Editorial on Kentucky Chamber call for "Let The People Decide"

Wed, 02/15/2012 - 8:09am — Katie Gary

State Senator Mike Wilson (R-Bowling Green)

Dear Andrew,

I was appalled to read a press release yesterday that David Adkisson is bringing the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce out in support of expanded gambling and wrote an editorial on it as cited below.

It's NOT "let the people decide" Mr. Adkisson

David Adkisson, President and CEO of the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, announced his misguided support of expanded gambling Thursday February 9th as a part of the group called “Kentucky Alliance for Jobs” of which the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce is a part.

Has Mr. Adkisson even investigated his call for “Let the People Decide”? Does he really know the constitution of Kentucky and how it reads? Has he really looked at the research done on this issue by the Presidential Commissions? I highly doubt it or he wouldn't be playing politics with the citizen's of Kentucky and their future.

Mr. Adkisson is first calling on legislators not to really “let the people decide” as he says, but according to the constitution he is calling on legislators to recommend that we amend our constitution. And that recommendation is that we agree and believe it should be changed to include casino gambling as being legal in the state. Kentucky has no referendum law to “let the people decide” as does California. So a legislator is putting his name on the line to say he agrees with casino gambling and he recommends it be enshrined in the constitution.

Mr. Adkisson is also calling for one business above all others to be forever named and constitutionally protected in the Kentucky Constitution. I didn't realize that the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce was in the business of picking winners and losers in the area of business and commerce. Why not constitutionally protect agriculture or restaurants? It's proven that when casinos come into an area that many small businesses go out of business. The 1.2 billion dollars Kentuckians would have to wager in order for the state to get it's 300 plus million dollar share would be 1.2 billion dollars taken out of the economy. Those dollars would normally have been spent on other consumer choices in currently existing businesses. I guess casinos get the nod to be the winner over many of our other already existing small businesses. Once casinos are in the constitution, we will never be rid of them no matter how bad they hurt other businesses.

Mr. Adkisson must also believe that Kentucky politics needs the infusion of millions of dollars into the political realm. Casino gambling interest have unlimited streams of money from all their gambling businesses in other states and will spend millions to influence a “let the people decide” campaign. Once they get their hooks into politicians the millions and millions of dollars they can spend will insure they are always first in line, forever protected, and lead to corruption of the political process like never before.

I'm glad Mr. Adkisson doesn't speak for all Chamber of Commerce's across Kentucky. Otherwise if that were the case I'm sure we would find a mass exodus from such organizations that promote one business over another instead of representing all members equally. Mr. Adkisson would do well to remember in gambling “the house always wins”, since businesses and jobs will not.

MIKE WILSON
State Senator - 32nd Senate District
Butler & Warren Counties

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Comments

Submitted by Gary Smrtic (not verified) on Wed, 02/15/2012 - 8:34am

Thanks for telling it like it is, Senator Wilson! I've seen another state bring in gambling under the same umbrella of "Let the people decide", to that state's detriment. The gambling interests reap the rewards, not the people of the state, and certainly not the state government as a whole. Now, certain politicians who find themselves friends of gambling, well, that's a different story. Crime, increased infrastructure costs, etc, would bring Kentucky to the breaking point. We need representatives who look out for EVERYONE's interests, not the select few, and certainly not for out of state investors in legalized gambling. Trust me, if you want to gamble, go to 'Vegas. If legalized gambling was so good for the state's economy, think about it, why haven't we heard of this incredible success story from Mississippi or New Jersey? Keep legalized casino gambling OUT of Kentucky.

Submitted by John Burden (not verified) on Wed, 02/15/2012 - 6:43pm

It is interesting how "casino" gambling is not wanted but "horse-racing" gambling is great for the commonwealth. Also, it is interesting how "Lottery" gambling is accepted by those of our commonwealth; when the same arguments being used against "casino" gambling were used during the debate over whether to sell Lottery tickets or scratch-offs. My guess is that we, the "people", the "citizens" of the Commonwealth are not supposed to remember the past and only accept the present arguments as the truth. The fact is that gambling is accepted in Kentucky, sorry for the truth but if you are observant and have your eyes open you can see it. Why is the currently accepted gambling (horse-racing and the lottery) the only legal gambling that should be allowed in Kentucky? If the economy was booming and if the Commonwealth's finances were not in their current state of crisis, would this be as big of an issue? Probably not,but, the situation is as it is. I cannot understand the arguments for one type of gambling over another type. I think that is because I am not looking at the situation with closed eyes as so many seem to be doing these days. If Senator Wilson has a plan to turn around the economy that doesn't involve gambling and can bring about an infusion of 300 plus million dollars for the state economy that doesn't involve gambling, could we please hear it. I am sure that we would all like to hear this plan and possibly we could benefit from such a plan; but, instead we seem to continue splitting hairs with the gambling issue. It is either that all gambling is evil and unacceptable or all gambling is good and acceptable.