NORTHWEST ARKANSAS — Being from a small state that historically ranks in the upper 40s among states in many key measures, it’s easy to get used to the condescension some of our American brethren show when dealing with us Arkinsawyers.

Most of that comes from folks who never have set foot in this great state or, if they have, took no time to comprehend the richness that the Natural State offers.

Granted, richness is in the eye of the beholder. In many measures, Arkansas is a poor state. While poverty is a condition all of us in Arkansas should strive to reduce, poor doesn’t necessarily translate into unhappy. And sometimes, outsiders mistake a simpler life as a poorer life when nothing could be further from the truth.

It’s not the richness of the Arkansas experience that some people are interested in. They’re just wanting to tap into the riches we supposedly do not have.

Yes, Nancy Todd, I’m talking about you. Here’s looking at you, Michael Wasserman.

Todd is the Las Vegas poker maven whose forces have collected about 200,000 signatures to get a constitutional amendment on the Nov. 6 election. The amendment would give her company, Nancy Todd’s Poker Palace, the legal authority to operate casinos in Crittenden, Franklin, Miller and Pulaski counties.

Todd, who reportedly represents out-of-state investors, needs 78,133 signatures from valid registered voters in Arkansas to get on the ballot. Her first batch of 80,000 signatures had 56,000 the state invalidated. So, 30 percent were valid.

Last week she turned in 121,503 more signatures. If her folks did the same job they did in the first round, she’ll still fall short, but Todd insisted the secondary effort will provide more eligible signatures.

Secretary of State Mark Martin, however, rejected the proposal as legally insufficient to make the ballot. What that means is the measure may be printed on Arkansas ballots, but it will be up to the Arkansas Supreme Court as to whether the votes are counted.

Wasserman is the Texas gent who wanted a proposal to allow a company to operate casinos in Boone, Crittenden, Garland, Jefferson, Miller, Pulaski and Sebastian counties. Martin rejected Wasserman’s proposal as having an insufficient number of signatures. That decision is being appealed to the state Supreme Court as well.

They both view Arkansas as prime territory for gaming, or at least gaming their way.

Knowing there’s likely an uphill climb to get casino approval from Arkansas voters, both proponents have laced their plans with casino funding to special areas, such as public schools, veterans care, children’s medical care and state highways. I’m a little surprised they didn’t also promise free medical care for everyone plus a two-week, all expense-paid vacation for registered voters.

Basically they’re spraying perfume on a skunk; no matter how hard they try, Arkansans hopefully will see this for the repellent effort that it is.

Why would Arkansans, even those who would otherwise favor casino gambling, favor constitutional amendments that granted state monopolies on casinos to specific companies, then leave them largely without state oversight?

I don’t believe the state needs casinos, but even if I did, these are the last proposals I’d cast a ballot for. Any Arkansas casinos need heavy regulation by the state to ensure they are operated in the best interests of the people, not the monopolistic advocates of gambling.

If Arkansans want casinos, they deserve better than these proposals.

Greg Harton is editor of the Northwest Arkansas Times.