Editorial: Don't rush to approve Seminole deal

Monday, September 14, 2009  

"The president of Florida’s Senate showed this week that deliberation and due diligence are still valued by some leaders of state government.

Jeff Atwater, a Republican from Palm Beach County, e-mailed senators on Thursday, advising that two proposals — one by the governor; another by leaders in the state House of Representatives — are too important to be rushed through the Legislature.

Good for Atwater, good for Florida.

Atwater announced that a special session of the Legislature is “highly unlikely” to occur next month, even though Gov. Charlie Crist wanted the House and Senate to approve a proposed compact on gambling.

Crist recently announced that he’d struck a deal with the Seminole Tribe that would dramatically expand gambling on tribal lands in Florida.

“An initial review has raised questions regarding some of the terms of the compact,” Atwater’s e-mail stated.

That was a mild way of saying that Crist significantly deviated from the parameters given to him in a bill passed by the Legislature. The compact would authorize a much broader expansion of gambling operations run by the Seminoles — allowing them to install Vegas-style slot machines and effectively give them a monopoly on games such as blackjack, in which players bet against the casino house."

Get the Story:
Editorial: No reason to rush legislation (The Sarasota Herald Tribune 9/12)

More Opinions:
Howard Troxler: Florida Senate's delay on drilling, Seminole gambling pact is a good idea (The St. Petersburg Times 9/13)
Editorial: Don't look now (The Gainesville Sun 9/12)