Vander Plaats rips Culver on expanded gambling

By James Q. Lynch 

The Gazette

Gov. Chet Culver's call for the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission to approve casino licenses for four more communities is fueled by “his desperation to win another term and his own compulsion to grow state government,” Republican gubernatorial hopeful Bob Vander Plaats said.

In a letter to gaming Commissioner Kate Cutler, Culver said license approval for Lyon, Webster, Tama and Wapello counties would, “generate hundreds of construction jobs, initially, to be followed by hundreds of permanent jobs.” (See letter below)

“In the 17 other Iowa communities where casinos have already been established, they have proven to be immediate job-creating ventures and, in most instances, have become strong generators of jobs in other businesses and enterprises,” Culver wrote.

“Opportunities to create new jobs are difficult to come by and shouldn't be dismissed easily,” he said. “I want to bring these kinds of jobs to Lyon, Webster, Tama and Wapello counties. The economic impact of these jobs will be enormous, bringing in, by some estimates, more than a quarter of a billion dollars in economic activity and far more in additional, indirect spending in these communities.”

As governor, Vander Plaats said, he “would not go to the Racing and Gaming Commission and beg them to open four more casinos.”

Rather than casinos that will take money from Iowans' pockets, Vander Plaats said, “Our communities need innovative companies that create income for Iowans.”

“Chet Culver said today that more gambling is economic development,” he said. “That just proves again that we need a governor who can really open Iowa for business instead of doing what the past three governors have done, which is invite more and more gambling.”

At a campaign stop in southeastern Iowa community, Vander Plaats also criticized legislative efforts to make Iowa the first state in the nation to legalize in-state internet gambling.

“Taking more money from people hooked on gambling by our state officials isn't leadership, it's just plain irresponsible,” Vander Plaats said. “We don't need to increase the number of individuals or communities dependent on gambling and we sure don't need to increase the state budget's addiction to it, either.

Culver's attempt at expanding gambling in Iowa follows the example of Republican rival former Gov. Terry Branstad, Vander Plaats said.

“These moves to allow internet gambling and open casinos in four more places are just two more steps along the path that Terry Branstad set us on in the 1980s when he joined with Democratic legislators to create the state lottery, open casinos and destroy the lives of many Iowans for the sake of generating more revenue for state government to spend,” Vander Plaats added.

 Vander Plaats cited projections that legalized in-state internet gambling would bring in $11.5 million to the state.

 “Are our state officials really so desperate for money and short-sighted that they couldn't find $11.5 million in savings in a $6 billion annual budget?” he asked. “This is the problem we face with Chet Culver and some legislators. They think the answer is to take more money from Iowans. I think the answer is to cut state spending.

“One way to do it is to draw a line in the sand and say, ‘No more new gambling licenses.' That's what I'll do as governor,” Vander Plaats promised.

For more, visit http://bobvp.com.

Culver's letter to Kate Cutler of the racing and Gaming Commission:Dear Kate: I am writing to express my support for the four pending applications for new casinos in four Iowa Counties-Lyon, Webster, Tama and Wapello. In each instance, as is required by law, local citizens have spoken loudly and clearly by going to the ballot box and voting in favor of additional gaming.During the past few years I have talked with representatives of each of those communities about their desire to secure a gaming license and their frustrations caused by the lengthy decision-making processes of the Racing and Gaming Commission.  The one thing that has been consistent in all of my discussions is an over-riding interest in creating new jobs in tough times.I am convinced it is now time to end frustrations caused by delays and to break ground on four new Iowa casinos near the Iowa/South Dakota border in Larchwood, in Fort Dodge, in Tama and in Ottumwa.The areas of our state that are proposing new casinos are suffering from high unemployment rates, as follows:In the seventeen other Iowa communities where casinos have already been established, they have proven to be immediate job-creating ventures and, in most instances, have become strong generators of jobs in other businesses and enterprises. Opportunities to create new jobs are difficult to come by and shouldn't be dismissed easily.   I want to bring these kinds of jobs to Lyon, Webster, Tama and Wapello Counties.  The economic impact of these jobs will be enormous, bringing in, by some estimates, more than a quarter of a billion dollars in economic activity and far more in additional, indirect spending in these communities.These new gaming establishments, if their license applications are approved by the Racing and Gaming Commission, like each of the others that already have been developed in Iowa, will generate hundreds of construction jobs, initially, to be followed by hundreds of permanent jobs.Of concern to me is that in the same time period that citizens in these four communities have created the types of public support and have sought the requisite financial backing that, in the past, have been sufficient to obtain gaming licenses, there is a perception that the rules of the game at the Racing and Gaming Commission are changing so as to appear to be more protective of existing operations than permissive of allowing new ventures to move forward.Competition is a good thing.  Local community decisions and the dynamics of the financial marketplace should not be unduly outweighed by arguments that favor the status quo.   If, in the past, the interests of existing casino establishments had been allowed unduly to prevail over the interests of other communities, as expressed in successful referendum elections, whose citizens wished to create local opportunities for new casinos, Iowa would never have allowed the construction of more than a handful of casinos.While I am respectful of the fact that the Racing and Gaming Commission is an independent body, and that its members will make the final decision, I urge its members to approach this matter with an attitude of fairness and a consciousness of the economic circumstances that are challenging each of these communities whose citizens clearly support these gaming license applications.Sincerely, Chester J. CulverGovernor of Iowa

Dear Kate:

 I am writing to express my support for the four pending applications for new casinos in four Iowa Counties-Lyon, Webster, Tama and Wapello.

 In each instance, as is required by law, local citizens have spoken loudly and clearly by going to the ballot box and voting in favor of additional gaming.

During the past few years I have talked with representatives of each of those communities about their desire to secure a gaming license and their frustrations caused by the lengthy decision-making processes of the Racing and Gaming Commission.  The one thing that has been consistent in all of my discussions is an over-riding interest in creating new jobs in tough times.

I am convinced it is now time to end frustrations caused by delays and to break ground on four new Iowa casinos near the Iowa/South Dakota border in Larchwood, in Fort Dodge, in Tama and in Ottumwa.

The areas of our state that are proposing new casinos are suffering from high unemployment rates, as follows:

Lyon County:   4.2%

Webster County: 7.9%

Tama County: 8.4%

Wapello County: 8.5%.

In the seventeen other Iowa communities where casinos have already been established, they have proven to be immediate job-creating ventures and, in most instances, have become strong generators of jobs in other businesses and enterprises. 

Opportunities to create new jobs are difficult to come by and shouldn't be dismissed easily.   I want to bring these kinds of jobs to Lyon, Webster, Tama and Wapello Counties.  The economic impact of these jobs will be enormous, bringing in, by some estimates, more than a quarter of a billion dollars in economic activity and far more in additional, indirect spending in these communities.

These new gaming establishments, if their license applications are approved by the Racing and Gaming Commission, like each of the others that already have been developed in Iowa, will generate hundreds of construction jobs, initially, to be followed by hundreds of permanent jobs.

Of concern to me is that in the same time period that citizens in these four communities have created the types of public support and have sought the requisite financial backing that, in the past, have been sufficient to obtain gaming licenses, there is a perception that the rules of the game at the Racing and Gaming Commission are changing so as to appear to be more protective of existing operations than permissive of allowing new ventures to move forward.

Competition is a good thing.  Local community decisions and the dynamics of the financial marketplace should not be unduly outweighed by arguments that favor the status quo.   If, in the past, the interests of existing casino establishments had been allowed unduly to prevail over the interests of other communities, as expressed in successful referendum elections, whose citizens wished to create local opportunities for new casinos, Iowa would never have allowed the construction of more than a handful of casinos.

While I am respectful of the fact that the Racing and Gaming Commission is an independent body, and that its members will make the final decision, I urge its members to approach this matter with an attitude of fairness and a consciousness of the economic circumstances that are challenging each of these communities whose citizens clearly support these gaming license applications.

Sincerely,

 Chester J. Culver

Governor of Iowa