The Dec. 14 story “Bingo hall goes curbside” and the Dec. 21 letter to the editor “No casinos needed” shared a seemingly innocuous but actually troubling common thread. In the article, Tudor Bingo Center owner John Powers said “the hall donates to 50 organizations and focuses on supporting groups that help the local community or rural Alaska.” He also said that because of the pandemic and the resulting drop in revenue, “I haven’t gotten all of them into the rotation this year.”
While Mr. Powers’ intentions are noble, unlike local elected officials and the agencies that answer to them (and therefore to us), no one voted for Mr. Powers. We the people, through our elected representatives, should decide which charities are more worthy than others.
If paid to local government, net gaming proceeds could be used by elected officials to lower property taxes, pay for essential services or provide grants to nonprofit programs that mitigate the social costs of gambling in the town where it takes place. Instead, the law gives operators absolute power to disperse bounty throughout the state to churches, sports leagues and the charities of their choosing. That’s messed up.
In the letter, on behalf of one of the many charities in the rotation, the writer says: “Our relationship with our gaming permit holder, Tudor Bingo Center, has been nothing but outstanding …” In other words, they are thankful to be in the operator’s good graces.
In 2018, $376 million was gambled in Alaska. After operators paid prizes and expenses, $35.2 million was paid to a handful of municipalities and roughly 1,000 nonprofits. Municipalities received $1,994,651 or just 5.6%. Anchorage could get a gaming permit, and it should. Unfortunately, there’s no guarantee it would be played.
Instead of telling constituents their only choice is higher taxes or lower services, local elected officials should demand a seat at the gaming table. Once seated, when the discussion turns to how to apportion the pie, nonprofits and the operators they are beholden to should be reminded by people more persuasive than me, that we live in a democracy, and that charity begins at home.
Pete Roberts
Anchorage
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