Arkansas and Gambling

Once again the legislature doesn't have the votes (or the nads) to raise the general sales tax (done last year) or the income tax rates to raise revenue so now they start their assault on the taxpayers via "fees." The have lots of needs: school funding, more prisons, highways, higher education, etc. but not enough money to pay for all of it.

I think its time the legislature (and the people of Arkansas) seriously consider expanding gambling to allow casino gambling and a lottery. We are currently surrounded on all sides by other forms of gambling: casino: Missouri, Mississippi, Louisiana (and come to Oklahoma); horse racing/dog racing: Louisiana, Texas and Oklahoma and Lottery: Missouri, Tennessee and Louisiana.

Face it folks, people are going to gamble are are willing to travel to do it.

Why can't we allow it here to benefit our state via tax revenues?

Mississippi has been able to upgrade their teacher's salaries to where their average salary is nearly $40,000/year along with making all of their US highways at least 4 lanes.

Every time this topic comes up, Larry Page and the Arkansas Faith & Ethics council comes out to decry gambling and lotteries saying they are unfair to the poor. Well Mr. Page, I am sorry but a lottery is nothing more than a voluntary TAX and nobody is forcing those people to buy lottery tickets or play video poker!!!

If you and your group are so concerned about the poor then why are you not also going after the businesses that do prey on the poor like rent-to-own furniture retailers and check cashers? There is a reason why there is no Car-Mart or Rent-A-Center located next to a gated subdivision filled with $300,000 homes!!

Why can't you go after the businesses that charge somebody $1800 for a washer and drier that would only cost them $500 at Sears if they paid the cash up? Why don't you go after the check cashers that are charging an effective interest rate of 300 % per year?

If you and your members are so concerned about helping the poor, why don't to go help at a Habitat for Humanity house instead of grandstanding in front of the press. The only time I hear about your organization is when you come out of the woodwork to decry gambling or alcohol.

Why don't you do something to make the here and now better, not just to decry how bad things will get is there are casinos or fewer liquor laws.....