Pressure On Florida Lawmakers To Complete Gambling Legislation

The state of Florida is relying heavily on gambling expansion to help clean up a major budget deficit. Lawmakers have less than two weeks remaining in the current session, and still there is no agreement between the Senate and the House on how gambling should be expanded.

While lawmakers battle over the details, the state education system continues to make budget cuts that are costing teachers their jobs and possibly costing children hours in school.

In Broward County, the school system is considering dropping the school week to four days to help balance the budget. Students would go to school from Monday through Thursday, and have Friday, Saturday, and Sunday off. This is just one of the ways the County is looking to cut costs.

Governor Charlie Crist has already envisioned these type of cuts when he signed a gambling compact with the Seminole Indians back in 2007. The state Supreme Court, however, voided the deal, saying Crist did not have the authority to negotiate the compact.

Now, after dragging along on the issue for all of 2008 and the beginning of 2009, lawmakers have their backs against the wall to come to some kind of agreement on gambling expansion. The result may have long reaching effects, but with little time to work many people in the state wonder what the final agreement will look like.

Once a deal with the Seminoles is struck, it will be hard for the state to get out of. If they, for instance, give the Seminoles exclusivity of certain casino games, it will take away their ability to grow the casino industry in the state in the future.

With so many details to be worked out, and time running out, it is time for lawmakers in Florida to act. whether they act rationally or not will be determined in the next two weeks.

April 27, 2009
Posted By Tom Jones
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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