Texas Voters Agree
DownloadTexas Voters Agree
Destination Resort Casinos make sense for Texas
Under the Texas Constitution, only the voters can decide whether and how to expand legal gambling options in our state. Only the Texas Legislature, however, can put the question on the ballot for the voters to decide.
So, what do voters think? And how do their opinions on gambling options vary based on their political affiliation and ideology? There has been a lot of speculation around the Capitol that more conservative Republicans and Tea Party supporters would be less likely to support putting a gambling measure before the voters than their predecessors. It has also been argued that Republicans in general would be more supportive of limiting the footprint of any expanded gambling to video lottery terminals at the state’s horse and dog tracks.
Wilson Research Strategies conducted a poll in early March to find the answers to these questions, and delivered the findings in this report in mid-March.
InItIal Ballot test — Preference by Party and Ideology
In the initial ballot test, voters were asked whether they would vote for or against the following constitutional amendments relating to destination resort casinos and video lottery terminals at the tracks.
Conclusions
A majority of Texas voters of every political affiliation and ideology would vote to allow destination resort casinos in our state.
Republicans, conservatives and Tea Party supporters favor destination resort casinos over VLT’s at racetracks by margins as high as 4 to 1. So do Democrats and Independents.
Texans of every political persuasion want to vote on expanding gaming options regardless of their position on the issue. Tea Party supporters identify fiscal issues, not social issues such as gambling, as their primary focus.
All photos in this brochure are for illustration purposes only.
Our Plan
Authorize a limited number of destination resort casinos. Places a constitutional amendment before Texas voters that would authorize up to eight destination resort casinos, and an additional eight licenses for slots at Texas tracks.
Dedicate the gaming tax revenues to the Property Tax Relief Fund. Dedication of these revenues will help to ensure that the legislature keeps the promise of lower school property tax rates.
Fund the TEXAS Grant College Scholarship Program. Dedicates other tax streams generated directly from these gaming facilities to fund college scholarships through the TEXAS Grant Program.
Allow each of the three recognized Indian tribes in Texas to operate a gaming facility on their tribal lands in accordance with state and federal law.
Our Goals
Let the voters decide. Our democratic system trusts the voters to elect legislators to serve in Austin who will enact their will. Poll after poll shows that as many as 85% of our state’s voters want to vote on the expansion of gaming. We should trust them to make the right choice.
Provide at least a billion dollars in state revenue for the upcoming biennium to help the state balance its budget. This would be mostly in the form of up-front fees from the companies winning the licenses to operate facilities.
Don’t feed the beast. Spend the revenues that are generated in a way that does not grow government, but instead lowers taxes and helps Texas remain competitive.
Create tens of thousands of direct jobs in the new gaming facilities. These are good jobs, with career paths, high salaries and benefits. And, they won’t cost the state one penny in incentives.
Require competition for the gaming licenses. Competition, not entitlement, is what will generate the greatest economic impact and benefit for the public. No one is automatically entitled to anything under this proposal.
Keep Texas dollars in Texas. World-class destination resort facilities will not only bring Texas gaming dollars back from adjoining states, but will significantly increase the flow of convention and tourism dollars into Texas.
The survey results set forth in this brief were developed by Wilson Research Strategies (WRS), one of the top political and corporate polling firms in the country. The firm has completed over 3,000 research engagements and its principals have made numerous appearances on MSNBC, Fox News, CNN, CNBC and C-SPAN. WRS surveyed 1,000 registered voters between February 27 and March 1, 2011, for this poll.