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This is why people have little trust or confidence in government.
"Just days before state lawmakers convene to discuss legalizing Internet poker in California, a coalition of Indian gaming tribes is bracing to fight the proposal and has hired a former top advisor to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to help make its case.
A study showing that Internet poker may hurt the state rather than help it is the first major public report issued by Mike Genest since he left as the state finance director in December."
One day a top adviser to the Governor, the next a top advisor to a special interest.
"A rival group of Indian gaming tribes that opposes Internet poker hired Genest to vet the claims of proponents. On Friday, the California Tribal Business Alliance released a study by Genest that said allowing poker games on the Web would not solve the states budget woes and could actually be a money-loser for the state. State-sanctioned Internet poker would violate existing compacts that give Indian tribes exclusive rights to electronic gambling, allowing them to halt paying the state its $365-million cut of the proceeds from slot machines, concluded Genest.
That loss, Genest said, would not be fully offset by an annual increase in revenue of $53.6 million from a 10% participation tax on poker players and "an unknown, but probably not substantial increase" in personal income tax collections from winning gamblers.
Genests findings were disputed by Patrick Dorinson, a spokesman for the Morongo Band. "We believe this will raise money for the state and the experts will tell you this will raise money for the state," Dorinson said."
Dorinson also worked for the Governor.
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"Just days before state lawmakers convene to discuss legalizing Internet poker in California, a coalition of Indian gaming tribes is bracing to fight the proposal and has hired a former top advisor to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to help make its case.
A study showing that Internet poker may hurt the state rather than help it is the first major public report issued by Mike Genest since he left as the state finance director in December."
One day a top adviser to the Governor, the next a top advisor to a special interest.
"A rival group of Indian gaming tribes that opposes Internet poker hired Genest to vet the claims of proponents. On Friday, the California Tribal Business Alliance released a study by Genest that said allowing poker games on the Web would not solve the states budget woes and could actually be a money-loser for the state. State-sanctioned Internet poker would violate existing compacts that give Indian tribes exclusive rights to electronic gambling, allowing them to halt paying the state its $365-million cut of the proceeds from slot machines, concluded Genest.
That loss, Genest said, would not be fully offset by an annual increase in revenue of $53.6 million from a 10% participation tax on poker players and "an unknown, but probably not substantial increase" in personal income tax collections from winning gamblers.
Genests findings were disputed by Patrick Dorinson, a spokesman for the Morongo Band. "We believe this will raise money for the state and the experts will tell you this will raise money for the state," Dorinson said."
Dorinson also worked for the Governor.
Do you trust government?
More...