This fall, as a new school year got under way at the University of Arkansas, families from across Arkansas sent 2,434 of their sons and daughters to Fayetteville to begin their college education. Another 2,533 students from other states became freshmen as well.
Since 1871, the people of Arkansas have sent many of their young'uns into the hills of the Ozarks to learn at a land-grant college founded with a goal of advancing the state in teaching, agriculture and the natural sciences. Every county in Arkansas had a chance to compete to become home of the state's university. Washington County's campaign for selection won out over proposals from Pulaski and Independence counties.
It changed Washington County and Fayetteville forever. For 145 years, the state's investment has turned hopes into realities by improving the lives of those who pursued education "on the hill" of the UA.
In 2016, a couple of Missouri businessmen want to establish another institution in Washington County, one dedicated to the pursuit of high profits built on false hopes. In the Nov. 8 General Election, Arkansas' voters will determine the fate of Issue No. 5, an amendment to the Arkansas Constitution that will grant a casino monopoly to three companies and authorize them to open casinos in Boone (Harrison), Miller (Texarkana) and Washington counties.
None of these three counties have asked for a casino. Washington County is getting along just fine without having a casino forced upon it by Issue No. 5 backers and, if they have their way, by the voters across Arkansas.
That's one of my biggest gripes about Issue No. 5. People who have nothing to do with Washington County will decide if it will become one of Arkansas' gambling capitals. I'm guessing that's solely on the bases of potential profitability. In addition to its proximity to four of the largest -- and growing -- cities in the state, a casino here will be well positioned to lure many of those 27,000 students sent here to learn. The UA alone has a bigger population than all but 16 of Arkansas' cities.
Higher education is quite expensive these days, but the lessons learned at a casino can be far more costly.
Will Washington County get some benefit from its involuntary hosting of one of the state's first casinos? The amendment would funnel a half-percent of net annual gaming revenue to each host county. If the casino is built in a city, the municipality would receive 1.5 percent of net annual gaming revenue as well. No one knows for sure, but based on what the casino-style operations at Oaklawn Jockey Club in Hot Springs and Southland Greyhound Park in West Memphis pull in, the local governments could see a boost of $1 million or $2 million in annual tax revenue.
Is that enough to convince local officials to support Issue No. 5?
No, says Fayetteville Mayor Lioneld Jordan. No, says Springdale Mayor Doug Sprouse.
"As much as that revenue could really be put to good use, I think these types of operations bring a lot of negatives that are a little harder to quantify," Sprouse told me last week.
Jordan said the money offered via the amendment for city coffers isn't enough to sway him.
"What it doesn't say is how many kids are going to go without food and clothes because their moms and dads have run up a gambling debt," Jordan said.
Sprouse also noted Washington County and Northwest Arkansas are doing just fine in the job creation department.
A backer of the casino amendment was quoted last week -- in a story about how 29 Republican, 10 Democrat and 1 independent state lawmakers stand in opposition to the measure -- rejecting the idea the casinos are being thrust on local communities without giving them a say.
"As to local control, these casinos can't just pop down whenever where they want," Robert Coon said. "They will be regulated by zoning rules just as other companies ... in these counties."
Don't be so sure. The amendment gives the Legislature power to determine what laws will apply. The General Assembly could easily remove any local obstacles to casinos moving exactly where they want to be. And that's more likely to be in the unincorporated areas of Washington County but close to the big cities/university. Why put a casino in a city if it's going to require turning over a 1.5 percent cut of annual revenue?
Issue No. 5 is a bad proposal for a variety of reasons. It writes a specific set of for-profit businesses into the state Constitution. That's bad government. But it bothers me a lot that the people of Washington County could have to deal with the negative effects of casinos, with owners who answer to no one locally, with what will probably be 24/7 alcohol service.
Fayetteville and Washington County have for 145 years welcomed all who believed education is the path to better futures. It's an honorable pursuit. In the eyes of casino backers, however, the UA represents one more set of customers to drain precious dollars from. Who wants that?
If I were a political leader in Washington County who opposed being forced into hosting to the gaming industry, I think I'd gather up as many like-minded city, county and locally elected state leaders I could to speak with a united voice. The rest of Arkansas should hear from local leaders of a community that will be among the most directly affected by passage of this proposal. Hopefully, the rest of Arkansas would listen and help maintain Washington County as a place here knowledge and hard work create the path to better futures, not the pursuit of elusive winnings.
Commentary on 09/19/2016