By JOE BOCANEGRA
Special to the NEWS
The San Benito City Commission unanimously approved of a moratorium on issuing permits to eight-liner establishments and businesses housing similar types of gaming devices.
The action was taken at a special City Commission meeting held Monday evening, in which Cameron County District Attorney Luis V. Saenz was present and encouraged the commissioners to approve of the moratorium. Commissioner Joe D. Gonzalez made the first motion while Mayor Pro-Tem Tony Gonzalez seconded it.
However, although Saenz asked the commission not to rescind the motion, Mayor Joe H. Hernandez could not say whether the moratorium will be permanent.
“It is too early to say,” Hernandez said. “Right now, we are supporting the District Attorney with the operation and going to follow him a hundred percent.”
The decision to approve the moratorium came after a string of raids by the DA’s office as part of Operation Bishop. The goal of the operation is to close all of the reported 200 eight-liner game rooms operating in Cameron County. Of those, about 150 pay out cash prizes, a state offense, Saenz said after the meeting.
The moratorium, referred to as Resolution 2013-11, forbids “the issuance of permits, permit renewals and certificates of occupancy for any type of business that operates gaming devices or practices which reward the player with goods or any time of item in value” and creates a cease and desist order towards the current practices that lead to such actions.
“Our concern is two-fold,” Saenz said. “First is that it is an economic drain on the economy of Cameron County. It removes about $300 million to $350 million from the economy – that amount gets no taxes, no returns on the public. The other is the criminal element that it breeds. It serves as a breeding ground for cartels, for aggravated assault, for robberies and for home invasions.”
3 comments
One can go to a Strips store and buy a lotto and win big. Strips stores get robbed at gunpoint, knife point and whatever looks like a weapon….is the DA going to close the Strips stores? These tactics are one sided…..18 mos. the DA has been in office 4 mos. There is abuse in everything and we have the choice to spent the money as we see fit. 10 game rooms were closed that equals to at least a minimum of 20 employees that can’t get jobs any where else. The are 10 buildings that are vacant and owner will loose income. These game room owners spent as much as $1,000.00 a week on drinks, snacks and food. The economic impact will be known soon. DA waited to get elected before he started the raids…..the big game room contributors did not get raided. Some game rooms had been opened only a few months……smoke screen……..
We could do with out them before we can do with out them now. People would work for wages then throw them away for a chance to win a dollar compared to what the game room profits made. If the bottom line is that no money goes back to the cities or county but the price of a permit we’s have to sit an wait around till state of Texas legalizes gambeling .. If gambeling is where the public wants to throw thier money then speak to a senator or a congressman to take it up to the senate to legalize gameling in Texas .Any way you look at it there is always going to be a bad side to gambeling. Big money bring big problems if there is not alot of money to go around. But get this there is alot of more good people out there than bad.We still live in a socity with law and order. The crook will only be around til they get caught.
” Mayor uncertain if eight-liner moratorium is permanent”
Of course he is uncertain. He has to wait and see how this political move will affect his voters since he is up for re-election next year. Always looking out for number one. Cameron County District Attorney Luis V. Saenz could also be a determining factor.