Tuesday, February 06, 2007

Unlike past public hearings on legislation to legalize racetrack games,
which were split evenly, Thursday's hearing on the latest version of the
bill was a one-sided affair. Pro-table games speakers outnumbered
anti-gambling advocates by a 52-16 margin at a two-hour, 40-minute hearing
in the House of Delegates Thursday.
For the first hour, the hearing alternated between supporters and opponents
of the legislation. After that, it was all speakers touting the economic and
tourism potential of legalizing the casino-style gaming. "Personally, I was
surprised at the disparity of the number of people for it as to those
against it," said House Judiciary Chairwoman Carrie Webster, D-Kanawha.
"It's
a huge issue for the people who are for it, that's how I personally
perceived it," said Webster, whose committee is expected to take first crack
at the bill (HB2718) next week. The turnout Thursday may have some influence
on legislators, Webster said, but the bill's future ultimately will come
down to legal, constitutional and fiscal issues. The Rev. Dennis Sparks of
the state Council of Churches, a leading opponent of gambling expansion,
said he was not surprised that opponents of the bill were vastly
outnumbered. He said it is difficult to mobilize opponents of gambling on
short notice, suggesting that the racetracks didn't have that disadvantage.
"All the gambling industry has to do is go to their employees and say, 'Take
the day off and go to Charleston to testify,' " Sparks said. While the list
of speakers did include a number of employees of the four racetracks, the
advocates also included representatives of the tourism industry and various
county and city officials, including Charleston Mayor Danny Jones.