PHOENIX (By Jon Garrido, The Jon Garrido News Network)
October 20, 2008 (Updated July 21, 2009) ― When casinos where first approved in Arizona, they were approved only on
Indian reservations. The rationale — Arizonans did not want
to have casinos sprouting up duplicating Las Vegas crimes so the thought was to
place casinos far away from urban centers by placing them on Indian
reservations. In the November 2002 general election, Arizona voters approved
Proposition 202, which authorized the continuation of Indian gaming. From
December 2002 to January 2003, Governor Hull signed new Tribal-State Gaming
Compacts with 16 Tribes. In 2003, Governor Janet Napolitano signed Compacts
with an additional five Tribes. The Compact with each of the 21 Tribes is
identical. The Compacts took effect in 2003. They last for 10 years, and can
be renewed for another decade.
In 2010, the Arizona Casino
Gambling Initiative committee will be established to be placed on the 2010
Arizona ballot an Initiative to casino gambling in Arizona enabling the
development of La Playa del Sol Casino along the banks of the Rio Salado in
south Phoenix. The initiative process provides a means by which a petition signed by a certain minimum
number of registered voters can force a public vote on a proposed statute,
constitutional amendment, charter amendment or ordinance, or, in its minimal
form, to simply oblige the executive or legislative bodies to consider the
subject by submitting it to the order of the day. It is a form of direct
democracy.
Today, casinos on
Indian reservations are across the highway in Scottsdale and across the street
in Ahwatukee raking in tons of money. How do I know? I was the
director of community development for the Salt River Pima Maricopa
Indian Community at the time the first casino became operational at the Salt
River Pima Maricopa Indian Community adjacent to Scottsdale.
The Jon Garrido for Phoenix City Council campaign proposes the Arizona
Casino Initiative for Arizona voters to approve casinos to
develop in Arizona with a formula revenue
distribution to pay for health care for all Arizonans. The balance of rural areas not
having a Arizona Casino Initiative for Arizona will
be a category established to receive funds identical to cities and towns
depending on population.
The Arizona Casino Initiative committee will be established in 2010 and
propose an economic development district by initiative: La Playa del Sol Economic Development District to accommodate casino development
collecting revenue to be used for services
for City of Phoenix residents.
The way to gain Arizona voter approval is to use casino proceeds to be distributed as follows: 1/4 to reduce
property tax of Phoenix residents, 1/4 to decrease state income tax of
Phoenix residents, 1/4 to provide tuition for Phoenix residents, and 1/4
to Phoenix economic development to generate a larger commerce base to
generate additional sales taxes for the City of Phoenix. It is further recommended the Phoenix
sales tax rate be reduced making Phoenix more competitive with
surrounding cities thus generating additional tax revenue for the City
of Phoenix.
I prefer another option for
use of Casino funding which has become more of a priority in
today's economic climate is the need to provide health care to Phoenix
area residents. Act Arizona is a new health insurance entity being established to
pursue health care reform in Arizona by initiative in 2010.
The Act Arizona Initiative in
2010 will purchase health insurance from existing providers for all
persons living in Arizona thus free health care would be provided to all
Arizona residents. To eliminate
all fees, premiums, co-pays and the doughnut fees in Medicare could be
achieved by utilizing the $1.1 Billion from La Playa del Sol Casino
until such time the Federal government approved a national universal
health care program.
Upon approval of a Federal
program, the $1.1 Billion would then be used as originally intended as
stated above.
The Arizona Department of
Gaming reports for the period July 1, 2007 to June 30, 2008, Arizona gaming
revenue was $1,982,018,281. Assuming 75% of the gaming revenue was generated
at Salt River and Gila River casinos, $1,486,513,711 in gaming took place in
the Phoenix area. La Playa del Sol Casino market share will capture 75% of
the Phoenix market share which is $1,114,885,283. $278,721,320 which is 25%
of casino proceeds for each 1/4 category. These numbers are preliminary and
will be refined with time.
Upon completion of La Playa del Sol, casino profits will retire revenue bonds used to provide land acquisition, planning,
architecture, engineering,
and infrastructure
development for La Playa del Sol.
Ceilings to be determined by future proformas
and income analysis of all 1/4s categories and when reached, surplus goes to
subsidize City of Phoenix budget.
Nothing in the Arizona
Casino initiative will hinder or eliminate casino gambling on Indian
Reservations but will enable casino gambling to be allowed anywhere in the
State of Arizona requiring all off reservation gambling to be owned and
operated by a city or town.
Two groups of constituents, tax payers and parents/students,
will be enough to deter the efforts of the Indian reservations to keep
casino gambling limited to Indian reservations.
And do not forget the Indian casino now being
pursued between Glendale and Peoria right in the middle of the Phoenix metro
area.
I strongly believe Phoenix metro residents
will prefer La Playa del Sol Casino because casino profit will provide free
health insurance for all living in the Phoenix area.
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