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Gambling meeting draws crowd
162 at First Baptist hear governor’s rep explain laws, task force
Published Thursday, April 30, 2009
Gov. Bob Riley’s deputy legal advisor said that the Sweet Home Alabama bill proposed in the current legislative session came as a direct result of the governor’s gambling task force.
Sonny Reagan, deputy legal advisor to the governor, spoke to more than 160 people who attended a meeting at First Baptist Church Wednesday night. The meeting was organized after members of the Covington Baptist Association became concerned about proposed legislation that affects gambling statewide and in Covington County, FBC minister Fred Karthaus said.
Reagan explained laws against gaming in the Constitution of 1901, the Code of Alabama, and in legal opinions.
“Section 65 of the Constitution has specific prohibitions against the lottery, which is defined by the state courts as games of chance,” Reagan said.
Charity bingo amendments began appearing in 1980 when Jefferson County was the first county in the state to have a Constitutional Amendment ratifying charity bingo. There are now 18 Constitutional Amendments allowing charitable bingo, he said, including one approved for Covington County in the mid-1990s. Only two of those authorize electronic bingo, he said.
“These amendments do not destroy the Constitution’s general prohibition of gambling,” he said.
Previously, he said, state courts also have ruling gambling illegal here.
In 2006, the Alabama Supreme Court ruled in Barber v. Jefferson County Racing Commission that machines that “look like, sound like and attract the same class of customer as conventional slot machines, and, when integrated with serves, serve the same function as slot machines” are illegal.
Reagan said Riley has taken the position that gambling is illegal in Alabama and authorized the gambling task force in late December. He said the task force has an “undisclosed number” of undercover ABI and ABC agents working on gambling cases. Earlier this year, the group orchestrated a raid at White Hall in rural Lowndes County and temporarily closed the facility.
“White Hall officials said in court they were losing $100,000 a day (when they were shut down),” he said. “In Lowndes County, Ala., where they claim that they gave more than $500,000 back to charity. That’s five days (of profit).”
The county has an extraordinarily high unemployment rate, plus a large number of people on government subsidies, he said.
“They prey on poor people,” he said.
He said the proponents claim that the electronic bingo machines are actually slot machines that have reprogrammed to “play quick games of bingo in six or seven seconds.”
In Kimberly, Ala., he said, there as a facility known there as “the bingo plant” where old slot machines removed from casinos were actually reprogrammed to include small bingo cards in the corners of the electronic screens.
“Saying that these machines play quick games of bingo among themselves is the same as me sitting on the couch, watching a baseball game and telling my wife I’m playing baseball, he said. “
A big question, he said, is that the state Supreme Court has never ruled whether electronic playing of bingo is legal in Alabama.
“It’s never been before the Supreme Court,” he said. “We hope we have a case that gets there.”
Reagan said the Sweet Home Alabama legislation –which he said favors current gaming bosses in Alabama - was written after the governor’s gambling task force was formed.
The Alabama House and Senate have five meeting days left in the current session, scheduled to end May 18.
“A lot can happen in five days,” he said.
Reagan said the Sweet Home Alabama Coalition wants to legalize casinos and is making a tremendous push to do this quickly.
“I’m shocked at how much they’re spending to promote it and I’d venture to say, 100 percent of the funding is coming from out of state,” he said.
“It creates a monopoly and guarantees wealth for certain gambling bosses, he said.
At present, there are 18 counties with Constitutional Amendments for gaming, he said.
“This bill repeals every single one of the amendments.”
Under the proposed legislation, which has passed a Senate committee but has not been approved by a full committee, and has not come out of committee in the House, there would be “points of destination,” most of them where there are existing gambling operations, at which gaming would be allowed.
“It taxes gaming at 20 percent, but reduces the tax rate to 10 percent for existing bosses.”
The legislation calls for a Constitutional Amendment, which, if approved by Alabama voters, would repeal all current Alabama laws governing gaming, as well as court interpretations of those laws, he said.
If the bill comes out of legislature, he said, “the voters are the only ones who can stop it.”
“The governor can’t stop a Constitutional Amendment,” he said.
Reagan also touched briefly on a gaming bill requested by the Covington County Commission and currently in committee in the legislature. For more information on that bill, see the Friday edition of The Star-News.
Comments
Posted by lookeyhere (anonymous) on April 30, 2009 at 6:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The hotel and casino in Atmore provides 700 jobs or more,with some of these jobs paying over 30,000. I will take these jobs and the money that a place like this brings to the state,over a few idiots that blow there whole paycheck gambling.
Posted by Jim (anonymous) on April 30, 2009 at 6:58 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Yeh really. If people don't want to spend their money at a casino, then DON'T... But the ones that want to, it should be their choice. Same as a lottery. I know so many ppl that travel across the line each week to get tickets, hoping to get "lucky" one day. Alabama should have it, keep the money in state, but nooo, some of the same ppl that voted against it, is still buying tickets in Florida. That drives me nuts!
Posted by gasman (anonymous) on April 30, 2009 at 9:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Riley should be doing other things rather than gambling just let the people vote on it I don't gamble but it's not my place or his to tell the people what to do with their money yes just about all that voted against the lottery when the jackpot gets big watch out they might be ahead of you in line to buy their ticket
Posted by becinala (anonymous) on April 30, 2009 at 12:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Why is our Mr. Riley so afraid of allowing the people in Alabama to vote? I don't understand this. It is by the people voting that got him into his position to begin with..It is our right...
I do gamble but not an avid gambler. I like the entertainment that the casinos offer more. But while I am there I wil try my luck with $25.00 or so. If I am in Florida or Georgia, I might get a quick pick for the next Lottery drawing, but I don't make a habit of it.
I do support Country Crossing and this is why. If Ihave my Grandchildren down to visit and I want to take them someplace, I have to drive a long way to take them to some place that offers them something that I feel avid about and that is music. I want them to learn to love music as I do. Music is so important to a child in my opinion.
Nobody likes change people, I like my old comfortable blue robe that I've had for years even though I have a new one in the closet, but we have to change..Alabama has got to move forward and catch up with the rest of the States around us.
If I wanted to, I could buy beer on the next corner, but I don't..millions of people do and because of that good things and bad things come out of it...It will be the same if bingo comes to town...you will either choose to yell "BINGO" or stay home and watch TV....But it should be our choice, not Mr. Riley's...
Posted by outlaw11 (anonymous) on April 30, 2009 at 12:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Fred Karthaus and possee ride again! All the above comments are correct and if the voters want it, then they should get it. As has been stated many times in the last few weeks in these comment sections, a gambler is going to gamble no matter where he/she has to go and they are going to gamble no matter their income, so, at least keep the money (gas, food, expenditures, taxes) at home, plus, offer jobs not now available to locals and cut down on some of our unemployment and welfare. It all makes sense to people who have common sense, just not to the fanatics.
Posted by biscuitsandhoovergravy (anonymous) on April 30, 2009 at 2:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Yeah...let's vote for gambling. While we're at it...lets also legalize marijuana. Well if we're gonna do that...lets pass an amendment legalizing spousal abuse...and child abuse and neglect will be ok too. Oh yeah...make prostitution legal also...goes hand in hand in all your gambling meccas. Hmmm...how can we subsidize these necks who are gonna blow their paycheck each week? Oh I know...higher taxes on us working stiffs who already pay for the deadbeats and freeloaders in covington county to ride the roads and saunter around in Walmart all day. Boy howdy...this sounds like fun...sit by the mailbox and wait for that mailmoney and ebt card and dream bout hittin it big at the Bango Hall!!!
Posted by justice (anonymous) on April 30, 2009 at 2:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)
yes biscuitsandgravy, still with you on this ,while they are at it make a new class in school for kids gambling 101,,,,,, the how to throw your life away, then have a class for how to live off working people ,don't have anything in your name, have 6 kids, apply for food stamps, get free medical .and you set now you can gamble on every one else ,,,yea,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,.bingo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i won 5$ today now i can buy another six pack.
Posted by lookeyhere (anonymous) on April 30, 2009 at 2:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)
outlaw wrote" It all makes sense to people who have common sense,just not to the fanatics." Yep, I agree 100 percent.
Posted by max (anonymous) on April 30, 2009 at 3:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)
outlaw also wrote, "if the voters want it, then they should get it..." then where does one draw the line? if the voters want to outlaw owning firearms, should they get it? legalize crack? sure, why not. the issue at hand is not the people's right to vote for something, it's whether the government should legalize and adopt something that is proven time and time again to be detrimental to society. go talk to the local law enforcement officials in atmore, biloxi or anywhere else gambling is legal and get some facts. oh, and while you're at it talk to government officials in florida and georgia (both lottery states) about how much education has been helped by the lottery. you'll find a much different story when you look at facts.
Posted by Beanstalk (anonymous) on April 30, 2009 at 3:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)
If your going to throw out there "LOOK AT FLORIDA" as an example in a negative form, please do as you have suggested, Look for yourself! Florida has generated BILLIONS of dollars for its schools. Yes that's the TRUTH. This hocus pocus of it does NOTHING for the schools and sends everyone to the poor farm is just plain and simple stupid. Anyone who thinks inside such a small box will most likely be sitting were they are at today 10 years from now asking WHAT HAPPENED!
http://209.85.173.132/search?q=cache:l8d...
Put that in your address box in your browser and tell us the state of Florida is NOT benefiting well from the lottery.
Use a little common sense and using today's means of gathering information (Internet) and you might be able to post an intelligent factual post on the LOTTERY in Florida.
I for one am sick of Government getting involved in my personal life!
Posted by justice (anonymous) on April 30, 2009 at 3:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)
yes max you are right my mother taught in florida for years and was in"portable" buildings kids had to walk in the rain to the main building,oh had to supply her students with pencil and paper.
Posted by Beanstalk (anonymous) on April 30, 2009 at 3:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The link did not post correctly. Easy enough go to www.google.com type in search box for, Florida Lottery Pro Con Schools. See what you come up with. We are human beings with the highest form of intelligence on this planet, We should be allowed to think for ourselves and as long as our actions do not hurt another human we should be left to our own. Thats my story and I am sticking to it!
Posted by justice (anonymous) on April 30, 2009 at 3:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)
well beanstalk, i bet you voted for obama,and i will be sitting good in 10 years for the money im not spending like some on gambling im putting in stock and to have for my kids to get a higher education.yeah florida is doing well drugs, prostitutes, crime clubs on the beach.they in the news all the time doing real good.
Posted by justice (anonymous) on April 30, 2009 at 3:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)
beanstalk ,thats all right i know you spent your money on gambling not on computer science, we will pray for ya.
Posted by Beanstalk (anonymous) on April 30, 2009 at 3:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Justice, how long ago was this? Portable buildings have long since been gone, The only time since the lottery went in did counties use portable buildings was after a natural disaster like Hurricanes etc. Please post accurate information. TIA
PS Parents in Alabama supply the kids with their paper and crayons etc now. So where is the correlation to this with your statement?
Posted by Beanstalk (anonymous) on April 30, 2009 at 3:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Justice, your proof that the emotions are more weight in this than the real facts. Emotions become personal (Such as your personal attacks on me) instead of staying with the issue and its facts. Since you react on emotions the maturity level of this conversation will be most assuredly one sided. Please enjoy your moments of self serving postings. Good Day
Posted by lookeyhere (anonymous) on April 30, 2009 at 4:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)
After reading the comment by max,now I know this comment is very true... " It all makes sense to people who have common sense just not to the fanatics."
Posted by Beanstalk (anonymous) on April 30, 2009 at 5:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)
They have a show on TV I think its on SciFi called Scare Tactics, There is as much truth to the "Fanatics" that all EVIL comes from playing Lottery as that’s in that TV show. Play on peoples fears long enough and it becomes their reality. There’s a thing called common sense that most people do have, sometimes they choose to use it others they do not. Just like buying a lotto ticket, you have that choice. Sorry I am NOT my brother’s keeper. They can enjoy their life anyway they want as long as it does not affect mine. Posting wives tales and fables on a public board is common in these days of the Internet, makes it more believable if it’s on the internet it has to be the truth. Geeeez People need to learn to take care of their own business and stop worrying about the other person. Tend to your own and you will stay plenty busy. I say YES to Gambling and YES to making it MY CHOICE! At the current time NO ONE has the chance to even make that choice.
Posted by outlaw11 (anonymous) on April 30, 2009 at 5:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Thanks, lookeyhere...and...for the one who refered to the gun laws, those are US Constitutional Rights and could be amended if put to the people, but, I doubt it...drugs will never be legalized...but, gambling is state controled and anything state controled is subject to be voted on by the people of that state...anyone, like the one above, who does not believe that FL & GA have not had success should check the facts (as stated by Beanstalk)...I lived in FL, worked as an investigator, put a son thru the system, and know for a fact that the lottery helped...never saw a portable classroom except after a hurricane...and I was there for 15 years...and, Max, Atmore belongs to the Nation, of which I was born into and we have our own law at the casino, no problems...some of you don't check facts, just run your mouth...this is either a "for or against vote" and one will win out...the other side will just have to accept it... I was for it last time and I wil be for it again, if my side looses, we just have to accept it...and...just for all of you reading this, I don't gamble, but, I deserve to if I want to...it's my money...started paying taxes in 1962 and I'm now 60, so, I'll spend it anyway I please as long as it's legal. Again, common sense must prevail.
Posted by starnews (anonymous) on April 30, 2009 at 10:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)
well everyone has their opinions on gambling so do i, here goes, number one gambling is biblically wrong its a sin folks read your bibles. obviosly some folks have forgotten that thats the main issue their. id like some of the churches too weigh in on this issue of the sweet home alabama plan voters have the say so in such issues i suppose mr riley has forgotten the folks that put him in office, as 4 me we didnt vote 4 him he's never been a govenor worth a hoot anyway he's bought in all this foreign jobs that arent about nothing. so come on churches lets abolish gambling 4 ever.
Posted by max (anonymous) on May 1, 2009 at 8:56 a.m. (Suggest removal)
i can't help but be both amused and saddened by the comments by "lookeyhere," "beanstalk" and "outlaw." this IS america and we are ALL entitled to our opinion. however, this privilege doesn't mean your opinion is the truth. it seems the modus operandi on this forum is to immediately attack someone who offers a differing opinion from yours. it kind of reminds me of the liberal outcry for tolerance... that is, we must be tolerant of everyone EXCEPT conservative Christians. to me, that's the height of hypocrisy. so you want some FACTS... chew on these: florida's education, supposedly helped by the lottery, has in fact seen decreases in test scores since its inception in the mid-1980s (i know it's ridiculous to mention students' performance as a measuring stick for education, but i'm crazy that way); education spending in florida has drastically decreased since the lottery began... the problem: as lottery dollars flow in, education dollars flow out, and not to education; public corruption and ethics violation in florida have increased 160 percent since the lottery began.
now those are just a few facts easily found on the internet. again, and i'll type slowly this time, the issue is NOT the right of someone to gamble... if you want to throw your money away on gambling, please, line up and roll the dice. the issue is the government's responsibility to protect and serve the citizenry, not lead them into possible addictions and increasing criminal activity (which, by the way, is another pesky fact in EVERY STATE where a form of gambling is legal). what DOES happen, however, is certain people end up making millions of dollars that would have otherwise been spent on goods and services.
the proponents of the sweet home alabama proposal say it cannot possibly be viable without gambling. try telling that to the folks in branson, missouri, where gambling is still ILLEGAL. don't fall for the lies, slick advertising or false claims of great financial benefit to the state and local economies. it's just not the truth.
funny thing about truth... it's true whether you believe it or not.
Posted by Beanstalk (anonymous) on May 1, 2009 at 9:07 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Since God and the Bible are being brought into this, (Which is ok by me God should be a thought and action in everything) however 2 things come to mind, First please provide chapter and verse where the "Bible" states Gambling is a sin. I do think that as I read my Bible I find that indulgence is the sin. Thats in Drinking eatting anything we do if we OVER do it. The second thing comes to mind, Even God allows us the Choice to accept him or not. God is a loving God, He wants us to Love him in purity. But he is loving enough to allow us to make the choices in our lives, Sadly some choose to live without him, I choose to live with him and keep my indulgenes in check with his Love. So now where does man have the right to ask more of Gods children than what God himself ask of us? I say again it is my choice. God allows me to choose. Playing BINGO is NOT a sin, Playing LOTTO is not a sin, it is when you over indulge in ANYTHING now thats a sin! Please refrain from the generic statements that "IT IS A SIN" when it certianly is not. With that being said May God have his will in this matter and let him use it for his Glory. God Bless.
Posted by Kathy052 (anonymous) on May 1, 2009 at 9:07 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I agree let the people vote. I say give it to us. More jobs and look at the people who go to Florida to play lottery and to Fla. to play bingo. What in the world is the problem. Alabama get with the program. I know the people want it here and they are spending their money else where when it could be here. WAKE UP AND SMELL THE COFFEE AND LET THE PEOPLE FOR ONCE HAVE THEIR SAY. BUT NO MATTER WHAT IF WE VOTE YES THEY WILL SAY WE VOTED NOOOOOOO.
Posted by monkeeman08 (anonymous) on May 1, 2009 at 9:23 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Has anybody bothered to see what the lottery has done for the Georgia educational system? Georgia's lottery/education is second to none. People are going to throw their money away on whatever. . .why not let them throw it away on lotto, bingo, whatever. Our educational system sure could use the boost. No one forces anyone to buy a lottery ticket.
As far as the "sin" factor. . .grow up. Don't just throw out what fits your opinion. Gluttony is sin and who of us does not overeat time and time again. Government and Religion should be separate. This is why Alabama is such a poor state.
There is not a perfect one among us. . .even those high faluttin' preachers and bible thumpers who think they are.
Posted by Beanstalk (anonymous) on May 1, 2009 at 9:43 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Max, Please read my earlier post where I provided a link that showed the FACTS on the Florida Lottery. Unlike your statement that the Florida education system has fallen short because of the Lotto it showed where the Governor stated that it has enhanced the education system and is projected to even increase the benefits in the future. As you stated in you post, everyone has an OPINION. As you have shared with us yours. However my post was Factual and based on historical audits of the Florida education system. Again as I stated in another post, some are posting their emotions as opinions, and sadly enough when emotions become part of an opinion the FACTS are harder to find. Your emotional opinion is noted and as I will once again say, God Gives me the Choice to decide, His is not one of emotion but out of his Love for me unconditional. No man has the right to choose for me. Now that’s a FACT and is found in the Book of Gods word, every human can choose and I choose to make the choice once it becomes an option for me to choose. Gambling is NOT the EVIL of ALL as you posted in your earlier posting, those are ALL CHOICES and everyone has the God Given Right to Choose!
Posted by BobbyJack (anonymous) on May 1, 2009 at 9:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Got tired of hearing it huh, monkeeman08?
Posted by scoop (anonymous) on May 1, 2009 at 10:04 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I totally agree that some people overdue the gambling thing but I for one am for anything that will possibly help our schools. I agree with monkeeman08, you sir hit the nail on the head!!! I have one question for those who are so opposed to gambling because they worry people cannot handle it. So far I have not seen one death caused by somebody else pulling the lever on a slot machine. I have, however, had lost a dear friend to a drunk driver and loved ones to cancer because they smoked but nobody seems to have a problem with the people on welfare spending all "their" (I really mean we taxpayers' money) money on beer and cigarettes. My job takes me places others wouldn't go and I have seen some terrible tragedies in my time from alcohol abuse yet nobody seems to have a problem with these "sinful" activities. I agree government must have some control over people but I think things are getting ridiculous. My husband and I work hard for what little money our government allows us to keep for our family and I feel I have the God given right to spend my money as I see fit. Sure you are going to have some go overboard but that is a personal problem not a government problem. I say let the people of this state vote to see if they want electronic bingo......hmmmm.....politicians trust us enough to beg us to vote for them and put them in office but once they get in there they don't think we have the intelligence to vote on something like electronic bingo.......course politicians always talk out of both sides of their mouth. I think if we are wise enough to chose whether to spend our money on beer and cigarettes we are wise enough to vote whether we do or do not want electronic bingo.....Don't you???
Posted by max (anonymous) on May 1, 2009 at 2:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)
beanstalk, as a Christian i am in complete agreement that God has given us choices. we make them every single day; some good, some bad. and if you will check my earlier posts, nowhere will you find me saying gambling is the EVIL of ALL, as you posted. but i also know how important it is to read ALL of God's Word, not just the part about His unconditional love for us. while He does love us unconditionally, He also teaches us that our choices have consequences. just as you have the right to gamble, i have the right as a Christian to oppose it. and while you won't find a specific chapter and verse calling gambling a sin, you also won't find a single verse specifically calling abortion a sin, or child molestation, or driving while drunk, or cooking meth. the heart of the Gospel message of Jesus IS the heart; Jesus said to love God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength and to love our neighbors as ourselves. which of you gambling proponents can guarantee crimes won't be committed to pay gambling debts, or that lives and families won't be destroyed; just as no one can guarantee who will become alcoholics when the first drink is taken, there's no way to know. we do, however, KNOW those things happen. we also DO know that God wants the very best for us. the freedom to make bad choices is NEVER God's idea of what's best for us. God help our society when the only way we can properly fund education is through gambling. what would please God, however, is a return to fiscal responsibility by the government, and that includes the billions of dollars wasted each year in education, failed social programs and most anything the government gets involved with.
while you will probably disagree with most of this, know that as a Christian i love you and am praying for you and praying against our state legalizing gambling.
Posted by Beanstalk (anonymous) on May 1, 2009 at 2:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Max, that was a very well posted message, Respectfully I do agree and disagree with parts of you post. But that’s OK as we are allowed that. The point that I was attempting to make, was simply post FACTS not emotions. In your post above you stated....
"Posted by max (anonymous) on April 30, 2009 at 3:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)
outlaw also wrote, "if the voters want it, then they should get it..." then where does one draw the line? if the voters want to outlaw owning firearms, should they get it? legalize crack? sure, why not. the issue at hand is not the people's right to vote for something, it's whether the government should legalize and adopt something that is proven time and time again to be detrimental to society. go talk to the local law enforcement officials in atmore, biloxi or anywhere else gambling is legal and get some facts. oh, and while you're at it talk to government officials in florida and georgia (both lottery states) about how much education has been helped by the lottery. you'll find a much different story when you look at facts."
...............
This post certainly was mostly emotion and not the FACTS.
The other thing that concerns me in your later post is "I AM PRAYING AGAINST THE STATE FOR GAMBLING" I take exception to this part of your statement. I feel that prayer should be inclusive of what our Lord God wants and that whatever it is will be used for his Glory. I would never pray against anyone or anything, as it is Gods will that is most important. Not ours. God Bless my Christian Friend, In God we all should Trust! As that’s where I place my Trust.
Posted by sickntired (anonymous) on May 3, 2009 at 6:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)
mmaammaa mmaammaa said... THE LOTTERY IS THE DEBIL !!!
LOL, C'mon people, that's just dumb. I grew up in Florida, and their schools benefitted GREATLY from the lottery. I have a friend from Georgia who agrees whole heartedly. What about crime? I've seen as much in my 10 years in Alabama as I ever did in Florida.. and you can't compare apples to oranges..as I'm sure some of you are. Saying Covington County will become a crime ridden major metropolitan area is just ludicrous. Sure, Mobile or Birmingham will have crime, but have you been to either lately? It hasn't been that long ago since I stood inside UAB and heard the gunshot from a near fatal mugging just outside. Did the lottery do that? I personally am for anything that will help our county and our schools, which it WILL. By the way, mmaammaa mmaammaa said that the internet would corrupt and destroy us, but I see some of you have managed to use it for it's intended purpose and the county lives on.
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