Oregon Voters Pass on Non-tribal Owned Casino
Saturday, November 6th, 2010Oregon is another state that has had hefty debates over legalizing gambling. The issue came to a head on Tuesday as voters were asked the final decision whether or not they want wagering to be allowed. It was a close race that was ushered in by a vast array of advertisers. On one side legislators were pushing for gambling in non-tribally owned locations. They believe that the extra money will allow for millions of additional tax revenue dollars to come in and that will allow them to improve government funded programs like expansion, building and education. On the other hand there is the con side. They believe that legalizing gambling will bring in crime and corruption. There is some validity to their arguments because it’s only natural that if you increase a market, there will be an increased number of incidents that are negative.
Despite the arguments, the issue came to a head on Tuesday when the voters decided they are passing on bringing the non-tribal casino to the state. It was startling to many because they believed that the promise of more revenue and jobs would be too much for the majority of voters to pass on, but they were wrong. Though people voted against it, legislators are not shelving the issue just yet. What people disagreed with was the specific plan that was being promoted to them. They didn’t like that plan, but that doesn’t mean they won’t be more welcoming of a different one. This is where legislators are going back to the drawing boards and coming up with different plans for gamers to take advantage of. One of the main deterrents to accepting the proposal was people believed the money generated may leave the state and benefit neighboring states. If legislators can rebuild the laws to prove to them that this won’t happen, it may be a choice they will be supportive of. Despite the negative vote this time, the issue will no doubt show up on future ballots for review. Legislators will present it differently and most likely have different backers of various proposed projects, but then they will leave it in the hands of the voters again for their decision on the issue.

