Pass tough gambling rules, taxes – Montgomery Advertiser
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We are convinced that a majority of Alabamians favor the concept of taxing and regulating electronic bingo. But to do that, the state has to modify its constitution, which will require a vote of the people in a statewide referendum.
And while there appears to be strong support for the concept of more stringently regulating and taxing electronic bingo, the public won’t be voting on a concept. They will be voting on a specific amendment, with pros and cons to it.
That makes it very important that whatever proposed amendment the Legislature approves and sends to the people be as clean and free of special loopholes and unclear language as possible. It needs to contain a fairly high tax rate, and it needs to apply that rate across the board to all gambling operations. And it needs strong regulations and protections for the public.
There are a host of bills pending in the Legislature that would affect gambling. At least two of them badly overreach. House Bill 154 would attempt to derail efforts to enforce the state’s current gambling laws as defined by the state Supreme Court and appears to allow gambling establishments to avoid existing taxes and lawsuits from gamblers. Senate Bill 375 would remove the governor’s power to initiate criminal probes. That would have ramifications that far exceed just gambling issues, and is therefore justifiably opposed by many of the state’s district attorneys. Both bills should be killed.
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