Dan Finney is right about our addiction to casino funds
Rev Carlos Jayne, West Des Moines, Letter to the EditorMay 21, 2016
Thanks to Dan Finney for his straight-out truth about the star of the Iowa gambling cartel — Prairie Meadows [It's time to break our addiction to gambling money, May 19]. I say "cartel" because there is no legitimacy in casino operations, as their revenue is from "suckers." We citizens allow that, of course, because we have become addicted to "free money" from the Polk County cash cow.
In the '80s Iowa churches led by the United Methodist Church started "Citizens for Gambling Free Government." It was a noble undertaking and successful for a couple of short years in slowing down casino expansion. Eventually all the existing Iowa casinos at the time formed an alliance and with the acquiescence (practically) of the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission, started dividing Iowa into "segments of suckers" so as to not be predators of each other but, rather, stick to being predators of the public in their designated areas. Obviously, the biggest pot of suckers is in the area designated for Prairie Meadows.
We are addicted to the money coming from our Polk County cash cow and the big, bad IRS is after its share. Will we have to start supporting our local nonprofits with increased donations rather than depending on casino suckers? Will horse breeders have to make their own way? Will our tax money have to pay for roads and potholes as originally intended?
— the Rev. Carlos Jayne, West Des Moines, retired United Methodist legislative advocate
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