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Yes, Riley do explain to the folks in Dothan. Quit hiding behind your press folks and those ridiculous sound bites and sit down and engage a panel of educated folks in an an open discussion about this issue. You at least owe it to an editorial board who you were more than open to meeting with when pimping the largest tax increase in Alabama history.
Maybe one day, one of the bingo advocates can produce some solid number to help the voters see how much direct and indirect tax revenue (in addition to charity donations) bingo can generate in this time of recession.
The Country Crossing project in Dothan has presented their projections on numerous occasions to local government bodies, civic organizations, and news media. I guess the main stream media figures the argument between the high profile figures involved is sexier than the potential benefit to government coffers, charities, and unemployed job seekers. Perhaps they will one day see the light, and even more profoundly, a REAL news story: why is the governor so obsessed with this comparitively unimportant issue in this time of economic disaster in our state? Even the average, non-political folks are beginning to wonder why their governor has gone off the bingo deep end.
And these numbers are where? They could be handy to review. From estimates of casino revenue, its easier to figure how much direct tax revenue can be gained.
I have seen them in Dothan media reports on several occasions several months ago, but I don’t have them and don’t remember exact numbers, other than they were large. Perhaps the Country Crossing activists who monitor this site can furnish them. And, perhaps the governor can furnish an expense report detailing how much of the taxpayers’ money he has spent trying to force his morals on the rest of us. If the $650,000 legal bill from Bradley Arant is correct, the total amount will easily exceed $1 million, and maybe $2 million. This whole issue has become unexplainably absurd. I wish the governor would do his job – God knows it needs doing – and let the district attorneys do theirs.
Any numbers for Victoryland, the B’ham race track and the developments in St Clair and Etowah County?
The Etowah County Commission and their project developers have furnished projections to the media, in particular the Gadsden Times. The only exact number I remember was the $200 million project investment. I have never heard anything from the others, and probably never will, until or unless there is a state gaming commission established to regulate the operators.
Anytime we’re talking about the economics of casino gambling, the downside has to be a part of the conversation. A lot of research shows that casinos can actually do economic harm to an area unless a very high percentage of its gamblers come from out-of-state, like with Vegas. To ignore those numbers or pretend it’s not true would be disingenuous and counter-productive.
That, more than the moral objections to gambling, would concern me with Alabama getting into the casino business in the midst of a recession. A real study by economists should be performed to make sure the costs don’t outweigh the benefits. We can’t blindly trust Milton M. and Ronnie G. when they say their plan would bring all good and no bad to Alabama. And, Hoss, I think mainstream media could do a better job of keeping those two honest when it comes to their claims of economic impact.
Don’t bother getting these folks any numbers. They have been produced on this website multiple times. They can google the project if they want the numbers. They want you to chase your tale. Just another way of diverting attention off the crooked Governor whose son is knee deep in gaming himself. He is not in Alabama and there lies a significant portion of why Riley has a bingo bent in the last two years of his dictator rule.
Hoss Man, given the current state of play, it seems unlikely that a State Gaming Commission will have those powers and that its records will be public. Either way, folks will be asked to cast a vote on a constitutional amendment based more on faith than a careful consideration of all the facts.
Walt – Occasionally there comes a time when, for better or worse, the final decision should be made by the citizens and not the politicians with conflicted positions and hidden agendas. That’s why we have a process of amending our constitution. Due to Riley’s heavy handed and ill advised handling of this issue it appears that this is one of those times. It could have, and should have, been handled with more intelligence – but it is what it is. The only good by-product of this bungling is that due to the media coverage that has been generated there will be more attention and scrutiny placed on the proposed constitutional amendment and the enabling legislation. This can only help.
Is it me or has anyone else noticed that the governor has stopped his bingo raids since johnson raised Riley’s real motive to fight it?
No raids since March 19, 2009.
In the FWIW category, an economic impact study prepared by Country Crossing can be had courtesy of the Dothan Eagle.