Groups report ballot issue contributions, spending

The parent company of Southland Gaming and Racing contributed $1.16 million in October to the sponsor of a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow four full-fledged casinos in Arkansas, including expansions at Southland and at Oaklawn Racing and Gaming.

The Driving Arkansas Forward Committee also reported Tuesday receiving $889,035 from Downstream Development Authority of the Quapaw Tribe in Quapaw, Okla., and $664,535 from Cherokee Nation Businesses LLC in Catoosa, Okla. The committee raised a total of

$2.71 million between Oct. 1 and Oct. 27.

During the same 27-day period, the committee reported spending $2.75 million,

including $2.49 million on advertising and $86,492 on digital media.

In its entire campaign through Oct. 27, Driving Arkansas

Forward reported raising $7.05 million in contributions and spending $6.92 million. Overall, the Downstream Development Authority contributed $3.65 million to the committee, while Cherokee Nation Businesses contributed $2.28 million. The

parent company of Southland, Delaware North, chipped in $1.16 million.

“As the report shows, we have the funding to position the measure for success, and I’m confident Arkansas voters will choose to keep their casino entertainment dollars here in Arkansas,” said Nate Steel, counsel for the Driving Arkansas Forward committee. The proposal is called Issue 4 on Tuesday’s ballots.

In addition, the It’s Our Turn committee that is backing Issue 4 reported raising $1.86 million from Delaware North and spending $1.66 million, largely on direct mail, radio and digital ads in the Oct. 1-27 reporting period. The committee reported raising a total of $1.91 million from Delaware North and spending $1.71 million through Oct. 27.

Tuesday was the deadline for ballot committees to file their final pre-election reports with the Arkansas Ethics Commission.

The proposed constitutional amendment would authorize the Arkansas Racing Commission to issue four casino licenses, including licenses for expanded gambling operations at Oaklawn in Hot Springs and Southland at West Memphis. Under a 2005 state law, Oaklawn and Southland already operate electronic games of skill.

Issue 4 also would allow casinos in Jefferson and Pope counties. The Quapaw tribe has indicated its interest in applying for the casino license in Jefferson County, while the Cherokee Nation has indicated its interest in a casino in Pope County. Those casinos would require local approval.

Southland supports Issue 4, while Oaklawn isn’t taking a position, according to their officials.

The Jobs for Pope County committee that is backing Issue 4 reported raising $70,000 and spending $69,125 between Oct. 1-27. The committee reported receiving a $50,000 contribution from Gulfside Casino Partnership LLC of Gulfport, Miss., and $20,000 from Warner Gaming of Las Vegas.

On Oct. 11, the Arkansas Supreme Court rejected separate requests from the Ensuring Arkansas’ Future committee and Citizens for Local Choice committee to order Secretary of State Mark Martin not to certify or count votes cast on Issue 4.

The Ensuring Arkansas’ Future committee reported receiving $4,500 in contributions and spending $2,940 between Oct. 1-27. The committee received $1,500 in contributions apiece from the Arkansas Faith and Ethics Council, Families First Foundation and Family Council Action Committee, according to its report. In total, the committee reported receiving $4,600 in contributions and spending $2,940.

The Citizens for a Better Pope County committee, also known as Citizens for Local Choice, that opposed Issue 4 reported raising $8,150 and spending $10,796 in the reporting period. In total, it reported raising $24,905 and spending $16,548.

The Arkansas Thoroughbred Racing and Breeding Alliance committee, created to monitor casino amendments, reported raising no money and spending $1,170 on legal services between Oct. 1-27. In total, the committee reported raising $20,000 in contributions from Oaklawn Jockey Club and spending $17,914.

The Arkansans for a Fair Wage committee promoting a proposed initiated act to raise the state’s minimum wage by $2.50 an hour to $11 an hour by 2021 reported raising $850,010 and spending $846,250 mostly for television and digital advertising and direct mail in the period from Oct. 1-27.

That increased total contributions received by the committee to $1.45 million and its total expenses to $1.39 million, according to its latest report.

Between Oct. 3 and 19, the committee reported that it received $850,000 in contributions from the Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit called the 1630 Fund. That increased the non-profit total contributions to the committee to $1.3 million, according to the committee.

Since 2009, the 1630 Fund has financed more than 45 initiatives and managed more than $75 million in revenue for local, state and federal advocacy campaigns spanning social and environmental issues, according to its website.

The Arkansans for a Strong Economy committee that opposes the proposed initiated act reported raising $47,000, including a $40,000 contribution from the National Restaurant Association based in Washington, D.C., and spending $3,940 in the reporting period. That increased the total amount raised by the committee to $110,100 and its total expenses to $7,540.

On Oct. 18, the state Supreme Court rejected the committee’s request to order Martin not to certify or count votes on the proposed initiated act.

On Oct. 19, a divided Arkansas Supreme Court ruled that votes cast on a proposed constitutional amendment that would have imposed the nation’s strictest term limits on state lawmakers won’t be counted in the general election.

The Arkansans for Common Sense Term Limits committee asked the high court to yank the proposal from the ballot. It reported raising $30,000 in contributions, including $25,000 from the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce, and spending $4,768 in the reporting period. That increased the total that the committee raised to $86,380 and its total expenses to $8,388.

In its latest report filed this month, the Arkansas Term Limits committee that sponsored the proposed ballot measure reported raising $5,000 from U.S. Term Limits and spending nothing. That increased the total that the committee raised to $13,200 and its total expenses to $8,904.

A pre-election report for the U.S. Term Limits committee wasn’t available on the Arkansas Ethics Commission website as of 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. U.S. Term Limits advocates for term limits at all levels of government, according to its website. Its board of directors includes Tim Jacob of Little Rock, who is a spokesman for the Arkansas Term Limits committee.

On Oct. 18, the state Supreme Court ordered Martin not to certify or count votes on a proposed constitutional amendment that would have limited attorneys’ contingency fees and certain damages in civil lawsuits and allowed the Legislature to rewrite the high court’s rules.

The Arkansans for Jobs and Justice committee that promoted the proposed ballot measure reported raising $977,575, including $300,000 from the Arkansas Medical Society, and spending $1.32 million in October. That increased the committee’s total amount raised to $3.5 million and its total expenses to $3.47 million, according to its report.

The Protect AR Families committee that opposed the proposed measure reported raising $32,942 and spending $161,627.94 between Oct. 1-27. That increased the total amount that it raised to $2.85 million and its total expenses to $2.77 million, according to its report.