation, we are a divided community: north vs. south; urban vs. suburban; black vs. white; religious vs. irreligious; the tax-considerate vs. the tax-averse.

But our area is not alone in its diversity. Other communities face similar demographic divides, and they manage to get things done.

If Baton Rouge is going to be the “next great American city,” and if the frustration level our populace has for elected officials is going to be lowered, our officials need to step back from their hard lines and start coming up with innovative compromise solutions.

Fortunately, an honest assessment of our deeply rooted differences can be a solid first step to alleviating the acrimony that can so easily build around them.

As a community, we need to discuss these many divides more openly and constructively rather than retreating to our own trenches, where prejudices and misinformation can too often fester.

To the outgoing councilmembers’ credit, Gary’s Sunday alcohol proposal found an all-too-rare positive framework for discussion among her fellow councilmembers.

Baton Rouge can only benefit if future Metro Council proposals strike a similar tone.

Unfortunately the tone and language exchanged between the mayor’s office and the Metro Council in the past few years needs to change.

Election season is over, and now Holden and the Metro Council are responsible for setting an example for the entire community with the way they communicate, deliberate and collaborate.

Baton Rougeans deserve to hear less “No way!” and a lot more “Let’s find a way.”