Not a lot has happened since the ballot language was approved. I am still attempting to get information on where votes are being collected so that people can get involved.
I did stumble across a great resource for the ballot initiative for Colorado Ballot Issue 121. Click here for the direct link. It is from a web site called www.balletpedia.org .
More info to come folks as I am able to get my hands on it.
This article was posted in the Rocky Mountain News regarding Casino support for the initiative to increase the betting limit in Colorado to $100. Below are some excerpts from this article:
A proposed ballot initiative that would allow gambling cities in Colorado to raise betting limits, extend casino hours and add games is getting financial support from some of the state’s larger casinos.
Under the measure, any additional gambling proceeds that would result from the changes would go primarily to fund community colleges, with a small percentage going back to the communities affected by gambling.
Coloradans for Sensible Solutions, which is backing Initiative 121, has received $3.1 million of contributions and reported spending less than $195,000.
The biggest contributor so far has been the Isle of Capri Casino in Black Hawk, which gave $1.5 million, followed by Ameristar Casino, also in Black Hawk, which contributed $700,000.
Other gambling houses gave smaller amounts: Colorado Casino Resorts Inc. in Colorado Springs donated $140,000, and the Wild Card Saloon in Black Hawk put in $88,000.
“The overwhelming majority of the casinos do support this,” said Katy Atkinson, spokeswoman for Coloradans for Sensible Solutions.
The state’s Title Setting Review Board approved the language of the ballot initiative to increase the gaming limits (Ballot Initiatives 121 and 122). The approved language would allow Central City, Black Hawk and Cripple Creek to increase maximum betting limits at their casinos to $100, to allow craps and roulette and to extend their hours of operation. The next step for the proponents is to begin circulating petitions to collect the more than 76,000 registered voter’s signatures to get the measure on the November 2008 ballot. If you support the gaming limits increase and want it on the ballot, be on the lookout for petitioners collecting signatures. You must be a registered voter in the state of Colorado for your signature to be valid. If you need to register to vote, visit the Colorado Secretary of State’s website - http://www.elections.colorado.gov, click on voter registration form, fill it out and mail it. Be aware that there will be several groups circulating petitions to get measures on the ballot, only sign petitions for measurers you would like on the ballot.
Let’s get out there and get the required signatures! Check back at www.nolimitcolorado.com for updates.
The Review and Committee Meeting for Ballot Issues 121 and 122 was yesterday, Friday May 9th. The purpose of this hearing was to provide legislative council staff an opportunity to ask questions and provide clarifying input to the authors of the proposed initiatives (not to approve or kill the proposed initiatives). The authors of the initiative will now have an opportunity to make changes to the ballot language prior to the Title Board Hearing. The Title Board Hearing must take place on or before May 21st and any rehearings by May 30th. At this hearing, the initiative can be approved for petition signature gathering or further challenged. Once approved, proponents will need to collect of 76,000 signatures of registered electors to get the measure on the ballot. Check back here at www.nolimitcolorado.com for updates.
The initial hearing for Ballot Issues 121 /122 will be heard this morning at 8:30. You can listen in via the Internet Audio Broadcast. Click HERE. Then click on House Committee Room 0109. Let’s hope for the best!
Colorado Ballot 121 and 122 are going to title board hearing 8:30 AM next Friday 5/9/2008. This is the first step to get these initiatives on the ballot so voters can have a say in raising the betting limit in Colorado from $5 to $100. This citizen initiative, after statewide approval, would allow the Cities of Central City, Blackhawk and Cripple Creek, through local elections to extend:
• Hours of gaming operation
• Approved games to include roulette or craps, or both; and
• Single bets up to $100
Here is the PDF Copy of Colorado Citizens Initiative 121
Here is the PDF Copy of Colorado Citizens Initiative 122
The only difference I can see between these initiatives are the dates in lines 32 and 35 on the last page.
I will be providing full coverage here at www.nolimitcolorado.com
It only took about 10 minutes and SCR08-008 was dead. Senator Ron Tupa pleaded with the committee to keep the bill, and even more so, the debate alive between the Senate and the House by passing the bill through committee. At the end of the day, without the support of the Industry, this bill didn’t have any legs to stand on. This makes way for the Citizens Initiative which has industry support, an established betting limit of $100, and clear direction on where the additional tax monies will go (community colleges).\
Here is the full version of SCR08-08.
Keep checking back for updates regarding future legislation.
SCR08-008 – Increasing the Maximum bet in Limited Gaming in Colorado by Senator Ron Tupa (D), Boulder is scheduled to be heard in the Senate State, Veterans & Military Affairs Committee on Monday, April 28th at 1:30 p.m. at the Colorado State Capitol. If you cannot attend, you can listen to the proceedings online at http://www.leg.state.co.us/, click on audio broadcast, room SCR356. It’s so important that our elected officials hear from the citizens in this state that support the increase of the current betting limits. Show you support of SCR08-008 by attending the hearing tomorrow. I will have a full report on www.nolimitcolorado.com so check back for details.
The gaming debate in Colorado is heating up! Last week I had the pleasure to inform you of SCR08-008 by Senator Ron Tupa increasing the maximum bet in limited gaming in Colorado. By Friday, April 25th a citizens’ initiative with the same goal was submitted to Colorado Legislative Council for approval for the November 2008 ballot. The primary difference between the two bills is that the citizen initiative, after statewide approval, would allow the Cities of Central City, Blackhawk and Cripple Creek, through local elections to extend:
• Hours of gaming operation
• Approved games to include roulette or craps, or both; and
• Single bets up to one hundred dollars
The citizen initiative outlines that additional tax revenues generated above the 2007 tax collections would be split 22% to the local communities and 78% to Colorado Community Colleges. A worth cause I must say! Just another reason to support lifting the limited gaming limits in Colorado.
With two Constitutional measures in the hopper, chances are good we will have the opportunity to vote on one of these proposals on the November ballot. Both proposals have a long road ahead to obtain the necessary clearance for the ballot. Please check www.nolimitcolorado.com for updates.
Here is an interesting article regarding the legislation introduced by Senator Ron Tupa.
The bottom of the article has some interesting information from Lois Rice, Executive Director at the Colorado Gaming Association. She is spot on, especially the bit about losing patrons to Las Vegas and other states that have higher stakes gaming. Below are excerpts from the article:
Casinos would also benefit if those projections hold true but the Colorado Gaming Association is waiting to see what the final measure looks like before taking a position, executive director Lois Rice said.
Rice said casino revenues were down over 15 percent in March which she blames partly on the smoking ban that took effect in January.
“The smoking ban has had a significant impact, actually more than we thought originally,” Rice said.
Rice also said Colorado casinos lose a lot of patrons to Las Vegas and even New Mexico, where there are unlimited stakes.
Gamblers are divided on raising the limit and several said the existing $5 is plenty.
“There are a lot of people that shouldn’t be gambling,” said Sherri Boda, a gambler from Longmont. “They would just lose faster and more when they really can’t afford to.”
The Gaming Association says studies have shown compulsive gamblers make up less than 2 percent of all casino visitors, and that percentage has not changed as gambling has expanded around the country.