Editorial

Now, it's up to Gov. Charlie Crist.

When politicians run for office in Florida—especially those who seek the highest office of the state in the Republican Party—opposition to the expansion of gambling is required to appeal to the base of the party. Such was the case with Gov. Charlie Crist who campaigned last year repeatedly saying he opposed gambling expansion.

But, did he really mean it? Floridians will soon find out as Gov. Crist now must decide what to do with a raft of gambling expansion legislation handed to him by the Legislature. Bills advancing the gambling industry's agenda included those which:

•expand hours, days and wagers in card rooms;

•allow betting on dominoes in card rooms;

•allow charitable, religious and veterans groups to sell instant bingo tickets (a bill vetoed by Gov. Bush last year); and

•raise the betting limits at pari-mutuel poker rooms, while eliminating limits on Texas Hold 'em games as long as the buy-in is less than $100 and allow poker tournaments.

Even more troubling to pro-family advocates, the Legislature has sent to the Governor a bill to allow Broward County pari-mutuel facilities to add up to 500 more slot machines, expand hours of operation, and introduce automatic teller machines and checking cashing on the premises—making it easier for gamblers to liquidate their bank accounts in order to keep playing. This major expansion of slot machines in Broward County comes even while the Florida Supreme Court will be hearing this spring arguments on constitutional questions arising from a lawsuit challenging the legitimacy of the petitions used to get the matter on the ballot in 2004. (For more on this matter, see the April 26 editorial, "Tallahassee's gambling problem.")

Gov. Charlie Crist was noncommittal about the gambling legislation, according to the Palm Beach Post.

"It's all in the eye of the beholder, I suppose. It depends on whether or not they're things that already exist. I think my approach to it is to see what passes and then have a chance to evaluate it," Crist said, the Post reported.

Specifically regarding the Broward slots expansion, Crist said he's not for "the expansion of gambling," but noted that slots in Broward were approved by voters, noting, "It seems to me it's the will of the people," the Orlando Sentinel reported.

Such verbal gymnastics reminds me of a former president who told a grand jury, "It all depends on what the meaning of the word 'is,' is."

Crist was more direct last summer in an interview with Florida Baptist Witness when he told me, "I don't think we should expand gambling," in response to a question of whether there was too much, just enough, or too little gambling in Florida.

It's all in the eye of the beholder? No doubt, the gambling industry's eyes would happily redefine "expansion" to not mean any of the legislation adopted in this legislative session. But, as Bill Bunkley, the Florida Baptist Convention's legislative consultant, told me, "Any change in the number of games, the types of games, the hours of operation for the games, the payout for the games—any changes that would have any kind of net increase of either revenue to the house or revenue to the state, any reasonable person would have to agree that is expanding gambling."

The question is: how reasonable is Gov. Crist? Bunkley, of course, is correct, but I would go further and say it's ridiculous to suggest the pro-gambling binge the Legislature went on in the final weeks of the session cannot be called an expansion of gambling. The only plank in the gambling industry's platform that failed was legislation to permit video lottery terminals (VLTs) at all the pari-mutuel facilities around the state—and that failure may be only temporary.

The Senate easily passed VLTs and a House panel unexpectedly rushed a version of the bill through a hastily called, last minute special meeting to start the last week of the session. At the meeting, the legislation was cheerfully promoted as a means to get new tax revenue in the midst of the property tax relief effort that ultimately stalled in the regular session but will now be the focus of a ten-day special session next month.

So, the Legislature's gambling binge may not be over. Pro-family advocates will be closely watching the special session, beginning June 12, concerned that VLTs may emerge as a bargaining chip in property tax relief negotiations.

Bunkley told me this year may have created the "perfect storm" for gambling advancement in Tallahassee—the election of a moderate, Republican governor, combined with the speakership of Miami Rep. Marco Rubio, R-Miami, who personally opposes gambling but nevertheless allowed gambling bills to advance, especially with the assistance of his pro-gambling lieutenant, Rep. David Rivera, R-Miami, and the pressure to find new tax revenues, especially in the midst of a major property tax relief effort.

"Once the gambling industry gets a firm hold on the state it will be almost impossible to rid the state of their influence," Bunkley said, pointing to Mississippi as an example where the state has become more and more dependent on gambling revenue. "They will not go away, they will not be satisfied. There's always another venue. ... and when you turn the money the gambling industry can turn, they can employ their lobbyists" to achieve their agenda.

Bunkley warned, "Unless you have statespersons who will stand in the gap ... that will thwart their push, this is a foretaste of what we will have year after the year. Their vision of Florida is as the gambling capital of the world."

So, Gov. Crist, are you a statesman? Will you stand in the gap and tell the gambling industry they cannot advance their unsavory agenda in the Sunshine State? Will you tell the Legislature that it's evil to stake property tax cuts on gullible and oftentimes poorer citizens whose gambling loses are necessary to swell the state's tax coffers?

Florida Baptists should hope and pray Gov. Crist's dictionary is written by reasonable people who understand "expansion" is the only word to describe the Legislature's gambling legislation. We should also exercise our citizenship responsibilities and urge Gov. Crist to veto this dangerous expansion of gambling.