After passionate hearing, committee moves bingo bill forward

MONTGOMERY – Tuesday’s public hearing at the Alabama Statehouse on electronic bingo began with a state representative playing a video of the Jan. 29 attempted raid on Country Crossing, involving around 130 Alabama State Troopers.

What followed was a parade of fiery speeches for and against a bill that would put the issue of taxing and regulating electronic bingo at several sites throughout Alabama to a statewide vote.

Those who spoke against the bill used Biblical arguments against gambling, and said electronic bingo would not solve Alabama’s economic woes, but would instead add an additional economic burden to the state through increased crime and poverty.

But those who spoke in favor of the bill said voters of Alabama should have a right to choose, that one group’s moral decisions should not control everyone’s moral decisions, and that electronic bingo, when tied to other economic development initiatives, can create jobs and capture tourism dollars that would be spent elsewhere.

After almost three hours of debate, the Senate Tourism and Travel Committee gave a favorable report to the bill, meaning it could be up for debate on the House and Senate floors as early as this week.

Several Dothan-area people spoke both in favor of and against the bill, sponsored by Sen. Roger Bedford, D-Russellville.

Houston County Commission Chairman Mark Culver said the bill would help end what has been a “ridiculous embarrassment” to Alabama in the form of attempted raids on Country Crossing and VictoryLand near Montgomery.

“Now, there are hundreds of people out of work in our community even though no ruling has ever been made to say what is going on in our community is illegal,” Culver said.

Bob Hendrix of the Dothan Area Convention and Visitors Bureau also spoke in favor of the bill.

But Rev. Jeff Peacock, pastor of Hodgesville Baptist Church, addressed a full House chamber and gallery and said the cost of gambling outweighs any perceived benefits.

“I know it’s about money and we want to fund things and we want jobs, but it is not worth the lives and the families that are destroyed,” Peacock said.

Rev. Tom Anderson, spokesperson for Concerned Wiregrass Citizens, also spoke against the bill.

Sen. Bobby Singleton, chairman of the Senate Tourism and Travel Committee, represents the district in which Greenetrack is located. Greenetrack continues to operate electronic bingo although Gov. Bob Riley and his Task Force on Illegal Gambling have said the facility should be shut down because he believes the games are illegal.

Singleton has vowed to fight any potential raid.

“We refuse to close down because we are going to protect our jobs. Until Gov. Riley shows us he can take us all to jail, we will not let Bob shut our business down,” Singleton said. “I will be back in Greene County every night protecting our jobs. Unless you come with a valid search warrant, you are going to meet resistance head on and we will not get out of the door. We will sleep in shifts and keep watch in the night.”

The committee voted 6-2 to move the bill forward. Sen. Jabo Waggoner, R-Birmingham and Sen. Del Marsh, R-Anniston, voted against the bill.

Waggoner said the proper time to debate the bill would be on the Senate floor, but added that he “would not be run over” in his opposition to the bill.