Editorial: A sucker's bet on Seminole compact

Tuesday, March 24, 2009  

"In a cynical attempt for new revenue that avoids raising taxes, some in Tallahassee—led by Gov. Charlie Crist and certain legislators—are banking on making Floridians suckers to help balance the state’s $6 billion budget deficit. In one form or another, these “leaders” are betting, in part, on fixing our fiscal house with a gambling expansion.

In other words, Florida will pay its bills by making its citizens losers. Now, that’s a sucker’s bet!

Only, in this case, the losers are not just the citizen-gamblers who are preyed upon by a revenue-hungry state government, offering false promises of get-rich-quick schemes in the midst of economic doom and gloom. Indeed, such a sucker’s bet would make all Floridians losers as the siren song of more gambling equaling more state revenues will ultimately fail to deliver its promised riches—yet again.

The legislative pitch? Cut a better deal with the Seminole Indian Tribe—and pay off the other gambling interests in the state with their own expansion—and watch the money roll into the state’s coffers."

Editorial: A sucker’s bet on the Seminole compact (The Florida Baptist Witness 3/24)

More Stories:
Senate gambling bills would give Seminoles, race tracks more games (The Miami Herald 3/24)
Crist likes Senate plan to expand gambling (The Tampa Bay Tribune 3/24)
Oppose Seminole gaming pact, Broward administrator says (The Miami Herald 3/24)
Gambling pact could cost tourism businesses $100m a year (The Orlando Sentinel 3/23)