Clandestino
02-23-2005, 08:18 AM
Web Posted: 02/23/2005 12:00 AM CST
Guillermo X. Garcia
Express-News Austin Bureau
AUSTIN — Texas could gain more than $1 billion a year from video slot machines, but minorities and the poor would be gambling a significantly greater part of their income than the middle class and the wealthy, lawmakers were told Tuesday.
While lawmakers aren't debating a gaming bill yet, proponents and opponents of expanding gambling in Texas via video lottery terminals were out in force at a hearing of the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee, which is considering a number of education funding options.
Church groups are using ethical and religious arguments in their attempt to sway leaders of the Republican majority in the House and Senate to expand gaming in Texas.
One bill expanding gambling has been introduced by Rep. Sylvester Turner, D-Houston. Rep. Kino Flores, D-Palmview, as early as today will file a bill that would expand legalized gambling by creating new casinos and allow tens of thousands of video slots in casinos and racetracks around the state.
Gambling proponents say Texans already travel to Louisiana, Oklahoma and New Mexico casinos and racetracks where they wager an estimated $1 billion a year.exactly, may as well keep the money in texas! They argue that providing them with an opportunity to place their bets in Texas would yield millions of dollars in new revenues that could be earmarked for public schools.
Representatives of the state's ailing horse racing industry said video slots may be the only way to save horse racing in Texas, which has experienced a decline because of shrinking purses and competition from neighboring states.
"Texas dollars should stay in Texas because gaming is a lost opportunity for the state," said Ronnie Thomas, chairman of the Alabama-Coushatta Tribal Council, which has the oldest Indian reservation in Texas and helps run a casino in Louisiana.
But church and social action groups like COPS and the Metro Alliance in San Antonio say they oppose attempts to expand gambling's footprint in Texas.
Suzii Paynter of the Baptist General Convention said video gaming customers in Texas would not be "white middle class suburbanites but would be the lowest income, least educated, minority Texans."
Citing Texas Lottery Commission figures, she noted that people earning less than $20,000 a year in 2003 spent $75.50 a month on lottery games, while those who earned between $20,000 and $30,000 yearly spent $106 per month on the lottery. By contrast, Texans who earned between $76,000 and $100,000 a year spent less than $29 a month on the lottery. wonder how they got these figures
"The people of our churches have a message for the governor and the Legislature: It is time you do right by families and children of Texas and not the money interests who contribute to your re-election campaigns," said Father Blane O'Neill, pastor of Espada Mission.
Guillermo X. Garcia
Express-News Austin Bureau
AUSTIN — Texas could gain more than $1 billion a year from video slot machines, but minorities and the poor would be gambling a significantly greater part of their income than the middle class and the wealthy, lawmakers were told Tuesday.
While lawmakers aren't debating a gaming bill yet, proponents and opponents of expanding gambling in Texas via video lottery terminals were out in force at a hearing of the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee, which is considering a number of education funding options.
Church groups are using ethical and religious arguments in their attempt to sway leaders of the Republican majority in the House and Senate to expand gaming in Texas.
One bill expanding gambling has been introduced by Rep. Sylvester Turner, D-Houston. Rep. Kino Flores, D-Palmview, as early as today will file a bill that would expand legalized gambling by creating new casinos and allow tens of thousands of video slots in casinos and racetracks around the state.
Gambling proponents say Texans already travel to Louisiana, Oklahoma and New Mexico casinos and racetracks where they wager an estimated $1 billion a year.exactly, may as well keep the money in texas! They argue that providing them with an opportunity to place their bets in Texas would yield millions of dollars in new revenues that could be earmarked for public schools.
Representatives of the state's ailing horse racing industry said video slots may be the only way to save horse racing in Texas, which has experienced a decline because of shrinking purses and competition from neighboring states.
"Texas dollars should stay in Texas because gaming is a lost opportunity for the state," said Ronnie Thomas, chairman of the Alabama-Coushatta Tribal Council, which has the oldest Indian reservation in Texas and helps run a casino in Louisiana.
But church and social action groups like COPS and the Metro Alliance in San Antonio say they oppose attempts to expand gambling's footprint in Texas.
Suzii Paynter of the Baptist General Convention said video gaming customers in Texas would not be "white middle class suburbanites but would be the lowest income, least educated, minority Texans."
Citing Texas Lottery Commission figures, she noted that people earning less than $20,000 a year in 2003 spent $75.50 a month on lottery games, while those who earned between $20,000 and $30,000 yearly spent $106 per month on the lottery. By contrast, Texans who earned between $76,000 and $100,000 a year spent less than $29 a month on the lottery. wonder how they got these figures
"The people of our churches have a message for the governor and the Legislature: It is time you do right by families and children of Texas and not the money interests who contribute to your re-election campaigns," said Father Blane O'Neill, pastor of Espada Mission.