When it comes to enticing gamblers, casinos use big lights and catchy promotions to bring in the bucks.
But votes, apparently, is a different story. Here is one of the commercials the state’s gambling industry is using to push Prop A., a measure that would rescind the “loss limits” on Missouri casinos.
Seems like there ought to be a public outcry over the provision that caps the number of casinos, or to put it in plain language, prevents any new competition for the casinos which already exist. A marginal increase in the casino tax is a very small price to pay for a constitutionally protected oligopoly.
And I never thought I’d say this, but I agree with suzyjax on point #3. Indeed, I’ve been making this point for years - Why should Maryland Heights have gold plated municipal services, while the rest of St. Louis county municipalities can barely afford to fill their potholes? If we’re going to cap the number of casinos, there should be statewide revenue sharing of the municipal portion of casino revenue.
I am voting against this due to the misleading campaign to get the signatures required. I was stopped by one of those clipboard people who started telling me this was a move to help schools. Nothing about the casinos. When I questioned her about whether she was being paid by the casinos, she got the yabidabs. Anyone dumb enough to believe that this money will be segmented for use for education without the Legislature recognizing the fungibility of the total general revenue, I’ve got some Lehman Brothers stock I’d like to sell you. If casinos are good (which I doubt) then why limit them?
Of course, the casinos are going the simple route to get what they want. They are going to feed on the “feeble” minded, poor, and those that cannot control their own impulses. If it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck,……
Why on earth would we believe the gambling industry on anything? More for education is such a crock!!! Even the NEA can’t believe that…surely they must remember the last time they fell for this line. And losing loss limits during this economic crisis in just crazy. But, give them credit, they have tried and tried for years and have found a way to get the issue away from the Legislature. If we all live long enough, we will eventually see the gambling industry for what it really is…a get-rich-quick scheme that doesn’t work. Our kids are watching.
Jake Wagman covers City Hall for the Post-Dispatch
I will vote NO on Prop A for several reasons
1) It limits competition by not allowing any new casinos. Why would we allow them to have a quasi-monopoly.
2) Eliminating loss-limits at a time of economic hardship for many is questionable.
3) Eliminating loss-limits is just another chipping away of what was originally promised at the top casinos were allowed. If we are going to do this, why don’t we just allow casinos everywhere so that every city can benefit–not just those on the designated rivers. Why not land based casinso in Overland? Clayton? Affton? Oakville?
4) I am not buying this FOR THE KIDS crap they are dealing us. Again, we were told what an abundance of riches the schools would have if we allowed lottery and casinos.
When you consider all of this, why would anyone believe anything the gaming industry is selling us?