Senator who voted against bingo bill believes people want a vote

A north Alabama senator says he has no specific time frame on the introduction of his bill that would allow the people to vote on whether or not to allow electronic bingo in the state.

But Sen. Paul Sanford, R-Huntsville, who voted against the Sweet Home Alabama bill on March 3, said he believes the man on the street wants to vote on the issue.

“Obviously this is a politically nuclear situation and me being an average citizen coming into the process, I get a consensus that people want some sort of resolution to this issue,” Sanford said earlier this week.

“There is one side that is just opposed to all gambling. I understand that, but if we are going to get rid of all gambling in all forms, we need to have a vote on it. The other side is that electronic bingo ... got in through a crack in the law, a gray area, and we have seen the way different Attorney General opinions, district attorneys, law enforcement, and the counties all handled it differently.”

Sanford said he believes the average guy who wants to be free to operate his business and carry on his life, desires resolution.

“They are tired of watching the bingo dominate (the news),” he said. “We have people out of work, a budget crisis and jobs – we are not talking about that.”

While Sanford concedes that legalizing gaming spurs job creation and brings much-needed tax revenue, he does not believe it is a cure-all.

“This is no panacea for the financial crisis for the State of Alabama,” he said. “Based on the numbers I’ve seen projected ... in terms of tax dollars and looking at 8 to 10 percent proration, (gaming tax revenue) doesn’t fill a hole in the ground.”

Sanford’s bingo bill, which he is revising after receiving a first draft from the Legislative Reference Service, calls for common language – slot machines, not bingo machines – and taxes owners at 50 percent. It also calls for putting casino licenses up for bid and prohibits campaign contributions from the gambling interests to legislators and those who would appoint a gaming commission, such as the governor.

“I tried to look at this as a normal person and say if we are going to have it, how will we go about doing it? I am trying to build a framework and a fence,” he said. “People don’t trust the legislature anymore. I am trying to build something we can work within. People have said they want a clean bill.”

The cleanest bill out there, is one drafted by Sen. Hank Sanders, D-Selma. The 3-page SB507 had a first reading the day after the Sweet Home Alabama bill failed to get enough votes for discussion. As proposed, the amendment on the Nov. 2 ballot would read:

“Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, to allow the Legislature to pass laws authorizing, taxing, and regulating bingo, whether or not electronic, computer, or other technological aids are used in connection with the game of bingo, in one or more locations in the state.” Voters would mark “yes” or “no.”

Companion legislation proposed by Sanders, which had its first reading Feb. 17, would create and empower a seven-member charitable bingo licensure commission. That group would appoint an executive director, set his or her salary and set fees for gaming licenses.

The bill also calls for an inspection process on the laws in the jurisdiction of operation and on the gaming devices. The commission would have the power to suspend or revoke a gaming license. The act would terminate upon the establishment of a statewide gaming commission.

Sanders’ office did not respond when asked for a comment on the status of these bills.
Doug Rainer, communications director for Ronnie Gilley Properties, the developer of Country Crossing, said he is hopeful legislators can come together on a bill that is good for the people of Alabama and allows for a vote.

“It is time for our legislature to put all of this nonsense to an end and allow the citizens of this state to decide the fate of electronic bingo,” he said.