Legislative leaders agree to expand gambling

Pro-family leaders: ‘largest expansion of predatory gambling’ in Florida history

May 7, 2009
JAMES A. SMITH SR.
Executive Editor

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TALLAHASSEE (FBW) – Only hours after legislative gambling negotiations had seemingly reached an impasse yesterday, the Florida House of Representatives made its “final offer” and the Senate accepted.

Between the late morning meeting in which lead House negotiator Rep. Bill Galvano (R-Bradenton) abruptly ended the conference by suggesting the House was possibly done negotiating and the late afternoon meeting in which the deal was reached, Gov. Charlie Crist – who attended the May 6 meeting with Seminole Indian Tribe leaders watching from the front row – told reporters he still had hope for an agreement, suggesting reporters keep watching for the next few hours.

A deal was reached less than six hours later when the House made its final offer and the Senate, led by Sen. J.D. Alexander (R-Winter Haven), accepted the deal after briefly conferring with Senate President Jeff Atwater (R-North Palm Beach).

Concerning the dramatic change of events, Florida Baptist Convention legislative consultant Bill Bunkley wondered what happened between meetings to change the fortunes of the matter.

“I hope one day all Floridians will know what was said behind closed doors in those few afternoon hours on Wednesday that turned this dead deal into a done deal,” Bunkley told Florida Baptist Witness.

The gambling legislation will permit the Seminoles, who would pay the state at least $150 million per year for 15 years, to keep “banked” card games at its facilities in Broward and Dade counties and Las Vegas-style slot machines at all seven of its casinos, while also expanding gambling options for pari-mutuel facilities across the state.

In response to the surprising turn of events, pro-family leaders issued a joint statement May 7 decrying the deal as “the largest expansion of predatory gambling in Florida’s history.”

Florida Baptist leader Bunkley; Dennis Baxley, executive director of Christian Coalition of Florida; Nathan Dunn, vice president of Florida Family Action; and John Stemberger, president of Florida Family Policy Council, said they were “extraordinarily disappointed” with the deal, particularly pointing to the House’s failed “containment” strategy.

“Rather than containing the fire, this new proposal would start a wildfire of new expansion across the state for this destructive vice,” the statement asserts.

The pro-family leaders said the deal is “unnecessary, irresponsible and reckless” since the state budget does not depend on the gambling money and no court has order the state to allow Class III games to the Seminoles.

“Further, the claim that gambling money is needed ‘for the children’ is nonsense,” the pro-family leaders said, referencing a comment repeatedly made by Crist in touting the gambling expansion for months.

“This proposal shows no apparent concern for the children whose parents and families lives will eventually be shattered in divorce, suicide, crime and bankruptcy from their parents gambling addictions,” the statement says.

Floridians will lose billions of dollars in order for the gambling industry and state to gain its revenues, according to the leaders.

“It is economically and morally wrong for the government to foster predatory gambling in our state which merely preys upon the weakness, poverty and financial loss of Floridians for the sake of profit,” Bunkley and his colleagues said.

While the pro-family leaders will urge both houses of the Legislature to reject the deal – with votes expected Friday – Bunkley believes their dim hope is with the House, where only as many as 33 representatives voted against the House version of the gambling bills.

In the 120-member House, 61 votes will be required to defeat the gambling deal, which are actually two separate measures – a bill establishing the parameters for and the governor’s authority to execute a compact with the Seminoles and a measure to provide various enhancements to the state’s pari-mutuels.

“This new proposal is so far from the original House position that it should be easy for people of conscience to vote against it, even if they voted for the more conservative approaches that passed the House last month,” the pro-family leaders asserted in their statement.

The Seminole Tribe, which will also have to approve the compact after its executed with the governor, issued a May 7 statement strongly suggesting the deal would meet with its endorsement.

The gambling issue was pressed on the Legislature because Crist negotiated an agreement with the Seminoles in 2007 allowing Las Vegas-style slot machines and certain games – like blackjack and baccarat – that are currently illegal. The Florida Supreme Court – in response to a suit filed by then House Speaker Marco Rubio – invalidated the compact in 2008, finding the governor lack the authority to enter into the agreement.

Only two weeks before the high court’s ruling, the Seminoles began operating the illegal games, which continue today.

Rubio declared this week he will seek the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate next year, setting up a likely primary battle with Crist, who is widely expected to declare soon he will also run for the seat currently held by Mel Martinez who is not seeking re-election.

In the midst of a $6 billion budget shortfall, Crist has persistently lobbied the Legislature to approve his Seminole compact – appearing at multiple gambling conference meetings this week, while some legislators have argued the state’s pari-mutuel facilities should get additional games and other enhancements in order to not be disadvantaged by a deal with the Tribe.

According to Bunkley, the complicated two-part legislation agreed to May 6, include the following elements.

For the Seminole Compact:
--All seven Seminole casinos would be permitted to operate Class III, Las Vegas-style slot machines.
--Seminoles to get to keep exclusive rights to blackjack, chemin de fer and baccarat at it’s Hard Rock Casinos in Hillsborough and Broward counties.
--Banked games would not be allowed at other facilities.
--The tribe can offer no-limit poker at all seven of its reservations.
--The deal would generate $300 million in next year’s state budget, counting money the tribe already has put in escrow for gambling during the past two years.
--The money would go into the state’s Education Enhancement Trust Fund.
--The Seminoles would guarantee a minimum to state of $150 million per year, 12 percent of their earnings up to $2.5 billion.
--The 15-year deal permits the Tribe to seek additional games after five years.

For the pari-mutuels:
--Pari-mutuels could get thousands of video lottery terminals, or VLTs, which are bingo-style slot machines upon a separate approval from the Legislature and passage of local county voter referendums.
--Horse and dog tracks around the state would be able to offer no-limit poker.
--Pari-mutuel racetracks and jai-alai frontons in Dade and Broward counties will have a lower tax rate on slot machines, no-limit poker and nighttime thoroughbred racing. The new rate would be reduced to 35 percent from 50 percent.
--Hialeah Race Track can re-open with card rooms and very limited quarter horse racing.
--The so-called immediate bailout provision for Palm Beach Kennel Club and Hialeah Race Track allows lawmakers to grant permission to voters in any county to approve full-fledged slot machines at a pari-mutuel that has held live racing for at least two years. Palm Beach wants it now and Hialeah two years after it reopens.

Urging Florida Baptists to contact their legislators to oppose the gambling agreement, Bunkley told the Witness, “This could be a forever Florida vote. Once this is put into motion it will be very difficult to turn it around. …

“What image and legacy of Florida do we want to leave for our children, grandchildren and future visitors to our state: one of beautiful beaches, pristine lakes and rivers, luscious state parks, and great family friendly theme park, or the next gambling Mecca rivaling Atlantic City or Las Vegas and even mirroring the pre-Castro days in casino-laden Havana?”

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