Dear editor:
I just read the ballot issues coming up in the November election, and one that caught my eyes really good was the one for the four casinos that will be at Crittenden County (Southland Racing Corp.), Garland County (Oaklawn Jockey Club Inc.), Pope County (Russellville) and Jefferson County (Pine Bluff). I ask that our voters read this amendment very carefully, http://garlandcountyvote.org; is where I saw the ballot issues; this one was listed as No. 4.
If this passes in the election, Southland and Oaklawn racing facilities will come out smelling like roses.
(1) They will not have to pay for a casino license, they will receive theirs automatically, but Pope and Jefferson counties will have to pay for theirs.
(2) The issue with the tax receipts, 55 percent to the Arkansas General Fund, 17.5 percent to the Commission for deposit into the Arkansas Racing Commission Purse and Awards Fund to be used only for purses for live horse racing and greyhound racing by Oaklawn and Southland, then the county where the casino is located gets 8 percent and the city in which the casino is located receives 19.5 percent.
Why did we need to tax our citizens and tourist to Hot Springs another 10 years of 3 percent "hamburger tax?" Here's egg on our faces. What will the good people of Hot Springs receive as a "reward" for all this new found wealth if this ballot issue passes? Why, no place in town should be left looking ugly, in my opinion.
Please vote "NO" on Ballot Issue No. 4.
Thanks,
L.J. Gibson
Hot Springs
Editorial on 10/22/2018