The Oregon Lottery's Lewis and Clark Dancing Bear media campaign was canceled after complaints from the Coquille Tribe. Image from Deep Sky Studios
John A. Charles Jr. of the Cascade Policy Institute wonders why Oregon Gov. Kate Brown (D) is fighting a new Class II facility for the Coquille Tribe while supporting an expansion of state-run gaming:
Governor Kate Brown opposes a plan by the Coquille Indian Tribe to build a casino in Medford. In her public statement, the Governor said, “even a single additional casino is likely to lead to significant efforts to expand gaming across Oregon to the detriment of the public welfare.” What she actually means is she’s opposed to more gambling if it’s not run by state government. During the current two-year budget cycle, Oregon expects to earn $1.2 billion from the state Lottery. In January, Powerball mania resulted in record sales of $36 million in one week. A Lottery spokesman said, “Any time sales go up, that’s a good thing for our beneficiaries.” The hypocrisy of Oregon politicians about gambling and other so-called “sinful” activities is tiresome. We are constantly lectured to avoid smoking, drinking, and gambling because those activities are bad for us; but as soon as legislators get a cut of the action, it’s full steam ahead.Get the Story:
John A. Charles, Jr: Oregon’s gambling double standard (Oregon Business Report 5/9) Federal Register Notice:
Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Coquille Indian Tribe Fee-to-Trust and Casino Project, City of Medford, Jackson County, Oregon (January 15, 2015)
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