Should there be Gambling in Galveston TX (Houston, Vega: home owners insurance, crime)

[Muhnay]

Should Texas allow Gambling in Galveston?

http://galvestondailynews.com/story....888a81b43983a2

http://galvestondailynews.com/sections.lasso?wcd=56

If Yes, Why, please explain.

If No, Why, Please explain.

[jd433]

If there were gambling in Galveston I would love to go there from time to time and gamble. I would gamble safely and then go home. No one would get hurt and I would enjoy the day at Galveston. No harm done and my tax dollars would stay in Texas.

[Mom2Feebs]

No. Absolutely NOT, no, no no.

...and not because it's the "devil".

[fitzy24]

That way Texans won't have as far to drive to lose our money. And if we lose it, may as well go to pay Texas taxes.

[desertsun41]

I recently moved here from where gambling rules. It's just another crime infested hell hole to party and have fun. You find that with gambling all around you....you dont even go. Humans tend to always want what you dont have, once you have it then it's no big thing anymore.

I have however been reading and sometimes posting in the Houston forums long before I ever moved here. And I have been reading for a long time various posts of those wanting gambling and are quite mad at the state for not considering it. Even madder yet for having to drive to Louisiana to do so.

Is the idea to have gambling for the sole purpose to rebuild Galveston? What next after Galveston is built? Take it away like a toll booth that was promised to disapear after the new highway was paid off? Leave it to finance other White Elephant projects?

Im not for or against. I could care less really. Whenever govt gets involved then everything turns to disaster. It's always been that way and always will be.

A bettter use of effort might be for some one to force these insurance companies and FEMA to actually pay some claims so Galveston can begin to rebuild. Then the victims can rebuild without any govt intervention. To date FEMA has only made good on 9% of 20,000 claims. Home owners insurance has made good on less then 15% of claims. No one can or will rebuild with out collecting on the very policy that they been paying into for years and years. And all those years if they were ever late with their premium they would get penalized or canceled. Now when these insurance companies are called on to honor their end of the contract they just hide with zero consequense. That is disgusting.

As for gambling. There are illegal gambling halls all over the place here. Big ones. All in the eyes of the law who ignore them. Well they ain't hurting anyone. The fact that a little town about 12 miles from me has so much gambling going on and the results of this poll are overwhelming, I would say the people have spoken. They want gambling....and they could care less what the taxes collected from it supports.

I voted yes anyway......................

[desertsun41]

Originally Posted by Mom2Feebs

No. Absolutely NOT, no, no no.

...and not because it's the "devil".

Then why are you so against it?

You are all alone so far but we want to know why?

[Mom2Feebs]

Because Galveston doesn't need it to recover. Also, Galveston doesn't need the crime increase. They have enough as it is, and gambling always brings more crime. Always. Not sometimes, not hardly, not occassionally; always.

For those who say it will bring tourism, I say phooey. Tourists come to Galveston for two things: History and the Beach. Okay, a third: the cruise lines.

For those who say it will bring better schools, I say no it won't. Example: Robin Hood. Another example: the lottery.

For those who say it would be better for Galveston, I say, talk to the folks in Biloxi, then go talk to the folks in Charleston, and then tell me why you think it would be better.

There have not been nearly enough specifics, nor statistics, to prove to me it would be anything but detrimental to Galveston, overall.

And that's why I voted the way I did.

[desertsun41]

Originally Posted by Mom2Feebs

Because Galveston doesn't need it to recover. Also, Galveston doesn't need the crime increase. They have enough as it is, and gambling always brings more crime. Always. Not sometimes, not hardly, not occassionally; always.

For those who say it will bring tourism, I say phooey. Tourists come to Galveston for two things: History and the Beach. Okay, a third: the cruise lines.

For those who say it will bring better schools, I say no it won't. Example: Robin Hood. Another example: the lottery.

For those who say it would be better for Galveston, I say, talk to the folks in Biloxi, then go talk to the folks in Charleston, and then tell me why you think it would be better.

There have not been nearly enough specifics, nor statistics, to prove to me it would be anything but detrimental to Galveston, overall.

And that's why I voted the way I did.

YIKES !!
At least you didn't say because of religious reasons then I would have lost all respect. What you said makes sense. In Las Vegas the gambling capital of the world, they have the lowest rated schools in the United States. They also have the lowest rated health care, almost as low as Somalia.

Atlantic City gambling promoters said they would rebuild the slums of Atlantic City with gambling revenues. Here it is some 30 years later and you see all the glamor and beautiful structures on the ocean front but across the street is still slum and dangerous.

While AC and LV gambling bring tourism, I also dont think that will be the case for Galveston. Your right, people go there for the beach life, besides Louisiana is less then 3 hour drive away?

Gambling does bring crime. Where ever there is lots and lots of money changing hands, the criminals will come. I know. I lived with it.

Proponants of gambling will always bring up that the monies will go towards this or that but using Atlantic City and some other places for example, there is not doubt that it is a lie.

[LostInHouston]

I voted not sure for two reasons:

1. I don't live on Galveston Island. I think it should be up to the residents whether or not to allow gambling. I would like to see the state allow counties to make the decision themselves.

2. I don't think gambling should be brought to Galveston in an effort to rebuild post-Ike. What inevitably happens (and there are numerous examples) when you start talking about bringing in new industries/developments in an effort to rebuild is that it forces those at the bottom of the totem pole, out. I feel every single resident of Galveston should have every opportunity to rebuild.

So, I'm not against gambling in Galveston, just against it for the sole purpose of rebuilding.

[bamba_boy]

There is gambling just 1.5 hrs away in Lake Charles on the TX/Louisiana border. I don't see any kind of sin city there. Just a , for La., well-off little city enjoying the free funds given to them by Houston gamblers. Why not keep it in the Houston area for Texans!

PS. I've got no ties to the gambling industry. I go go to Vegas but just to see the shows and eat cheap buffets.