[AK] PPA State Director Letter to Alaska Governor by pokerplayersalliance

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ANCHORAGE — A ballot measure that would create a Gaming Commission was lagging Tuesday.

With 70 percent of the vote counted, the initiative was losing with more than 62 percent of voters rejecting it.

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ANCHORAGE — Alaska voters will be asked Tuesday whether they want to create a Gaming Commission that could expand gambling by allowing slot machines, poker rooms, lotteries or any form of waging game.

The seven-member commission would be created within the state Department of Revenue under Ballot Measure 1.

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State legislators are moving toward changing the state constitution to demand a public vote before any gambling for profit can be legalized in Alaska.

The idea is to blunt an initiative that’s set to appear on the August statewide ballot. The initiative would create a commission with the power to authorize gambling — from lotteries to casino games — without the Legislature’s approval.

The state House voted 33-6 in favor of the constitutional amendment this week. It goes to the Senate, where Judiciary Committee Chairman Hollis French thinks it has a real shot at passing even with just four days left in the legislative session.

If the Senate does pass the constitutional amendment in time and the governor signs it, the idea would go to voters for approval in the November election. That’s presumably before the gaming commission could get set up and act.

“I want this to go into the constitution, that people will always have a say,” said Anchorage Democratic Rep. Harry Crawford, a longtime foe of expanding gambling who sponsored the measure with Eagle River Republican Rep. Nancy Dahlstrom.

Currently, it is up to the Legislature to decide whether to allow gambling beyond the limited number of pull-tabs, bingo, ice classics, pools, raffles and the like that are now legal to benefit nonprofits. Recent years have seen fights in the Legislature over whether to expand what’s allowed to include video poker, a casino, lotteries or card rooms. In the end, the Legislature refused to do so.

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A former Chugiak High School vice-principal was sentenced Friday morning for his role in operating a Valley poker room raided by Alaska state troopers in April 2007.

Superior Court Judge Eric Smith didn’t give James McDowell any jail time and said his record will be cleared if he doesn’t break the law for two years. He also fined McDowell $5,000.

That didn’t stop defense attorney Josh Fannon from having his say.

“This is the most overcharged, over-investigated, worthless case I’ve ever seen,” Fannon said in court. “After eight months of surveillance by many cops, 27 officers carrying machine guns and wearing ski masks” raided the place and “turned up nothing.”

Later, Fannon called the investigation a despicable waste of resources. He claimed lawyers, doctors and even cops played at the poker parlor on Bogard Road and were charged up to 5 percent of the take to “pay the mortgage and keep the lights on.”

Assistant district attorney Alison Collins offered no rebuttal in court to Fannon’s allegations and did not return a message left Friday afternoon.

During the raid, troopers reported finding more than $9,000 in cash, 14 poker tables, gambling ledgers and piles of chips. Eleven people were playing cards at the time.

McDowell was one of eight charged, most on misdemeanors, after the April 15 raid. Only Samuel Henry remains to be sentenced, on April 16. Henry is accused of running the games for McDowell, the owner of the property.

Unless Henry is jailed on a felony for promoting gambling, none will have been sentenced to time behind bars.

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Poker Players Alliance is proud to be a sponsor in Alaska Poker Association’s “Bad Beat on Cancer” Event on Feb.24th.

“We are excited about Phil and Rafe coming to Alaska. This will be the first time
any professional poker players have hosted any events here. We have invited the
Mayor and other officials to join us at a “celebrity” table. I believe that
events like this really help promote poker in a good way.”
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