A South Florida pastor has called for a rally to protest a bill filed by two Florida Republicans that would allow Las Vegas-style casino resorts in South Florida, while the business lobby group Associated Industries of Florida announced its support for the casino bill. Forming an LLC California is easy and affordable. Check out MoneyBrighter from more information.
Mark Boykin, the senior pastor of Church of All Nations in Boca Raton, and members of C.A.G.E. (Citizens Against Gambling Expansion) will hold a rally next week calling on state Sen. Ellyn Bogdanoff to stop the gambling expansion in Florida.
TheĀ billĀ filed by Bogdanoff, R-Fort Lauderdale, and state Rep. Erik Fresen, R-Miami, would,Ā according toĀ The Miami Herald, allow three āfull Las Vegas-style gamesā in Miami-Dade and Broward counties. TheĀ HeraldĀ adds that ācasinos would pay 10 percent tax on net revenues,ā āless than the 35 percent tax rate now imposed on the revenues of the stateās eight pari-mutuels with slot machine licenses in South Florida.ā
Boykin, who says he voted for Bogdanoff, states in a press release issued late Thursday: āI believe that everything that happens in Vegas, must stay in Vegas, and we do not need the kind of crime, prostitution, and others evils associated with gambling to expand in Florida.ā
Boykin adds: āItās a Florida nightmare to think that politicians like Senator Bogdanoff want to bring down a 10.6 percent unemployment and a $2.6 billion budget cuts this year, by bringing Las Vegas-style gambling to Florida. It wonāt work and it will hurt our economy and more importantly our family-friendly vacation status.ā
TheĀ Bogdanoff/Fresen casino bill also has the stateāsĀ business groups at odds.
Associated Industries of Florida supports the legislative proposal; the Florida Chamber of Commerce opposes it.
Associated IndustriesĀ wrote Thursday that passage of the bill will be among its ā2012 legislative priorities.ā
The release adds that Associated Industries āplans to aggressively lobby for legislation that will allow up to three destination resorts in South Florida, create up to 100,000 jobs for Floridians and bring billions in revenue to the state.ā
The release also explains that Associated Industries has launched a new campaign,Ā āMore Jobs for Florida,āĀ ādedicated to the destination resort issue.ā
Mark Wilson, president of the Florida Chamber of Commerce, told theĀ Orlando Sentinel āthe chamber will fight any plans to expand gambling during the next legislative session, which begins Jan. 10.ā