Alabama Politics in
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NOTE: Sen. Hank Sanders has written a weekly column for papers in his legislative district for the past twenty years. These rural, weekly papers lack a web presence, and therefore a link to the publication is not available. The column below is provided by Sen. Sanders’ office for inclusion in the Daily News Digest.

Senate Sketches # 1090

By

Senator Hank Sanders

*********************

I knew bingo was powerful in Alabama. I did not really know how powerful until this legislative session. Each day I encounter more of its tremendous power.

Bingo is so powerful that the Alabama Senate has been considering it since February 21. We have now passed April 21 and we are still in its throes. Except for the mandatory consideration of sunset legislation, bingo has consumed all this time. More concretely, it has taken almost a third of this legislative session.

Bingo is so powerful in Alabama that it exists without state regulation. It spread through the many local Constitutional Amendments, 18 to be exact. Bingo, however, is no longer paper cards, elderly ladies and local charities. Electronics have made bingo parlors into low-scale casinos. Ours is probably the only state in the nation that has legal gambling without state regulation.

Bingo is so powerful, not one red cent in state revenues is paid. There may well be billions of dollars gambled without any monies flowing into public coffers. Indian gambling also produces no state revenues.

Bingo is so powerful no one knows how much money is involved. Its revenues are completely shrouded in secret. There is no public disclosure. Some estimate that $200 million in profits are made each year from bingo in Macon County. We are not talking about gross net, but pure profits. They estimate $100 million in profits in Greene County each year. Three hundred million dollars in profits is powerful in any context. Alabama is the only state without any public disclosure for gambling.

Gambling is so powerful the press is silent. It does not aggressively raise how gambling is unregulated, that it does not benefit the state and that it ties up the Legislature. It escapes penetrating scrutiny even from the media.

The power of bingo manifested itself in Greene County in 2006. By law, the Sheriff regulates bingo in Greene County. When Deputy Sheriff Isom Thomas won the Democratic Primary for sheriff, the nomination was blatantly taken away from him. I tried to help but bingo was too powerful.

Then Thomas ran as a write-in candidate and won. He is only the third person in Alabama’s long history to win as a write-in. Gambling was powerful, but the people were more powerful.

Sheriff Thomas contacted me when he heard that local legislation had been filed to transfer his authority to regulate bingo. He said that no one had talked to him about it. I agreed to help. I just could not contribute to the injustice.

I decided I would not vote for the bill. I also decided that I would not vote for any other gambling legislation. Since these are proposed amendments to the Constitution, not voting is powerful. Such legislation requires a 3/5 affirmative vote of each body of the Legislature. That means 21 of 35 votes in the Senate. I knew my vote would be needed to get 21.

I tried to work out a compromise that would allow the Sheriff to participate effectively in appointing the proposed commission to regulate bingo in Greene County. The powers that be would not agree. I held on to my vote.

The Senate has been considering just the Macon County bingo bill all this time. The Greene County bingo bill has not even come up for consideration. In my 25 years in the Alabama Senate, no bill has been debated this long.

Sixteen of 22 Democrats are willing to vote for bingo, but that is not enough. Some Republicans considered voting for it even though it will likely cost them reelection. Most Democrats refusing to vote for bingo have come under great pressure and some have come under political threats. That’s how powerful bingo is in Alabama.

These bills were promoted as instruments that would provide funds for local entities and transfer regulation of bingo from sheriffs in Greene and Macon Counties to racing commissions. These bills, as originally introduced, do so much more including the following: expand gambling beyond the counties through the internet or remote locations; bar the courts of Alabama from looking at any bingo action taken; insure that monopolies would continue in these counties; give immunity to nearly everything; etc.

Bingo is so powerful it has friends distrusting friends, allies turning against allies, and members of both Republican and Democratic caucuses threatening to bolt.

The Senate cannot continue in this situation. We can’t pass the bingo bill, and we can’t get off it. Bingo is too powerful for me. I hope it’s not too powerful for the people of Alabama.

Now on to the Daily Diary.

Saturday - I had an early breakfast with my wife and son at a little place called Gone Country before going to Lowndes and Montgomery Counties. I returned to work on the education budget, bingo and other issues. I talked with a number of leaders including Budget Committee Chairs Representative Richard Lindsey and Senator Roger Bedford. I also talked with Senate Majority Leader Zeb Little and worked into the night.

Sunday - I did Radio Sunday School, Radio Education, Sunday Review, and taught Sunday School. I participated in a series of meetings and worked on Sketches, the Education Budget, bingo and other issues. I talked with Joyce Bigbee, Director of the Legislative Fiscal Office (LFO) and others, and I worked into the night.

Monday - I was at my office early to finish Sketches, handle various matters and made it to Lowndes County by 10:00 a.m. I talked with many leaders during the day including the following: Barnette Hayes of Selma; Lester Brown of Greene County; Sharon Wheeler of the Senate President Pro Tem’s Office; Lowndes County Administrator Jackie Thomas; John Hagood of ADEM (Alabama Department of Environmental Management); and Laddi Jones and Dr. Carol P. Zippert of the Greene County Democrat newspaper. I worked on the Education Budget, bingo and other concerns.

Tuesday - I addressed many issues in Selma before traveling to Montgomery for an 8:30 a.m. meeting on the Education Budget. I participated in a Senate Caucus meeting, a Senate Session and various other meetings concerning bingo, budgets and other issues. I talked with many including Senator Bobby Denton. That night I had dinner with Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture & Industries Ron Sparks. Others present include Representative Jack Page and Lobbyists Carol Brown and John Teague. I returned to Selma as I participated in an Alabama New South Coalition (ANSC) conference call.

Wednesday - I traveled to Birmingham where a doctor informed me that my platelet count continues to be normal even with reduced medication. I traveled on to Montgomery where I met and or communicated with the following: School Superintendents Dennis Mixon of Monroe County and Faron L. Hollinger of Baldwin County; a delegation from Alabama Partnership for Children; Dr. Paul Hubbert of the Alabama Education Association (AEA); teachers and students from pre-K programs; a delegation of teachers and students from the Alabama School of Math and Science; Joyce Bigbee and Norris Green of LFO; Chancellor Bradley Byrne of Post Secondary Schools; Rita Lett of Wallace Community College Selma (WCCS); Barbara Brown of Selma; Consultants Rick Heartsill and Collier Craft; Sam Brooks of ACLU; Senator Quinton Ross; Representative Richard Lindsey; and Chip Hill of the Lieutenant Governor’s Office. I participated in a stalled Senate Session and worked into the evening. I returned the 50 miles to Selma.

Thursday - I was in Montgomery for a 7:30 a.m. Association of County Commissioners Breakfast. I talked with many leaders including Commissioners Rondel Rhone of Clarke County, Mercia Ludgood of Mobile and Nick Underwood of Greene County. I attended a Finance and Taxation General Fund Committee meeting and participated in many meetings concerning budgets and bingo. I communicated with many persons including the following: Representative John Knight who passed the Sales Tax Off Food Bill in the House; House Speaker Seth Hammett; Stuart Burkhalter of AFL-CIO; Anita Archie of Post Secondary; Senator Phil Poole; Margaret Bentley of the Black Belt Action Commission (BBAC); Shellie Fearson of ANSC; Senator Zeb Little; Senator Lowell Barron; and Senator Roger Bedford. I participated in a struggling Senate session, began writing Sketches and returned to Selma.

Friday - I began the day with Sketches. I handled other matters before traveling to Montgomery for a special event. I presented Governor Bob Riley at the Third Annual Celebration of the Black Belt Action Commission and made remarks. I met with others before returning to Selma.

EPILOGUE - Sometimes we think we know about something but we don’t. When we face it in struggle, we know it differently. I have known about gambling in Alabama for years but did not perceive its dimensions clearly. Now, my eyes are opened wide.

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