Michigan Religious Leaders Unite Against Gaming

26 October 2004

DETROIT, Michigan – (PRESS RELEASE) -- Prominent religious leaders from a broad cross section of the religious community announced Monday they have organized a group, Pastors Against the Spread of Gaming, to urge a "yes" vote on Proposal 1.

The 50 ministers from Baptist, Pentecostal, COGIC, non-denominational and other churches represent more than 300 churches and more than 250,000 church members statewide.

"We are here because we want to stop the sinful spread of gaming," said Bishop Charles H. Ellis of Greater Grace Temple, where the ministers made their announcement. "Gambling is destroying our congregations, disrupting our families, and killing our cities by poisoning the minds of our young people.

"Pastors Against the Spread of Gaming was formed because we are appalled by the state's apparent attempt to sanction the unbridled spread of gambling to the detriment of our parishioners. We are urging a 'yes' vote on Proposal 1 because passage of Proposal 1 will make it far more difficult to continue the spread of gaming throughout the state."

"The onset of unrestricted gambling will be a blight upon our communities, our families and our homes whom we have worked so hard to maintain in the face of adversity," said Rev. Velva Burley, Pastor of Third New Hope Baptist Church in Detroit. "As a community of faith we must band together to fight these demons.

"I am particularly appalled that our Governor Granholm and Brooks Patterson would team up to endorse a position that will make it much easier to expand gambling in Michigan, including 24-hour Internet gambling targeted at young people, without voter approval. I do not understand how two supposedly responsible public officials could endorse such an irresponsible approach to gambling."

The ministers said a "Yes" vote on Proposal 1 would protect neighborhoods by requiring voter approval before any new forms of gaming could be introduced in Michigan. Currently, the State Legislature is debating plans for more casinos, slot machines in racetracks and even slot machines in neighborhood bars and restaurants. The Michigan Lottery also has announced plans to develop Internet gaming aimed at young people.

"It pains my heart to see our Governor and other officials so warmly endorse the evils of 24-hour Internet gambling and other activities designed to corrupt our young people," said Bishop Steven Bennett, House of Prayer and Praise and overseer of the full Gospel Baptist Churches of Michigan. "They need to look at what the voters are saying and what we are saying here in Detroit."

Proposal 1 would require any new state-sanctioned casino-style gambling plans to be approved by voters in affected communities and by voters statewide -- the same process Detroit's casinos had to go through to be approved.

Under so-called "racino" legislation (HBs 4609-4611) pending in a House- Senate conference committee, the Lottery would begin operating 18,000 or more new slot machines at Michigan horse racetracks as early as next year without a vote of the people. And even though Lottery revenues are supposed to all go to schools, Michigan schools would get little of the new Lottery slot revenues. Instead, the bills divert most of the racino revenues to horse racetrack owners and the state's general fund.

The racino bills have passed both the House and Senate in different versions. Under the House racino package, 60 percent of the revenues would go to horse racetracks and other largely horse-related recipients. The general fund would get 40 percent of the revenues, of which only about one-third would go to schools. Under the Senate version, 70 percent of the revenues go to the state Treasury. Of that amount, 94 percent would go to the general fund and only 6 percent to schools.

"Some politicians in the Legislature and elsewhere in state government are trying to divert funds once again from our schools," said Bishop Clarence B. Hadden, High Praise Cathedral, Apostolic Pastors Alliance. "Now we learn that some in Lansing want to steal money from our children's schools while encouraging the spread of gambling, promoting a procedure that will not only leave their minds empty but their souls barren."

Constitutions of 10 other states permit certain types of gaming activities only when they are authorized by a local vote of citizens in the municipality or county where gaming would take place -- Alabama, Colorado, Delaware, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, New Jersey, Rhode Island, South Dakota and West Virginia. In addition, the constitutions of five states require a statewide vote of the people for gambling expansion or authorization -- Colorado, Montana, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Washington. Starting with our state's first constitution in 1835, the Michigan Constitution has always contained an amendment specifying the level of gambling activities allowed in our state.