More Slots Drama in Miami-Dade

Plans are brewing in the Florida House and Senate to convince state voters of turning around the decision that may lead to the expansion of slot machines in Miami-Dade County.

Senate President Tom Lee has made bold moves in the looming shadows of the coming election year.  He requested that a colleague file a bill aimed at repealing the provision that gives Miami-Dade the ability to hold a second referendum on installing slot machines in county racetracks and jai alai fronton.  The bill will place the issue on the ballot for the next election year.    

Lee is not alone in his intentions.  Next week, a similar bill is anticipated to be shared by Frank Attkinson, House Business Regulation Committee chairman (R). 

Last year, voters in Broward County said yes to slot machines in their four pari-mutuels.  The slot machine tax money is slated to go back into Florida’s school systems.  The four Broward pari-mutuels intend to begin their slots operation by this July. 

While Broward was saying yes, Maimi-Dade said no.  The county resisted the expansion of gambling into their state.  However, the state constitution permits the county to conduct another vote on the issue every two years, including 2007.

Attikisson is not happy about the plan, “The people have spoken and the Legislature needs to respect the citizens have said no once.  I’m not sure they need to have people pounded on continually by special interests”

Lee is currently campaigning for the Republican nomination of chief financial officer in Florida, so the anti-gambling proposal holds significant political weight for him. This is especially true when Lee’s competition includes Celebration Representative Randy Johnson, who led the anti-slot machine No Casino campaign.

While Lee’s proposal is not as drastic as Johnson’s bill to repeal the constitutional amendment that permits slot machines in the state of Florida, it is firm enough to counter Johnson’s accusations that Lee is too lenient on gambling.  

Lee requested that Senator Lee Constantine of Orlando file the bill should the proposal in the House advance.

Constantine said, “We in the Senate are being very cautious and want to see what the House might do.  If the Legislation starts getting traction in the House, the president wanted to match that.”

Any proposal for a constitutional amendment will not pass without a two-thirds vote of each chamber.  Constantine fears that may be too high a request in the Senate because, frankly, repealing the slot machine provision is held as a higher priority in the House than it is in the Senate.

Slot machine supporters are appalled by the proposal, seen as just another instance where the Legislature is trying to wrench power out of the hands of citizens.   

Jim Horne has a strong opinion on the matter.  Horne heads the coalition of pari-mutuels that has focused there efforts on bringing slots to Miami-Dade and Broward counties.  Horne’s perspective is that, “Miami-Dade has voted not to implement slot machines in their county and for the state as a whole to take away their right to control their destiny is odd, peculiar and inefficient.”

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