The State of Georgia is facing a budget shortfall for fiscal 2009 of over $2 Billion. And states do not need the blissful luxury of running deficit spending, and printing up paper money to cover the shortfall. State budgets should be balanced each year. So, Georgia needs to provide serious consideration to a fresh revenue stream.
State Rep. Roger Bruce (D-Atlanta) has announced his intention to introduce a bill in the 2009 legislative session allowing voters to choose if they desire gaming in Georgia. His bill would allow voters of every Georgia county to choose whether they wanted gaming inside their county. The Georgia Assembly and recent governors have already been cool to the idea of casinos in Georgia. However the legislature never allowed any gaming proposal to be voted on in a broad referendum or some other popular vote. 카라사이트
The big question is: Should gambling be produced legal in the state of Georgia?
Answer Number One: In a totally free society, individuals are free to utilize their income and assets whichever way they choose. There ought to be no moral, ethical, as well as Biblical sanction against gambling. Many people think that gambling is a sin, but a sin should not be produced illegal when it doesn't initiate force or fraud against another individual. Said another way, if I take advantage of my money to gamble with, it's my business.
Answer Number Two: The State legislators have previously settled any moral trepidations they may have ever endured over gambling. It is already legal within Georgia in one single form. Fifteen years back, lottery gambling became legal in Georgia, and up to now, has generated over $15 Billion in tax revenue. Sales for fiscal year 2008 climbed to a record-breaking $3.5 billion, exceeding the revenue generated during fiscal year 2007. So, the State of Georgia had been in the gaming business for over 15 years. Casino gambling is simply another type of gambling. However, with casino gambling, the state will not have the monopoly, but private enterprise will own and operate the casinos.
With a 15-year history of successful gaming under its belt, it will probably be pretty hard for the Georgia General Assembly to refuse casino gambling without exhibiting massive hypocrisy. But massive hypocrisy hasn't stopped them in the past.
But, think about other states where gaming is legal? What has their experience been?
To discover, I went along to the web site of the American Gaming Association in Washington, DC.
In Nevada, the granddaddy of all of them, where gaming began in 1931, tax revenues from gaming have already been a large area of the state budget. In 2006, Nevada gaming had 201,000 employees and tax revenues were $1.034 Billion. Nevada's budget for 2009 is placed at $6 Billion, so gaming revenue comprises about 17% of that state's total income each year.
Mississippi legalized gaming in 1990, passed by legislation and local option vote. You will find 30,500 gaming employees, and tax revenue for 2006 was $350.44 Million.
Louisiana legalized gambling in 1993, passed by legislation and local option vote. Tax revenue a year ago was $559 million, another $68 million from racetrack casinos, with 20,300 gaming employees.
Michigan legalized gambling in 1996 by statewide referendum, local option vote and legislation. Michigan has 3 casinos that generated 2006 tax revenue of $365 million.
So we see here that other states have long histories of success with casino gambling.
Casino gambling would be a welcome addition to the convention business in Atlanta and other Georgia cities. Las Vegas has been stealing away convention business for decades now with their gaming and entertainment attractions. The Georgia hospitality and restaurant industries would also get an infusion of business while they support gaming tourism.
Atlanta has another competitive advantage as a gaming destination...Hartsfield-Jackson Airport, the busiest airport in the world. It's been said that you can't even get to heaven without connecting through Atlanta. Our presence as a Southern regional transportation hub makes Atlanta a straightforward gaming destination for the two thirds of the population of the US that lives east of the Mississippi River.
Casino gambling could be a valuable addition to the economy of Georgia. I am hoping that the Georgia General Assembly will find its courage and conscience and votes and only casino gambling in the 2009 Legislative Session.
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