After 20 years of negotiations, a Seminole gambling
compact is now headed to Gov. Charlie Crist after the House
approved the measure Monday with a 74-39 vote.
But the vote belied
the passionate debate on the House floor as conservative Republicans
decried the agreement as "evil" and Democrats lamented that the money
didn't go toward education.
"The love of money is the root of
every evil," said Rep. Charles Van Zant, a Clay County
Republican, quoting the Bible. "This Seminole gambling compact is evil and brings evil upon
Floridians."
Crist, who helped negotiate the compact, is expected
to sign it. It gives the tribe slot machines at seven casinos on its
reservations, and blackjack and two other card games in Broward, Tampa
and Immokalee. The agreement bars roulette and craps at the tribe's
casinos. In exchange, the tribe agrees to guarantee the state at
least $1 billion in revenues over the next five years and share its
revenues from slot machines for 20 years.
In the immediate
future, the state will get $435 million to spend this year, which will
help fill a deficit in revenues.
This "took what was stuck in the
ditch and put the State of Florida back in the drivers seat," said Rep. Bill
Galvano, R-Bradenton, the House negotiator.
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