I will follow the wishes of the people, and the wishes of the people were spoken in my view at the November general election when they voted this issue down, Cross stated.
Slot machines and table games went live at . Jefferson County leaders have given their support to the Quapaw Indians for the casino license. The Oklahoma tribe s Downstream Development Authority says the $350 million resort called Saracen Casino will be a twin of the company s Downstream Casino Resort in Quapaw, Oklahoma.
With Pope seemingly folding on its earmarked casino, neighboring Johnson County is exploring whether it might be able to welcome the gaming resort.
County Judge Herman Houston says the state legislature – with a two-thirds majority support – could amend Issue 4 to relocate the Pope County permit to his jurisdiction. Johnson County voters backed Issue 4 by 56 to 44 percent.
State Sen. Ron Caldwell (R), who chairs the Senate Agencies Committee, wrote Houston telling him to reconsider those ambitions.
I wish to inform you that it is my position that the General Assembly does not have the power to amend the Constitution and should not seek to claw away that power from the voters by passing an amendment, Caldwell stated. I do not see at this time that there is any appetite to opening the door to creating the power for the legislature to amend the Constitution over the will of the people.
