February 24, 2009 A fresh push for casino gambling State lawmakers from Houston, Dallas and San Antonio - plus the head of the House budget-writing committee - today launched a fresh push for Las Vegas-style destination resort casinos in Texas. Slot machines also would be allowed at the state's existing race tracks under the proposal by Sen. Rodney Ellis, D-Houston; Sen. John Carona, R-Dallas; Rep. Jose Menendez, D-San Antonio; and House Appropriations Committee Jim Pitts, R-Waxahachie. In addition, the three federally recognized Indian tribes could operate a casino on their tribal lands. "Texans already are voting with their feet and going out of state" to gamble, said Ellis. Menendez noted that Texas is "surrounded by gaming." Opposition immediately arose from a racetrack group that is pushing more narrowly for slot machines at tracks and from conservative and Christian groups. Backers of Senate Joint Resolution 31 and Senate Bill 1084, the broad gambling legislation, said their proposal would bring in at least $3 billion a year in new state and local revenue. The legislation calls for $1 billion to be funneled to a trust fund for college scholarships and another $1 billion to transportation. Casino proponents also said their proposal would create 90,000 to 120,000 direct jobs. Up to 12 casinos would be allowed statewide, with designated areas for nine of them: Galveston, South Padre Island, Bexar County, Tarrant County, Travis County and two each in Dallas and Harris Counties. Tommy Azopardi of Texans for Economic Development, the racetrack group, said the legislation would create a "widely disparate tax rate" between casinos and tracks (15 percent versus 35 percent), wouldn't allow tracks to have the same games as casinos and would greatly expand "the footprint of gambling in the state." Casino backers said tracks could apply for one of the casino licenses but would have to go through the same process as other applicants. Suzii Paynter of the Christian Life Commission of the Baptist General Convention said casinos would be in competition with "family friendly" attractions and businesses and could cause them to close. "We've developed a tourism industry that is not yielding the byproduct of addiction," Paynter said. "Why would we give that up for an industry that promises entertainment but delivers addiction?" Casino proponents disagree that casinos result in social ills including a higher crime rate and more gaming addiction. Cathie Adams of the Texas Eagle Forum was unimpressed by the predicted job increase. "Why in the world would we want our children to grow up to be card dealers and waitresses?" Adams asked. The proposal would require approval of a constitutional amendment by two-thirds of lawmakers and voters statewide. Posted by Peggy Fikac at February 24, 2009 04:08 PM Do you guys want this to happen? What positive or negatives do you see in this? I think that it would be helpful to the economy, plus it would save me from making a trip to Louisiana just to go to a casino.I say bring it on.
This would be a great move. It is stupid that we export billions upon billions of dollars to Louisiana and other states when it could stay right here in our economy. Plus, it would allow people to play the most popular poker game in the world in the state whose name it carries. Let us play Texas Hold'em in Texas!
No problem at all and I think Galveston would do well to look into it. They need something down there and gambling would be the draw. I think that the anti-gambling base has eroded in the past years and there won't be much of an outrage if it were legalized, if at all.
At least the odds of a gambling bill passing increase with each legislative session in which it is shot down. What are the odds up to now anyway?
I'm not opposed to gambling, but the religious objection is valid to adherents of the respected faith. Whether you agree with it or not.
I can't be against it and be anything less than a hypocrite. But there are lots of studies suggesting a correlation between gambling, crime and other social costs. Again, I'm not arguing against it....but there are arguments to be made that are worth considering before you plunge in.
I think it's a great idea. They should add Nueces County (Corpus Christi/Port Aransas) to the list of possible destinations as well. That said, I don't want to see slot machines in the 7-11 by my house or at Denny's like you do in Louisiana. They should be strictly limited to the casinos and race tracks.
I think it'd be great, and not just for the economy. It'd be great for me! How awesome would it be to be able to drive to the casinos for a night?
I don't want Casinos in Texas. Government is really a collection of families, and government should work to strengthen families, not weaken them. Families, I still believe, are the fabric that holds our society together. Why should we, as Texans, add one more addictive temptation that provably weakens families and harms children? If you want to gamble and give your money to big corporations like Harrah's, please take the drive to Louisiana. I vote NO.
Gambling destroys families? What? So if Texas' gamblers are already gambling in Louisiana/OK/Ark (and they indeed are), how does it weaken families in Texas any more to have gambling here? Does not compute... at all
Won't someone please think of the children? Disclaimer: I have no intention of demeaning what the poster said. But it's the first thing that popped into my head when it was posted.
