A number of Wichita-area GOP lawmakers in the Kansas House strongly objected to our Tuesday editorial, which noted that all but one of them voted against the House-passed bill to give voters in Sedgwick County a chance to decide whether they want a destination casino. The lawmakers disliked how the legislation came to be written and voted on, and variously suggested it was a “garbage bill” that would be bad for the area economy and good only for the casino industry. They criticized its inclusion of Sumner County and exclusion of Harvey County, where voters also have approved a casino, and other nearby counties. Much of their criticism of the process was valid — ideally, such major legislation should not bypass committee hearings and be voted on in the wee hours.
Some understandably wanted credit for having voted instead for a failed constitutional amendment to allow privately owned casinos in Kansas — which would have given all Kansas voters a say on expanded gambling, not just those in four areas of the state. Here is that credit: The Republicans who voted for the constitutional amendment but not the other bill were Reps. Steve Brunk, Brenda Landwehr, Joe McLeland, JoAnn Pottorff and Jason Watkins of Wichita; Rep. Steve Huebert of Valley Center; Rep. Dick Kelsey of Goddard; Rep. Ty Masterson of Andover; and Rep. Ted Powers of Mulvane. It would be great if Kansas voters had the opportunity to fix that constitutional glitch someday.
Until then, though, do these lawmakers really expect local voters to believe that they’d all warmly welcome a Sedgwick County casino, if only the bill was right?
Posted by Rhonda Holman
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40 Comments
How many of the “no” voters get campaign money from out-of-area gambling interests?
What I want to understand is why they are so opposed to it? We were forced to vote on the White Elephant downtown by our city. Why not give us the chance to vote for expanded gambling? Regardless of their personal feelings on the matter, this should be something that the local population decides.
boring topics today…zzzz
I wonder how much a 225,000,000 casino in Sedgwick County would cost tax payers? $500,000,000 to $800,000,000. Proposal prices tend to jump by quite a bit once they cross the Sedgwick County line.
Let’s be honest here people. How many of you are for the casinos simply because you perceive that the opposition to them is mainly from evangelical Christians and anything they are against you must be for and vice-versa. If you look at it logically, there are many other reasons to oppose more gambling in Kansas.The central US is close to the saturation point with gambling already. Adding four more casinos in Kansas will only exacerbate that condition. Already Missouri is trying to repeal their five hundred dollar loss limit due to competition from Illinois and other States. What other demands will the casino operators make in order to stay competitive with the surrounding states? And will our politicians ever be able to resist the big gambling dollars that will be used to buy whatever enticements they want?Don’t be fooled into thinking that gambling will mean less taxes in this State. The lottery and parimutuel betting dollars have been nothing more than a jackpot to be cut up by a privileged few under the guise of economic development. Anybody want to bet that the revenues derived from the casinos will also find their way into the pockets of the privileged few?Go ahead, support expanded gambling because you think you are sticking it to the “religious right”. Or maybe, just once, step outside your own world view and look at it logically.
“Don’t be fooled into thinking that gambling will mean less taxes in this State.”
Right thinking Americans know better. It’s just more money to spend. But, it is a question of do I want to drive across town to a casino or not. Either one is fine with me, but I would like to have the choice.
Pull your head out Fleet. You as a free American have the right to spend your money anyway you see fit. You do not have the right not to be inconvenienced by having to drive a couple of hours, or cross a State line to spend your money foolishly (IMHO). Where do you people get off saying that you are being denied freedom of choice because Kansas doesn’t have a casino on every corner?
Think about it, Chris.
If a person chooses to gamble, and there ISNT a casino locally – they have to go elsewhere to gamble.
That, in effect, restricts their choices. Fleet is correct.
What is MORE interesting is why anyone other than those who want to gamble are concerned.
Many businesses, not just casinos, ask for financial incentives.
Chris – I detect a bit of paranoia on your part “How many of you are for the casinos simply because you perceive that the opposition to them is mainly from evangelical Christians and anything they are against you must be for and vice-versa.”
My position in favoring democracy to proceed has absolutely nothing to do with whether or not opponents are Christian or Muslim or anything else. It is simply that I believe the people of Sedgwick County should have a voice.
By the way, didn’t a majority of the citizens of YOUR county voive yes? What is it, you simply oppose anything that a non-evangelical supports?
Chris – if we passed a law prohibiting your church from being located in Kansas but that you could drive to Oklahoma would that be OK? That seems to be your logic in replying to fleet above.
“Pull your head out fleet”?A “casino on every corner”?
Getting a little breathless are we?
If you really are from McPherson, it’s not your deal. Pleased to be saying, Butt Out.
By the way, didn’t a majority of the citizens of YOUR county voive yes?
The answer to your question BH is no. McPherson County has never voted on the question of Casinos. You may be thinking about Marion County which voted down casinos a while back. All of our representatives, Clark Shultz, Don Schroder, and Dan Dahl voted no the other day when it passed the House. Our Senator is currently being beseiged with calls and e-mails asking him to vote no, even though he has been on record as favoring slots at the dog and horse tracks in the past.And BH, for a man of letters as you claim to be, you can make some of the dumbest arguments for the causes you support. Your analogy of outlawing Churches in Kansas is totally assinine and not germaine to the topic at hand. Your claim of resticting freedom of choice is even more specious. I happen to love the ocean. I currently have two choices. I can move close to one, or I can resign myself to having to travel many hours to reach one. The fact that the State of Kansas does not provide me with an ocean in no way restricts my freedom of choice.
Chris – your ‘ocean’ analogy falls flat. Oceans, like mountains, don’t come to Mohammed. Casinos, however, are just another business, and as such, they should be treated in a fair manner.
Casinos, besides being a place of gambling – are places of entertainment.
I’m not a gambler – I went only once to Vegas for a convention and carried one quarter in my pocket – vowing to gamble it before we left…but the thought was too akin to flushing it down the toilet – so I never did.
But I FULLY support other’s rights to frequent casinos if they enjoy gambling.
It’s just NOT my business.Likewise, it’s NOT yours.
Chris – if your Senator is on record as favoring certain forms of gambling – do you think the letter-writing campaign will do any good?
Especially since the pro-casino crowd is also writing him?
GS – well said. And Chris – my analogy WAS to the point. You want legislation to prevent the development of casinos that some people (not me by the way) might wish to patronize. And yet you would get upset at legislation that might do the same thing to you. You seem to think that your interests are special and better than someone else’s interests.
Sorry about identifying the wrong county. Has Harvey County voted? And why do you oppose democracy (Sedgwick County voting)?
Kansas has the lottery.Kansas has bingo.Kansas has dog tracks.Am I missing anything?
It’s stupid and legalistic not to allow full casino gambling if you have these others. Gambling is gambling. Don’t be against casino’s when you already have gambling.
If you don’t want casinos here, and if we get the chance to vote on them, work to make it fail. Go door to door to get people to vote no. Then, if it passes, don’t go to them. The End.
well said fleettwood
Fleet, would that be democray and freedom you are talking about?????
Democray = Democracy :->
Democray is a little too French sounding for my taste.
Having gambling illegal certinaly doesn’t stop anyone who wants to from gambling. my NCAA bracket was blown when Duke lost. Once a week for poker is normal with most of my friends.
What’s the difference between praying in church and praying in a casino?
In a casino, you really mean it!
Time to go back to school people. Democracy is NOT the form of government we were given by the founders. I will spare you all the quotes about what democracy really is, since you have all heard them before. Suffice it to say that “democracy is two wolves and a sheep voting on whats for dinner”.We have a representative republic form of government in which we elect representatives to enact our laws. And Kansas does not have voter initiative ( for which I thank the Lord daily). Of course you pro casino people want to see it put to a vote of the people. You know that the big gambling money would overwhelm the anti folks who lack the resources to compete. Funny how a lot of you who want casinos to be voted on by the people are the very same ones who are outraged by the downtown arena that was also approved by the voters.And I got news for you. Casino gambling is a State issue. Its not a Sedgwick County issue. All Kansans have the right to voice their opinions on it, not just the counties that might have a casino. I will continue to voice my feelings to my Senator and Represenative just as you have the right to do with yours. Thats how a representative republic works
It’s actually a Constitutional Republic. Representation falls under that broad category. :)
Chris – I think we all know that. However, we also know that in out representative government we often use referendum to help decide issues.
Why are you so fearful of a vote? Why are you so paranoid that you think the only reason we favor a vote is because you oppose it? “How many of you are for the casinos simply because you perceive that the opposition to them is mainly from evangelical Christians and anything they are against you must be for and vice-versa.” That, Chris, is rediculous.
Ben,
I think it has more to do with the fact that those who support a casino have nothing to loose.
Put it to a vote is obviously the cry of those who support it. Gambling is not the status quo.
Those who don’t want the vote like the Status quo, so there is no need to put it to a vote when they have everything to loose.
If enough people really want gambling and it is that important of an issue than they will get reps who support it.
I think that the problem is that Chris is a big government conservative. he has a list of things he doesn’t like and a personal agenda and it is the government job to impose those beliefs upon the rest of us
I’m willing to bet that there will be a vote on a Casino in Sedgwick County in the near future.
I would wager that influential campaign funds from Casino owners will influenced decisions made in Topeka.
I’m gambling on the good sense of those who are mindful of the Public’s well being.
BH, I oppose Initiative/referendum in all cases. I think it is a cop out by legislaters who don’t want to do what they were elected to do. It is also a poor way to make law. Colorado is a good example. They used voter initiative to pass TABOR. They turned around a few years later and passed a voter iniative that mandated automatic increases in education funding every year. The result has been a fiscal nightmare that the legislator has to deal with. You are also starting to see voter initatives used to help elect certain people (Missouri in 06). Once again, I thank God daily that Kansas does not have voter initiative.
Kansas does have voter initiative, Im pretty sure that the Banning gay marriage law was passed that way
Wrong Dingus, The gay marriage amendment was a amendment to the State constitution. It was passed by a threefourths majority of both houses of the Legislature and approved by a vote of the people. That is the prescribed method for amending the constitution. It was in no way a voter initiative.
Republican – other than the one next week do we have any elections scheduled for the balance of the year? Would they have to call a special election?
County Commissions can request special elections. However, the ability to waiver a question on the introduction of a matter such as a Casino Vote would have to be allowed by the Kansas Legislature.
The methodology is the same method used for the Arena tax vote. It must be signed by the Governor I believe.
Why shouldn’t I have an option to gamble locally? I am sick of the religious zealots out there trying to limit my life because somebody else is not responsible enough to know when to pay the mortgage or double down on a 7. If you are stupid enough to waste all of your money at a casino, then you are stupid enough to already be wasting it on something else. I love having the option of going to a casino if I want, but if you rather see that money go somewhere else (i.e. OK or Mo) than so long economic growth hello more taxes. We should get casinos just to try to keep taxes from increasing. This state sucks enough, adding casinos will improve it slightly and bring it somewhat out of the dark ages.
Good points R-A. While I have no interest in casino gambling – just cannot see the attraction – I have no right to dictate to you.
Republican – you partially answered my question. Thanks. However, the other part of what I wonder about it this: Is there an election scheduled in 2007 upon which a casino vote could be piggy-backed? I have a feeling there isn’t one.
If we must have gambling, let’s not have state-owned casinos! Can you imagine anything as dreadful as a casino owned by the government?
We should have at least two casinos in Wichita. That way, there will be competition for customers. With a state-owned monopoly on gambling, what fun can we expect to have?
In state-owned casinos in Canada, for example, I read there are no free drinks offered to gamblers. It costs too much, says the state. Well, why do privately-owned casinos do things like that? They think their customers like it, and it’s good for business.
Plus, state-owned bets are not so good for the gambler. In Kansas, the lottery pays out 54% of its intake in prizes to bettors. It has been said that mob-run numbers rackets pay out some 85% in prizes. Who is getting the better deal?
The more the state sees casinos as a never-ending source of funds, the worse-off the gamblers will be.
It looks like our state is going to the dogs along with the rest of the country. It seems many start into the business with what they term “an innocent lottery” and soon after follows the casinos. It was really only a matter of time.
A friend of mine as felt the pain of this legalized plague here Rhode Island for many years. They are hosts to one of the world’s largest gaming companies G-Tech,who recently built new headquarters in the capitol city, Providence.
Everyday people fly in from all over the world to see how they can get set up with lottery machines and the gaming industry. If you think the mob disappeared…look again…they’ve become a “kinder and gentler” mob, theirrunning the local lottery.
I invite anyone who is in favor of gambling in this county and city to vacation in Atlantic City, but do not stay in the casinos.
You will find blight, crime, drug abuse, prostitution and all manner of social ills. What you won’t find is prosperity, which is what casino peddlers have be promising them for at least the last 30 years.
They took a lovely family resort and turned it into a stinking, festering swamp of crime and corruption. Lest you think I lie, I spent many years there before the casinos and have had friends who’ve been there since.
Oh and just a little hint. That organization of businessmen whose families came from Sicily do a great deal of business there. Yes, Virginia, the Mafia does exist and it goes where ever people allow casinos and gambling. Here in Wichita we have people who are opening our door and inviting these animals in to ravage our communities.
I don’t know how much they’re being paid or if they are doing it because they think they can make money off of it, but they are selling us down the river. Without a paddle in a boat with too many leaks to plug.
You raise a good point about At City. However, in cities where they have allowed only a few casinos (e.g. KC, Montreal) that has not occurred.
I think what happens is that with over-saturation you get the problems you describe. However, when they are limited and more tightly regulated you don’t.
I have to agree with seanmahair. The social ills he/she describes are found in every city with gambling maybe just a little less visible in some.
I loved that anon quote about the odds in the mafia payouts. Is there something you need to tell us about yourself. I didn’t know the mafia shared this info with those outside the ‘family’.
We are indeed our brothers keeper and anyone who has spent time in casinos in Reno or Vegas will have seen those who carry every pocession they own in a paper bag setting at their feet while they put their last nickel in the one arm bandits just knowing they will strike it rich. We are indeed taking care of them just in a different fashion. Homeless, welfare, forclosures, bankruptzy, etc…
I have spent time in casinos and have seen the glamour and glitter but these casinos weren’t built because they pay out the big bucks. I know when to walk away, many don’t. That is why you see the sign about gambling addiction all over the place. Do we need another social addiction?
By the way I read yesterday that Oklahoma is going to try to repeal their approval of the lottery. It seems the promised dollars didn’t materialize. This would give a lie to lower taxes some expect here.