28 April 2010
SB489 came before the house last week. This bill would have legalized slot machines and gaming tables in the state. I voted against this bill for the following reasons:
First, the bill’s supporters argued that it would close the current budget gap. I disagree with this rationale. We have a budget deficit because politicians in this state have a spending problem. More money from casinos would turn into more state spending. Our budget gap exists because our state government has significantly increased the size of our budget over the past two budget cycles. Before considering any new sources of government revenue, we ought to fix our spending problem first.
Second, this bill would have created a government monopoly. SB 489 offered no competitive bidding, decisions on casino ownership would have been decided by the state government. I am opposed to creating this kind of arrangement between the state and hand selected businesses.
These reasons were more than enough to convince me to oppose the bill.