Letter to The Editor: Don’t be fooled by Amendment 3

Every weekend large numbers of Floridians will drive by wrecked towns in the Panhandle to gamble in Biloxi, Mississippi’s casinos.

I bet many in those towns would welcome casino income to rebuild just as Biloxi rebuilt after Hurricane Katrina. Amendment 3 would prohibit new casinos even if a company wanted to invest, the community wanted it, and the state legislature was willing to approve it.

Amendment 3 promotes itself as putting casino gambling decisions in the hands of “the people.” In truth, this is an anti-gambling initiative that will make it virtually impossible to ever open a new casino in Florida. Opening just one casino would require spending millions to put the item on the state ballot to see if it would get 60 percent of voters to approve it.

This is not a “citizen” initiative, this was backed by special interests to the tune of over $30 million. Most of this came from Disney to keep tourist dollars from going to casinos. More came from existing gambling interests to maintain their casino monopoly. Amendment 3 is the ultimate special interest initiative in that, if passed, they will never have to spend another dollar to keep competitors out of Florida.

The Florida Constitution is not the place to determine winners and losers in business, even if it is the casino business. Even if you are dead set against gambling vote NO on 3 to keep special interests from manipulating the Florida Constitution for their profits.

Travis Christensen

Lake Asbury