Pro-gambling group collects more than 600,000 signatures for petition

Tara Godvin

Friday, July 2, 2004 | 8:56 a.m.

OMAHA, Neb. -- Backers of a petition that would legalize casinos and allow slot machines across Nebraska handed in petitions Thursday with 640,000 signatures to state officials, almost double what was needed to make the ballot.

The Keep the Money in Nebraska Coalition collected the signatures during a four-month drive to place four measures on the Nov. 2 ballot. Counties have 40 days to verify signatures on the petitions before the secretary of state certifies the proposals for the ballot.

In April the Legislature passed a ballot measure that would allow two casinos anywhere in the state. The coalition measure would legalize two casinos in Omaha and, unlike the legislative proposal, it also would allow about 4,900 slot machines and video gambling machines in bars, restaurants and horse tracks across the state.

"The hardest part of this petition drive was cutting it off," coalition co-chair Julia Plucker said.

The group needed about 76,000 signatures on each of its two petitions making changes to state law and about 109,000 on the two petitions proposing constitutional amendments. The total signature count needed is roughly 370,000.

The exact number of signatures needed is 7 percent of registered voters for changes in state law and 10 percent for constitutional amendments. But the numbers must be based on registered voters as of today, which is the deadline for petitions to be submitted.

Plucker said the next step is to educate voters as to what the measures mean. That will be done through the group's Web site, radio and possibly television spots.

Standing near a highway sign, which reads "Welcome to Iowa," coalition co-chair and Kimball Mayor Greg Robinson said that Nebraska is losing more than $300 million to casinos and gambling in Iowa and surrounding states.

He said the group's ballot measures would generate tax revenue and keep that money in the state.

Gambling opponents remained undeterred by the submission of the signatures.

"We just cannot be bought," said Gambling with the Good Life director Pat Loontjer. "They've got $2 million to buy signatures but we don't believe you can buy the votes of Nebraskans."

Also on Thursday, a letter opposing casino gambling written by U.S. Rep. Tom Osborne, R-Neb., and state Sen. Ernie Chambers of Omaha was distributed.

Osborne and Chambers have been at odds over the years on a number of issues, especially during Osborne's reign as University of Nebraska football coach, but this time they joined forces to speak out against casinos.

"We share a deep concern for all families in Nebraska," they say in the letter. They say they oppose casinos and slot machines "due to the devastating, negative impact they have on individuals and society at large."

"It would be a grievous error were we to stand by in silence and allow powerful, predatory out-of-state gambling interests to invade Nebraska, buy the election and alter in a negative way, the quality of life in this state forever," Chambers and Osborne wrote.