Time to combat an increased risk of sexually oriented businesses

kevinnealBENTON – Kevin Neal, candidate for Marshall County Judge/Executive, is promising more aggressive ordinances to make the climate for sexually oriented businesses very unattractive.

The purpose of an SOB ordinance is to regulate sexually oriented businesses and related activities to promote the health, safety and general welfare of the citizens of Marshall County, and to establish reasonable and uniform regulations to prevent the damaging locations and concentration of sexually oriented businesses within the county.

Neal, a Marine Corps. veteran and an officer with the Paducah Police Department for 16 years, has seen the problems that accompany these businesses such as rape, sexual assault, illegal drug sales, decreased property values, and people and businesses fleeing the surrounding community.

While laws cannot prohibit these types of businesses from locating in a city or county, the Supreme Court, in two landmark decisions from 1976 and 1986, concluded that communities have a substantial interest in protecting and preserving the quality of life of its residents from the adverse secondary effects of sexually oriented businesses.

When asked why he feels it’s urgent now to combat a problem Marshall County hasn’t seen, Neal stated, “There are three major risk factors for these businesses moving into a community: 1) Being located along a major interstate 2) Alcohol sales 3) The presence of truck stops.  Now that we’re a wet county, and we have a major interstate coming through, it just makes good sense to do everything we can to keep these businesses out of our county.”

“While there may already be some ordinances or permit requirements in place to deter these businesses, it’s quite possible they’re too weak or need revisions.  These ordinances are something that most of our citizens can agree on.” Neal stated.  He went on to say that there are attorneys that specialize in SOB ordinances that counties can hire to maximize the effects of the new laws.