March 31, 2003
Texas CLC commends governor's stance against more gambling
___By John Hall
___Texas Baptist Communications
___AUSTIN--Gov. Rick Perry looks ready to trump any deal to expand gambling in Texas.
___Gambling lobbyists claim expanded gambling would provide a quick fix for the $9.9 billion deficit facing Texas lawmakers.
___In response, the Texas Baptist Christian Life Commission is monitoring more than 40 bills that would increase gambling around the state.
___But Perry appears poised to kill any hopes of gambling lobbyists, according to Kathy Walt, press secretary in the governor's office. Perry is against allowing casinos, slot machines, electronic gambling machines and "racinos" to further permeate the state, she said March 26.
___"He is opposed to any expansion of gambling in the state," she said.
___The governor's stance is encouraging and gratifying, said Suzii Paynter, the Christian Life Commission's director of citizenship and public policy.
___"We clearly support and appreciate the position of the governor," she said.
___The benefits of expanded gambling in Texas are based on "mirage economics," CLC representatives said at a news conference.
___Gambling would be a detriment rather than a benefit to society, argued Earl Grinols, professor of economics at the University of Illinois and a senior economist on the Council of Economic Advisers to President Ronald Reagan. His research indicates gambling increases several societal problems, including crime, business and employment costs, bankruptcy, suicide, illness, social service costs and family costs.
___Grinols estimated states spend $3 to battle gambling problems for every dollar the industry generates. Gambling costs society about $230 per adult while generating $42 per adult for the economy, he found.
___Casinos cannibalize a local economy, CLC Director Phil Strickland said. Money sucked from people's pockets supports only the casino owners. If the money were used to buy goods at a store, it would support the store, its employees and all the companies and workers who produced the product, he said.
___"We do not believe the government should be in on running an industry that makes losers out of its own people," Paynter said.
___Gambling also creates and preys on addicts, Grinols said. Where gambling has increased, gambling addiction support groups have multiplied substantially, whereas gambling addiction has drastically declined where gambling efforts have been restricted. About one-third of casino revenue comes from gambling addicts, he predicted.
___Gambling "creates an addict in such a way that affects every community it touches," Paynter said.
___The Christian Life Commission particularly is mindful of two gambling bills pertaining to Native Americans this session. House Bill 807 would allow casinos on Native American land. This bill would set a horrendous precedent for removing the penalty for "clearly illegal activity," Paynter said.
___Although Senate Bill 1146 does not mention gambling, Paynter said gambling lobbyists have a hidden agenda behind it. The bill officially would recognize Native American tribes who meet extremely general stated guidelines, including owning some land in Texas when they first encountered non-Native Americans. Currently, the state recognizes three Native American tribes.
___If the bill passes, tribes that no longer live in Texas may file claims for what they view as their historic lands. Many landowners in Texas could be in a tight spot if that occurs, and the state may allow Native Americans to build casinos in small areas to settle the claim, Paynter said.
___Although the complicated scheme may sound far-fetched, similar actions occurred in Illinois, where a non-Native American gambling supporter financed the operation by filing lawsuits against land owners in 15 central Illinois counties, she reported.
___Paynter fears people may abuse Texas heritage for their own personal gain.
___By expanding gambling, the legislature also would encourage the gambling industry to prey upon its constituency and join other states in a "race to the bottom," Grinols said.
___"Gambling has been a one-way ticket," he said. "So far, no state has reversed the expansion of gambling without court action."
___Weston Ware, legislative consultant with Texans Against Gambling, emphasized his organization's opposition to any legislation that would expand gambling in Texas.
___No form of commercial gambling is a good strategy for the state's economic development, and no form is free from the economic, social and individual harm that comes to problem and pathological gamblers, Ware said.
___"No form of commercial gambling is packaged in such as way that the person addicted to gambling will not eventually become a loser," Ware said. "We believe government should neither operate a scam on its people nor license individuals, corporations or non-profit groups to do the same."
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