Any form of legalized gambling in Alabama will have to wait at least a year, if not longer, after the legislature declined to pass so-called comprehensive gaming legislation during this year's legislative session.
In the end, the state was one State Senate vote away from initiating the process of a vote on an amendment that would have removed language from the Alabama Constitution prohibiting lotteries and other games of chance.
One of the "no" votes on the legislation was State Sen. Chris Elliott (R-Josephine), who, during an appearance on Mobile radio's "The Jeff Poor Show" on Friday, blamed "greed" for the effort's failure.
"I would use the word 'greedy,'" he said. "'Ambitious' is kind. They got greedy, and I'm not talking about my colleagues. I'm talking about the gaming interests. They wanted more and more and more and more. There is a point where that is not acceptable. And good for the Alabama Senate for saying that is not acceptable, that is too much. Good for Senator Bell for saying that. I obviously voted right along with him. We want to give the people the right and the ability to vote on a lottery. We're not interested in widespread casino gaming. We certainly are not interested in the Democratic wish list of Medicaid expansion, huge increases for retirees — so much for a defined benefit plan, right? We ought to call it a redefined benefit plan — and public transit."
"The House version of the conferee report there in the enabling legislation was just terrible, and we're going to see very little benefit from it," Elliott added. "I was amazed, Jeff, at just the constant drumbeat of more money, more money, more money, more money. And the only thing I kept thinking about is: this is greed. This is exactly what this is, greed."
Jeff Poor is the editor in chief of 1819 News and host of "The Jeff Poor Show," heard Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-noon on Mobile's FM Talk 106.5. To connect or comment, email jeff.poor@1819News.com or follow him on Twitter @jeff_poor.
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