Editorial roundup

June 7 Northwest Arkansas Times How we see it: Some Petitions Best Avoided

It’s always wise to think before signing any document.

So, when someone approaches you, requesting your signature to support placing a certain issue on the ballot, remember: It’s just as easy to say “no thanks” as it is to pick up that pen.

Various groups are floating their interests throughout our communities, hoping to gather enough signatures to get their issues on the fall ballot.

Some of these issues deserve to be placed in front of voters. The wetdry matter in Benton County is one of them.

Others deserve no such consideration.

There are two groups pushing around petitions in hopes of amending the state constitution so they may gain monopoly control of casino gambling in Arkansas.

One group is led by businessman Michael Wasserman of Texas. He wants an amendment that would allow casinos in Boone, Crittenden, Garland, Jefferson, Miller, Pulaski and Sebastian counties. It also would grant a single corporation ( Wasserman’s, of course) the right to run those casinos. And casino gambling would be prohibited anywhere else in the state.

Simultaneously, in a separate effort, professional poker player Nancy Todd is pushing petitions to get on the ballot a proposal to permit casinos in Crittenden, Franklin, Miller and Pulaski counties. Todd’s Poker Palace LLC would get exclusive rights to casino gambling.

We don’t have strong feelings about gambling one way or another. Nor do we necessarily oppose inviting an out- of- state entity to come set up shop in Arkansas.

But we do have strong feelings about writing monopolies into the state constitution. Once they’re in the constitution, even the Legislature could do nothing about those rules.

Those who live in our area and who like casinos wouldn’t benefit much from either of these proposals. After all, if either proposal passed, both Benton and Washington counties would be excluded from the casino business.

To make the November general election ballot, supporters must gather 78,133 signatures of registered voters by July 6.

If both proposals make the ballot and are approved by voters, the one that garnered the most votes would prevail over the other. June 11 Jonesboro Sun Construction a hassle, but progress worth it

It’s going to be a mess for the next several months, but residents and motorists need to be patient as the city works to repair, replace and add to several key roadways and drainage projects on the city’s priority list of ailing/ failing infrastructure.

While it will be a pain in the shock absorbers for many motorists accustomed to taking the same routes to work and through town, the road and bridge projects are past due and will improve the quality of life in Jonesboro for many years to come.