Alabama Gov. Bentley wants to limit expansion of gambling, but says an agreement may be the answer

Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley does not believe increased gambling will help the state’s ailing budget, but he does think an agreement with the Poarch Band of Creek Indians may be the state’s best bet for limiting the expansion of gambling.

“Even though I’m not for gambling, a compact, if done correctly, would help us keep gambling where it is now,” Bentley said in an April 30 telephone interview. “A compact could help us limit expansion [and avoid] Las Vegas-style gambling, like table games and full-fledged slots.”

The governor’s comments came in a week that saw the president pro tem of the state Senate, Del Marsch, propose a massive expansion of gambling and a representative of the Poarch Creeks offer $250 million to the state’s General Fund (GF) in exchange for exclusive gambling rights.

Repaying debt

The financial challenge before legislators is to create a budget that not only funds existing needs but also repays debts the state incurred when previous leaders borrowed from the state’s Rainy Day Fund. Repaying the debt has been a priority of Bentley’s administration, but the payments cut into what is already a tight budget.

“We have a problem with our budgets, and we need to raise more revenue,” Bentley said. “It’s hard for a conservative Republican to say this, but the only way to raise revenue is through fair taxes.”

Marsh and others disagree, however. Legislators have largely ignored the governor’s requested tax increases, which he projected would raise $541 million for the GF. Instead legislators have focused on additional cuts to state programs, such as those for children and law enforcement, and closure of facilities, including several Alabama state parks. Legislators also have proposed creating a state lottery and allowing casino-style gambling at Alabama’s four existing greyhound tracks as alternatives to the governor’s plan.

Bentley said that while he is “totally opposed” to the massive expansion of gambling Marsh is proposing, he believes an agreement with the Poarch Creeks might help the state budget and keep gambling at its current levels in the state.

However, the governor said he is only willing to consider an agreement if state legislators first agree to raise the $541 million through the revenue increases he proposed in February.

“That’s how much we need to really help our budgeting process for years to come,” Bentley said. “I do not want the Legislature to think that a compact is going to solve our problems. It will not.”

The state’s budgeting problem will become a reality Oct. 1 and any agreement with the Poarch Creeks would take time, Bentley said. While the governor does have the authority to enter into an agreement with an Indian tribe without legislative approval or a majority vote, the Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior must concur with the agreement. Bentley estimates no money would be available from such an agreement for 1–3 years and even then, he said, the amount would depend on what was negotiated and approved with the tribe.

Bentley said he has not met with tribal leaders of the Poarch Creeks, though members of his legal staff have. As far as the reported $250 million offer from the Poarch Creeks, Bentley said the amount would not be enough.

“Even if they gave $250 million up front and a percentage thereafter, that would be far short of what our needs are,” the governor said.

Financial gain is only one side of the equation when it comes to gambling, and as a Christian and a Baptist, Gov. Bentley takes the other side — the moral side — very seriously as well.

“As far as my faith is concerned, my concern is for people. I believe I was placed here for a purpose. I’m here to solve problems, and that’s what we’ve tried to do since we took office,” Bentley said. “I believe that gambling hurts people and hurts families. It really attacks the poor. People think that they are going to get something for nothing, and you don’t get something for nothing.”

‘Never a clean endeavor’

Corruption also is a concern.

“With widespread gambling, you pay a price. It’s never a clean endeavor, which is one reason why I just don’t think we ought to fund government with gambling,” he said.

Ultimately Bentley said his vision is for a better Alabama where children receive a good education, people have jobs and family structures are in place.

“We can always do better, but we’ve got a great state,” he said. “I don’t want it to change except to do better.”

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Panel discussion on pros, cons of state lottery