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01 OF M,, •• <br /> COUNTY OF HAWAII ��" % STATE OF HAWAII <br /> .; - '. <br /> Ott:.GF• F,•l+ <br /> RESOLUTION NO. 671. 16 <br /> A RESOLUTION URGING THE 2017 HAWAII STATE LEGISLATURE TO PASS <br /> LEGISLATION ALLOWING THE COUNTIES TO IMPLEMENT A HIGH-STAKES <br /> BINGO PROGRAM. <br /> WHEREAS, both the State and the counties are in need of additional streams of revenue; <br /> and <br /> WHEREAS, both the State and the counties have made a concerted effort to reduce <br /> expenditures to the maximum extent possible; and <br /> WHEREAS, while the Council would prefer not to resort to any form of gaming in order <br /> to raise revenue, legislators on the county councils and in the State Legislature are realistic about <br /> the revenue short fall affecting long-term projects, such as upgrades to wastewater and solid <br /> waste facilities, mass transit systems, and roads and bridges; and <br /> WHEREAS, both the State and counties are reluctant to place additional tax burdens on <br /> individuals and businesses; and <br /> WHEREAS, various casino gambling bills have been proposed in order to raise revenue, <br /> but all were defeated; and <br /> WHEREAS, studies have shown that full-scale casino gambling attracts negative social <br /> ills and may reflect adversely on the State's image of paradise and aloha; and <br /> WHEREAS, independent high-stakes bingo operations alone do not attract negative <br /> social ills and would not carry the same negative image that would affect our"aloha" State; and <br /> WHEREAS, high-stakes bingo is an activity carried out in a group setting, often <br /> encouraging social interaction among those in attendance; and <br /> WHEREAS, H.R. No. 177 (2013 State Legislative Session)proposed the creation of a <br /> task force to study various forms of gaming, which was defeated largely due to the estimated <br /> cost($850,000) of such a comprehensive study; and <br /> WHEREAS, allowing for high-stakes bingo programs on a county-by-county basis is <br /> another way to assess the pros and cons of any gaming program as a feasible and acceptable <br /> means of raising additional revenue; and <br /> WHEREAS, implementation of a high-stakes bingo program would result in additional <br /> revenue that would be divided equally between the State and county for essential services, <br /> without further taxation; now, therefore, <br />