Miami-Dade County Will Vote on Vegas Style Slots in January

Miami-Dade County commissioners on Tuesday allowed for a ballot question in the January 29, 2008 election to let voters decide on Vegas Style slot machine gambling at the county's three pari-mutuals.

In 2005, Miami-Dade voters defeated a measure to allow the slots. At that time, only 14% of eligible voters turned out to vote. Commissioners are hopeful that this new vote will pass as it is included in the states presidential primary election and a much larger turnout is expected.

In 2005, Broward voters approved Vegas style slots at it's pari-mutuals and they are currently operating and expanding.

Miami-Dade supporters of the measure said revenue from slots would help the county's finances during tight budget times. The county would get 1.5% of revenues, the rest will go to state coffers for education.

Miami-Dade commissioners believe the bill will pass as voters will also be deciding on a major property tax reduction amendment that will be added to the states constitution. The commission, by a 9-1 vote added the slots referandum to January's vote.

Commissioner Dennis Moss said, "Gambling is all around us, for the most part, and we're not benefiting from it."

"People in Florida like to gamble," Flagler Dog Tack and Sports Entertainment Center vice-president Isadore Havenick added, "I think there is enough business to go around."

Katy Sorenson, the only commissioner to vote against the measure said, "It's often people who really can't afford to. It's precisely those who have the least to lose who lose the most."

The addition of slot machines in Miami-Dade county will increase competition for gambler's dollars in the region. Broward county tax revenues are estimated at $233 million in the coming fiscal year from the addition of four slot machine venues in that county.

With former Governor Jeb Bush no longer weilding a heavy fist against gambling expansion, and current Governor Charlie Crist's approach that allows more public input on decisions that directly affect their area, it is likely that a majority of Miami-Dade voters will approve the referandum which was narrowly defeated in 2005 by a small number of voters.

July 11, 2007
Posted By Terry Goodwin
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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