Senator's request for county resolution on statewide gambling referendum prompts discussion; board seeks guidance

TIFT COUNTY — Commissioners discussed a letter and packet from Senator Carden Summers asking local governments to support placing a statewide constitutional amendment on the ballot to remove the prohibition on gaming in Georgia and to distribute the first $2 billion of any gaming revenue evenly among all 159 counties.

County staff summarized the packet and told commissioners that the measure referenced a statewide referendum, not a specific form of gaming. According to the packet read into the record, the May statewide ballot question had broad Republican support in precinct returns, and Senator Summers’ letter requested a local resolution urging that voters be allowed to decide on constitutional changes related to sports betting and casino gaming.

"What he's asking for is a… resolution of support from the board to ask that this be placed on the ballot," said Mister Carter (county attorney). Staff and commissioners discussed which election the referendum would appear on and whether the board should be on record supporting a statewide referendum. One commissioner said they would not want to be recorded as personally supporting gambling but was open to the idea of letting voters decide.

Commissioners asked staff to get clarification about ballot timing and legal procedure and said staff should follow up with Senator Summers after the board’s regular meeting. No formal resolution was introduced or voted on at the meeting.

The packet described a proposed revenue distribution formula allocating the first $2,000,000,000 in gaming revenue evenly to counties for transportation, jails and other local needs; staff noted the fiscal details in the packet were the senator’s proposal, not county policy.

Commissioners directed staff to return with formal guidance and suggested the item be discussed again at the next regular meeting before taking any official position.