Paint me a bingo hall, Randy Owen

Well, I have say I am a little disappointed in Randy Owen of Alabama, as he has gone over to the side of bingo. So much for a wholesome reputation.

On Wednesday the House Tourism and Travel Committee voted to approve the bingo bills that would set up 14 large bingo halls in the state, including two in Walker County. According to the Associated Press, the committee passed a version of the bill that would allow games in Etowah, Greene, Houston, Lowndes, Jefferson, Macon, Mobile and Walker counties. The committee took out Calhoun County, which was in the original version. Lucky Calhoun.

The identical Senate committee held a public hearing on the identical Senate bill but did not take an identical vote. In fact, they held no vote at all, for some reason.

Perhaps they were not serenaded like the House committee was. According to the AP, "The legislation attracted support from country music entertainers, who say it will help a country entertainment center be built near Dothan. Tracy Lawrence sang 'Paint Me a Birmingham' for the House committee, and Alabama singer Randy Owen told the Senate committee that there is no place he'd rather play than Alabama."

Paint me a bingo hall, Mr. Owen. And use some pretty colors to mask the ugly mess we're creating. Be sure to use green, the color of money.

By the way, going through the bill, I uncovered something interesting. There is a section that indicates that while the current bingo amendments for the counties would be scrapped, the governing authorities under those old amendments would have the ability to pick the operators of the two bingo halls for that county. In other words, the Walker County Commission would get to pick the two bingo halls which would have at least 1,000 machines each and would cost at least $50 million to build. Once that word gets around, the reaction should be quite interesting.

There is no question there is a big push this time to pass the bills. Paul Hubbert of the Alabama Education Association has already staked out a position, noting 70 percent of the 20 percent tax on the gross would go for education. The ink had barely dried on the newspapers announcing the plan on Friday before a weekend blitz of TV commercials started to advocate the passage of the bills. The commercials were so cheery that you would have thought you were voting for motherhood and apple pie.

Of course, the commercials also want to tout that you will be getting rid of illegal gambling. Oh, really?! The same illegal gambling that some of the same supporters are not just pushing for, but operating? Give me a break.

It becomes even more interesting when looking at other factors. The economy becomes a bigger player in this than it ever has before. We can talk about the faked charities, the crime committed to get money to play bingo, the poor people and elderly who are losing funds that they would otherwise use to pay bills and more...but money in a severe recession such as this will take center stage every time. One of the latest full page pro-bingo ads plopped down in local newspapers (still without identification, of course) blows up huge photos of Jack Webb as Sgt. Joe Friday, of all things, the quintessential cop. (I would bet...if I bet...that the ads used the images without copywrite permission, because I saw no hint of that. Heck, they won't even identify themselves!) It blew up that and another publicity photo from "Dragnet" with the headline, "Just the facts, ma'am," the famous cliche to come out of the TV show.

It then led into figures, which are true, showing the Walker County's unemployment rate has been lower than that of surrounding counties. It then made this statement:

"Over 1,400 individuals are directly employed by the Charity Bingo industry in Walker County. That's almost 5% of the entire workforce of Walker County. Tourism in Walker County is at an all-time high. Charity Bingo brings visitors to the area, which keeps local businesses thriving."

Of course, there is no way to double-check those numbers since the bingo halls are almost unchecked and have been from the beginning. But as the county has given itself over so freely and the bingo halls are hiring like mad, I would not doubt it has come to this. Kill bingo and you kill Disney World, the golden goose that draws in the crowd. And who would want to put our county into an economic tailspin?

Well, maybe those folks could do legal work for Attorney General Troy King. He may need it soon.

The Birmingham News and the Montgomery Independent reported that a federal grand jury has been meeting to question Troy King's former employees, with U.S. Attorney Alice Martin in the room. Not only do there appear to be questions of King taking retribution on those who don't see eye-to-eye with his supporters, but there are questions, according to reports, about why King seems to allow some bingo halls in the state to remain unchecked while he allegedly acts to close others. And this comes on the heels of a very public, nasty falling out between King and Gov. Bob Riley over bingo, with Riley telling the Alabama Baptist that King has simply been "wrong" in his stand. Riley apparently met with Walker County bingo opponents, heard from King, then heard from his own legal experts and concluded something was not right. King didn't even make the cut on Riley's anti-gambling task force.

Yes, that's the kind of tourism we need. New York Times reporters staying in our motels covering the attorney general of Alabama on trial.

Reports indicate Riley will oppose the new bingo bills in the Legislature, and so will a number of Republicans. One senator said it was dead on arrival. Then again, when Nashville comes to sing in front of legislators and bingo halls start using Joe Friday as a poster boy, anything goes. Stay tuned.

A bingo dilemma in Dora

If anyone needs an example of the dilemma faced by good people who decide to use bingo to fund good things, Dora may be a good example after Tuesday night's work session of the Dora City Council.

(NOTE: Ed Howell's "Talk of the Town" on WJLX, 1240 AM in Jasper, will air the 24-minute debate on its 2 p.m. Wednesday, March 4, broadcast, which can also be heard live and over the next week on www.walkercountyradio.com.)

At one point, the council began to discuss about the proceeds of a bingo charity called the Dora Fire Department Community Action Group. A while back, the outgoing council before the new administration took office voted to have the fire department not accept electronic bingo funds.

Councilwoman Kristie Tuggle, who opposes electronic bingo, was not happy that a charity was set up with the name "Dora Fire Department" in the long title. She felt it still gave the impression the fire department was collecting electronic bingo funds under this charity, which Dora Mayor Chris Edwards said is registered with Country Classic Bingo.

Told by Edwards, the former fire chief, that the group is separate private group and that the sheriff had approved it as a charity, Tuggle responded, "But I think it is misleading that it says Dora Fire Department Community Action Group, because they do no own the Dora Fire Department and that is the implication that that name gives. That name needs to go away because that is giving the implication this council has voted no on bingo but, yes, we've started a charity to accept money for the fire department."

The impression that the fire department was involved turned out to be more than passing. Edwards, pressed on who was involved with the group, revealed five or six members of the fire department were behind it. Councilman Nick Isbell, who is part of the volunteer fire department, was revealed during the meeting as one of the firemen who is part of the charity. He said it was designed to collect funds that could be used in time solely for fire department equipment, although no funds have been transferred yet.

Tuggle said the city is liable for the equipment purchased. Isbell said if "someone dies because we don't have the proper equipment, who's fault is that?" He said some of the current equipment is 15 years old. He also asked how was this different than accepting alcohol and tobacco taxes.

"Look how crooked the government is and we accept money from it," Isbell said. (Well, you may have us there, but ...)

He also alluded to some long-standing allegations that money intended for the fire department went missing. (As I recall, then-Mayor George Sides denied this last year.) Isbell said the money was set up so that it would not go through the General Fund, although someone later said any funds for the city have to go through the General Fund.

Isbell said the group had a tax account number. When Tuggle asked where the group's account was set up, Isbell said, "Do I have to tell you?" Edwards then said, "It doesn't have to be discussed here at all because it ain't city business."

"I think it is city business because we voted no," Tuggle said.

Eventually, Councilmen Gary Thomas and Hezekiah Walker also expressed concern about using the fire department's name in the charity's title.

Edwards and Isbell said the group was set up last summer. Did we say last summer? Yes, and there lies another problem. Even though Walker County Sheriff John Mark Tirey approved the bingo charity, it apparently does not meet the requirement that the charity needed to be set up for five years and own property for five years. Asked what property the charity owned, Isbell said during the meeting he was not sure about that.

Council members were mostly concerned about the name, indicating that if the group changed the name, it would be alright. They did not want to give the impression that the fire department was taking bingo money, and having "Dora Fire Department" in the name would not make a good impression. However, here's the question I have: Even if you change the name and accept a donation, isn't that the same thing as prevented by the council resolution? This was set up by firemen who belong to the fire department for the benefit of the fire department. You could call it the Mystic Order of the Benevolent Tuna Salad Appreciation Society and it still appears to be the Dora Fire Department.

Moreover -- and let's forget what the sheriff has or has not been approved; the whole permitting process for charities is pretty much in shambles -- there appears to be no doubt that the charity does not follow the most basic rules, practically the only rules we seem to agree on for bingo in this county: The charity must have existed for 60 months and own land for that amount of time. (Tuggle said Tuesday night the East Walker Chamber of Commerce "didn't meet the guidelines but they still let the chamber have it," referring to approval to be a bingo charity. No one from the chamber was present at the meeting.)

This is not to say that the Dora Fire Department is a sham or that the department doesn't do good works. That is not to say it doesn't need good equipment and more funds, especially in this economy. The department and Isbell do a good job, and I appreciate the service they do. Anyone who remembers Sept. 11 and has seen the movie "Fireproof" can't begin to state how much we appreciate their service.

However, the firemen of this county opened the door to this, perhaps with a certain amount of naivete, after a bingo lawyer promoted the benefits of electronic bingo at a firemen's meeting. Starved for cash, the fire departments signed up to be charities, following the Pied Piper all the way down the path we have all been forced to take. It has now come down to the point that firemen feel they have to create some fire department appreciation society to get charity funds (albeit before the council apparently voted to prevent firemen from participating).

I can understand the frustration of charities, particularly of firemen. It is easy to go after bingo money; I've been put into some tempting situations recently, some of which would really only be incidental in connection, but I've decided against those situations as best as I can manage for the sake of erring on the side of avoiding conflicts with my stand and my associations. Turning down money and opportunities is not easy, but racing after bingo money is not the answer.

And even if it was, taking the road that Dora firemen went down appeared to be in conflict with the wishes of the city council. The group easily could have changed its name after the vote, but even then it walked like a fireman, talked like a fireman and acted like a fireman. The fire department should have abandoned the effort.

I hope the Dora firemen can find another source of funding if it needs turnout equipment that badly, and after 15 years it probably does. But this was one fire the department should have put out and didn't. It is a lesson of how easily we can get burned by this raging blaze that seems intent on leaving our county in ashes.

How we got bingo in 1992

Doing research for a client at Ed Howell Communication, I finally had time to look at the 1992 issues of the Daily Mountain Eagle concerning how bingo got started--at least the paper kind. It is water under the bridge perhaps, but it makes for some interesting reading in the aftermath.

In the Feb. 26, 1992, issue, the Eagle said that hundreds of people had signed petitions already for bingo as a means of raising money for fire departments and other charities. The Jasper VFW and the Elks Lodge were among those that had come out in favor. Charles Tipton of the United Mine Workers came out in favor of it, as long as the charities had existed for five years and non-profit groups were the ones who benefited, adding that retirees and locals could get funds. (He later had to apologize for giving the impression that the UMW was in favor of it, saying he was only speaking for himself.)

On March 5, it was noted by Eagle writer John Sandlin that state Rep. Johnny Cagle, D-Nauvoo, who had defeated Ed Frazier earlier to gain that seat, was sponsoring the bills. A major supporter of bingo, T. Wayne Bright, brought the legal ad to the Eagle that was necessary to run the bills.

Cagle said he had received no negative response to the bills and that it would "help a lot of schools in trouble." He expected it to pass through after a tax reform package was passed.

"I've got petitions from hundreds of people who want the right to vote. There's been an overwhelming response from organizations, and it's the same thing as tax reform. It's ultimately up to the people," Cagle said. "I'm sure there are some people opposed and I say, 'If you are opposed, vote against it or campaign against it.'"

Cagle said there are safeguards written in the bills "so people can't come into Walker County and take advantage " of legalized bingo, Sandlin wrote. Groups would have to be non-profit and in existence locally for at least five years before they could operate games.

Sandlin noted, "Several volunteer and fraternal groups have operated low-key bingo games to raise funds over the years in Walker county, either as traditional bingo or virtually the same game under a different name."

It is interesting no one in the stories talks about electronic games being proposed from the bills. In fact, on March 10, there was a story about Jasper police cracking down on video poker machines.

It appears at least on the surface the Walker County Commission, which had all different members then, had little to do with the effort. Frazier came one day to a meeting thinking there was to be a hearing, but commissioners said they had no received petitions and had no hearing scheduled. I think that was the only time the commissioners had any record in the paper of discussing it in a meeting.

Meanwhile, then-state Sen. Bob Wilson Jr. had nothing to say about it at the time. State Rep. Tom Hogan, who held Tommy Sherer's seat at the time, only reluctantly supported the bills, saying he could not block them only because of wide support.

"I don't think bingo is the way to go, but I'm not going to stop the veterans from having a chance to vote on it. There's a lot of members who appear to favor bingo," Hogan said.

It was not until the end of the session that the bingo bills were passed -- four of them. It turns out that two bills set up a Jasper Bingo Authority and a Walker County Bingo Authority, according to a May 21 report. I just realized that, and don't know if Gov. Guy Hunt signed them, as Hunt was studying them at the time. Obviously, he signed bills to set up a vote that November. There was later talk about how the act would set up a bingo committee to make sure caps on jackpots, set by the Legislature, would be followed.

The bills first passed the House. Wilson signed the measures out of the Local Legislation Committee in the last hours of the session. He told Sandlin the four bills then went on the Senate general calendar because of a legislative rule that makes any bill regarding lotteries or games of chance a general bill regardless of its local application.

"Wilson asked for the bills to be handled out of order and the Senate passed the measures before the legislative clock died," Sandlin said.

By the Nov. 3 vote, there had been a number of ads, particularly from Rev. Delmus Anthony of New Prospect Baptist Church, that worried about the proposal opening up other gambling in the county. Dr. Michael Adams of First Baptist Church (of Jasper, I presume) also opposed it.

The ballot allowed "legalizing the operation of bingo games for prizes or money by certain non-profit organizations for charitable or educational purposes...when all the requirements of Amendment 425 to the state constitution are fulfilled." Jasper voters got to vote on their proposal and the county's bingo amendment as well.

VFW leaders said 30 percent of the proceeds would go to charity causes, while 50 percent would be paid to player winnings and 20 percent would go for overhead. It was noted by Sandlin that "heat from authorities over bingo conducted by AMVETS at a building just across the Warrior River brought an end in 1984 to games conducted by the Jasper VFW post and police shut down both the VFW and the Elks when they tried to resume games last year (1991), the VFW leaders said."

Post 4850 Commander John Grimes told Sandlin that he disagreed with the stand by church leaders.

""I don't want to get into a fight with the church. The church has it's place," he said. "But bingo is bingo and I don't understand how they can say it's going to lead someone to do something else, unless they think it's going to make him go somewhere else to bet on dogs."

Meanwhile, Sandlin said Cagle was now distancing himself from a growing fray, saying he was not backing one side or another but only trying to give people the right to vote on the issue. He did say that the bills were drawn up based on bills used in Gadsden, where games were being conducted without problems.

Again, none of the articles were describing whether electronic bingo was part of the deal, and it would seem it pointed only to regular bingo when the headline on Nov. 4 referred to VFW leaders "dusting off their bingo balls" after they won the referendums the day before. The vote outside Jasper was 14,016 in favor to 11,417 against. Inside Jasper it passed 13,065 to 11,694.

Adams told Sandlin he was not persuaded on arguments that the gambling aspect of bingo would not eventually lead to big business controlling the games, based on what he had seen in other communities.

Grimes responded that the wording of the legislation would prevent that from happening since only non-profit charitable groups which had been around for 60 months could operate the games.

Well, we all know how that ended, don't we?