Our illustrious mayor supports a Class 2 casino in Eklutna for the sole reason, apparently, that it would create jobs. He evidently does not care that such a casino would violate federal law, or that it would severely damage, if not kill, charitable gaming in Anchorage and the Mat-Su, or that it would be a foot in the door for such casinos all around the state, or that it would attract crime. When will he remove his blinders—when he finally leaves office?
The Legislature created charitable gaming in its present form, some 30 years ago, when it could no longer afford to subsidize various charitable activities around the state. Such gaming activity was and is restricted to not-for-profit entities. Since then, gaming has worked very well to support many activities that benefit the people in many ways--many more than legislative assistance used to support. Allowing for-profit gambling would kill the work these statewide agencies do now. The profit would instead go to Native organizations that have a much narrower focus on what they do and for whom. Either state or local government would be forced to take up the slack, with the real prospect for sales and/or income taxes, or these not-for-profit functions would disappear, to the general public detriment.
Meanwhile, Arctic Slope Regional Corporation is boasting in its TV ads that it now works in 47 states and is a large (and apparently beneficial?) aid to the Native population. If they are so big and so prosperous, can't they supply the funding that Eklutna wants from an illegal casino?
Joe Koss
Retired state gaming auditor
Anchorage
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