Sunday, July 17, 2016

SJC: DROP ILLEGAL, UNSEEMLY SLOT MACHINE REFERENDUM



Why would County Commission discuss a referendum on slot machines, which remain illegal here?

Undue influence of corporate lobbyists, perhaps?

-----Original Message-----
From: Ed Slavin
To: pmccormack ; mwanchick ; bcc1jjohns ; bcc2jsmith ; bccd3 ; bccd4 ; bccd5
Sent: Sun, Jul 17, 2016 5:05 am
Subject: Request No. 2016-298: SLOT MACHINE GAMBLING -- Research and communications with Commissioners and staff re: slot machines
Dear Messrs. McCormack & Wanchick and Commissioners:

1. Please send me all SUSAN SUMMERALL WILES, BALLARD PARTNERS, BEST BET, INNOVATION GROUP or any other documents, studies or communications with Commissioners and staff re:  slot machines, and all staff documents and research on slot machines, by close of business on July 18, 2016.

2. Slot machines are currently illegal in St. Johns County.  
3. Whatever persuaded or possessed y'all to place this illegal, inappropriate and unseemly item on the agenda for our July 19th Board of County Commissioners meeting? Please explain.
4. Please postpone any St. Johns County Commission discussion of slot machines and kindly withdraw the illegal item from the July 19th agenda, and any future BCC agendas, until and unless:
A. All requested documents are disclosed on the County's website; and 
B. The Florida Supreme Court issues a pro-slot machine decision on the issue, e.g., one that finds that BOTH the referendum AND slot machines are legal here. 
5. Failing that, this item should never be discussed --- its inclusion on our July 19th BCC agenda is an unseemly sign of undue corporate lobbyist influence and corruption of our one-party county government, which must be ended at once.
6.  Please take the illegal item off the agenda for the rest of the year, as any referendum would apparently have to be provided to the Supervisor of Elections before the Florida Supreme Court rules in Gretna Racing v. DBPR, No. SC15-1929.    Oral argument was only held on June 7, 2016.  Who says a decision is expected "this summer?"
7. The Florida Supreme Court Clerk's office advised me by telephone on the morning of July 14, 2016 that no further opinions in any Florida Supreme Court cases will be issued until August 25, 2016.
As my grandmother would say, "drop the oyster and leave the wharf."

Finis.
Please call me to discuss.
Thank you.
With kindest regards, I am,
Sincerely yours,
Ed Slavin
904-377-4998

No comments: