I have just finished rereading the text of this measure as it appears in the State of Washington Voters Pamphlet. Perhaps I am missing something in this measure regarding the allowable locations of “electronic scratch ticket machines.” The way I read the measure, the location of these machines will be limited to existing licensed locations. This is further defined to be only in locations that require a customer to be at least 21 years of age. Thus minors cannot participate in the use of these machines.
This measure also spells out how the income from these machines is disbursed, down to the amount that must be allocated to the “problem-gambler problem.” Under the existing allocation the income from these machines goes only to the tribes and no state tax is paid on the proceeds from these machines for any purpose.
What is wrong with leveling the playing field so all establishment can compete for the dollars that are being spent anyway? Even this in some sense is a misnomer, since when it is all said and done the tribes will still get to keep all of their monies and those not on tribal land will be paying taxes.
Further reading of this measure states that the distribution of these machines shall be through currently state-licensed outlets. As to the statement that 65 percent will be sent out of state does not recognize that establishments having those machines must cover their cost or they could not afford to have them. This not only will include wages but the taxes they will pay on handling the money (income) from these machines.
It is amazing to me that in all of the negative ads, it only states “Paid for by the committee against I-892.” Nowhere does it tell you that this campaign receives its major financing from the tribes because they are afraid of losing the “goose that is laying the golden egg.”
DONALD H. ROBBERS
Marysville
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