The Alabama House of Representatives has found that HB103 is important enough to pass to protect Alabama businesses. Republicans across the country are incensed that Governors have selected a few businesses to stay open and force-close the others. But very few seem equally incensed that Alabama lawmakers are planning to permanently close businesses in Greene County. 

One of the poorest counties in the nation is Greene County. The State of Alabama has no solutions that would help this poor black community and there is no chance of any state generated economic development project so – what did they do? They found a way to survive. They passed a local Constitutional Amendment to allow for charitable bingo and the people of Greene County voted to ratify the Amendment. Charitable bingo has paid for services that many communities take for granted but Greene County could not afford.   Services for the citizens like hospitals, nursing homes, after school programs for children were all made possible by Charitable Bingo. It provides a better life for the people of Greene County. And what does the state plan to do in response – gut the very source that propped up this county and FORCE CLOSE the businesses that help generate income for these poor Alabamians. 

The gaming bill selects one employer to stay open and force the others to close. These businesses have invested millions in infrastructure, employee thousands of people, provide insurance benefits to these employees, provide millions of dollars to the surrounding communities so that essential services are provided for the people living in these communities. 

Greene county is one of the poorest counties in America. There are no businesses flocking to Eutaw, Alabama to bring jobs. There are no economic development prospects.  Alabama government leaders are not concerned about the jobs, health and human services and education of the people of Greene County. The only ones who care about these people are the existing Charitable Bingo facilities that now exist and who were established to pay for these very things when all other resources failed. And now, the Government is planning to take that very “solution to poverty” away from Greene County in Del Marsh’s statewide Gaming Legislation.

The very worst reason we could have for making a thing legal is to again rob from the poor to give to the rich.

In Alabama we need to stand up for something right – for once!