Just One Thing
Issue 2 has one purpose and one purpose alone: To ensure that casinos won’t be forced into any local community that does not want one.
Let Voters Decide
Some communities want casinos and the jobs and tourism that come with them while other communities would rather not have a casino in their town because of social and economic concerns. This amendment respects the right of voters in ALL Arkansas counties to have the final say on whether their community would have a casino or not.
Respect Local Communities
In 2018, gambling interests put an amendment on the statewide ballot that legalized casinos in four Arkansas counties, without a local option vote. Voters In three of those four counties supported that amendment. But voters in the fourth county overwhelmingly rejected the casino amendment, with 61% of Pope County voters opposing it because they did not want a casino in their community.
It’s wrong for people to make decisions about a casino in another county where they don’t live. Issue 2 fixes this problem by ensuring that casinos will never be forced into any local community that does not want them.
No Impact to Current Casinos Where Voters Wanted Them
Issue 2 doesn’t affect the casinos operating in the three counties where voters supported them. This amendment would simply require a local vote before any future expansion of casino gambling in other Arkansas counties, and allow local Pope County voters to have the final say on whether a casino is built their community.
Local Decision Making
What’s good for one community might not be good for another. Some communities want casinos, while others don’t because they are concerned about how casino gambling might hurt local businesses or increase crime and addiction. These are debates that should be allowed to take place at the local level. The authority of local voters to determine the character of the communities in which they live should be respected by everyone and protected in the Arkansas Constitution.
Give Voters
The Final Say
That is all Issue 2 does. Let local voters have the final say on casino gambling in their community. Support Issue 2 and put Local Voters in Charge.
