'Yes' on Syracuse referendum 2
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he people who live in western Davis County don't have a lot of options when it comes to dining in sit-down restaurants. For the most part, they have to travel east -- to Clearfield, to Layton -- or to Weber County.
With the opening of a new retail development along Antelope Drive in Syracuse, there's been lots of interest by chain restaurants -- of the non-fast-food type -- that would consider opening their doors in Syracuse. But only if they can do what they do in Layton and Clearfield and Bountiful and Centerville and Ogden and Roy: serve a beer with a meal.
We'd like to see some sit-down dining options in Syracuse, so the editorial board of this newspaper is urging Syracuse residents to vote "for" Citizens City Referendum No. 2. It would validate the city council's February decision to allow restaurants to serve beer with meals; the ordinance was put on hold via a petition drive organized by well-intentioned people who misunderstand the consumption of alcohol at restaurants.
Voting "for" Referendum No. 2 will boost the city's tax base, and give local and area residents more dining options, closer to home. It will also demonstrate that Syracuse is a tolerant community -- one that does not judge harshly those who choose to imbibe with their supper.
As we've noted before in this space, people don't go into a Winger's, Outback or Olive Garden to get drunk. Ask Layton, which has dozens of these restaurants and no problem with such establishments sending tipsy drivers out onto its streets.
To our way of thinking, voting "for" Referendum No. 2 is the sensible thing to do -- from both a social and economic perspective.
