By Travis Gettys
Enquirer contributor

ERLANGER - City Council passed a hotly debated proposal to ease restrictions on Sunday alcohol sales Tuesday by an 8-4 margin.

Council members Randy Blankenship, Keith Henry, Vicki Kyle and David Smith voted against the proposal, which would allow sale of malt beverages, beer or wine coolers at 11 a.m. Sundays, instead of 1 p.m., as the law currently allows.

Mayor Marc Otto said he could sign the measure as early as today, which would put the law into effect this weekend, but he would wait until next week out of respect for Sunday's Easter holiday.

Businesses need the change to compete with Covington, Florence, Independence and Taylor Mill, all of which relaxed Sunday alcohol sales, said City Councilman Jim Rogers.

A petition drive gathered more than 500 signatures of people in opposition to the measure, and several people spoke against the proposal before the council voted.

The proposal sets a bad example for children and encourages drinking and driving, said Bill Howard of Erlanger.

"The reason people want it is so they can have malt beverages more often," said Glenda Cantrell of Elsmere.

The debate is part of an ongoing cultural war that pits conservative, religious values against liberal, secular beliefs, said the Rev. John Street of Erlanger United Methodist Church.

"Much that's done in the name of social progress falls more on the liberal side, and falls outside the standard of biblical truth," Street said.

That argument didn't fly with some officials.

"We do not legislate morality or religion," Rogers said.

One council member who voted against the measure said the additional two hours would generate an insignificant amount of revenue.

"There's no proof our businesses actually need this," Blankenship said.

No one spoke at the council meeting in favor of changing the law, and that influenced Kyle's vote.

"I have to listen to the people that come up here, that get involved," she said. "I know we have other citizens, but where are they?"

One council member who voted to change the law said he suspected another issue drew some opponents to the debate.

"I believe most of the good citizens that spoke against this proposal are against alcohol consumption, in general," Paul Hahn said. "I really believe that."