C.C.C.A.G.E. Holds “No Casinos” Meeting
By T. Michael Murdock

The Cabell County Citizens Against Gambling Expansion (C.C.C.A.G.E.) held an open meeting Monday night to speak out against the Casino Gambling proposal on the November 5th ballot.

The meeting of approximately 50 voters, speakers, candidates and press lasted for just over an hour at Highlawn Baptist Church off of 3rd Avenue in Huntington last night.

DeLane Ball, the Chairman of C.C.C.A.G.E., spoke at length against the what many in the crowd believed to be the “evil” that is Casino Gambling, and passed out flyers showing added crime and dwindling economic resources to residents in areas in which that sort of gambling was legal.

Using studies no more recent than five years ago, the organization railed against the possibility of the gambling institution in our region.

“…while crime rates nationally dropped by 2% in 1994, the 31 localities that introduced casinos in 1993 saw an increase in crime of 7.7% the following year,” one brochure attested. Another said, “…a 1996 U.S. News and World Report analysis found crime rates in casino communities to be 84% higher than the national average.”

“I have a heart for this community,” Ball told HNN. “I ran for council a long time ago when we were changing over from the City Manager form of government, because I was against it.”
“Apart from being a Born-Again Christian,” Bell continued, “which makes me believe that (gambling) is wrong, apart from the moral issue, I’m convinced that there’s no free lunch. Those that think the money from this could bail out a community in trouble are dreaming.”

Bell told HNN that casino gambling would be very detrimental to the community.

“What they leave in their wake is broken homes and broken people,” Bell said. “Plus we’re left with the ‘element’ that comes along with the industry. Prostitution and everything else.”

Michael Queen, who Bell claims was instrumental in defeating the bill in Greenbrier County, says it’s a matter of religious values.

“It all comes down to good Christian values,” Queen said. “Casino gambling is a well-organized, well-oiled machine throughout the country. When I fought the Greenbrier Hotel casino, it was never about one casino. This is a fight about the expansion of gambling throughout the country.”

“We can’t take the easy way out and sacrifice individuals for the sake of gambling,” Queen said. “This is not a win-win situation.”

Queen went on to say that because of the addictive nature of gambling in West Virginia, the state has already had to institute a hotline for addicts: 1-800-GAMBLER.

“It’s ill-conceived from the start to say that gambling would save the city,” Queen said.

The group has another open meeting planned for next Monday, September 30th, at 8:30 p.m., again at Highlawn Baptist Church, and have scheduled a “Town Meeting” format debate at the Huntington Civic Arena on October 20th at 3:00 p.m., where the pros and cons of the gambling issue will be discussed.
Candidates currently running for office on November 5th also attended the meeting. Those in attendance included Jody Smirl, Greg Howard and Kelli Sobonya, all Republicans running for the 16th District House of Delegates, former Barboursville Mayor Nancy Cartmill, Republican, currently running for the Cabell County Commission, Dr. Tom Scott, Republican running for the Cabell / Wayne spot in the West Virginia State Senate, and Paula Stewart, Republican running for 15th District House of Delegates.

Please see the related story to see some of their comments.