By Dori Modney (@Dori_Modney on Twitter)

Coaldale Town Council sends VLT matter to Plebiscite

Mar 13, 2017 | 11:13 PM

COALDALE – To return Video Lottery Terminals (VLTs) to Coaldale – or not?  That was the question debated at a public hearing in Coaldale Monday night. However, the question didn’t come with an immediate answer.  That will be left up to a plebiscite to be held along with the Municipal Election in October.

Mayor Kim Craig couldn’t immediately say what the plebiscite would cost, but noted it would be nominal, given the fact that it would dovetail with the municipal election ballot and he didn’t believe there would be a significant cost incurred.

This is the second time the community will hold a public vote on the issue.   The first vote was held in 1998, at which time the majority of residents voted against having VLTs remain in their town.  At the time, Coaldale was one of seven communities in the province to turf the machines.

When asked what he felt the difference was this time around, Craig was at a loss to explain.

“Given all the public process I’m honestly not sure what the difference is now – we have a survey that states one thing and then you have all these people who come out to voice their opinion in a public fashion – I do believe that a number people are still considering the question and want to have a plebiscite to voice their own opinion at the polls.”

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Last November, the Town spent $5000 to conduct a survey on whether or not to rescind the almost two decade ban on VLTs. Mainstreet Research conducted a telephone poll of 710 random Coaldale residents and asked two questions. The first question asked – “If there were a plebiscite on the VLT issue, how would the respondent vote? The result indicated 69 per cent would vote to allow VLTs in the town, while 20 per cent would vote to continue the ban and 12 per cent were undecided.

The second question asked – “If Coaldale brought back VLTs, would you be in favour or opposed to the decision?” The results showed that 75 per cent would be in favour, 22 per cent would be opposed, and three per cent were undecided.

Both questions provided an overwhelming majority in favour of seeing the VLTs return.  However, it appeared a number residents and some Councilors felt the survey might not be truly indicative of community opinion and were not willing to trust the results.  Others pitted the morality of the issue against the business argument.

Roughly 70 residents, a significant number for a small community, showed up Monday night for the public hearing, to offer arguments from both sides. Mayor Craig noted it was not an easy matter for residents to openly confess where they stood on the issue, knowing their neighbours might strongly disagree with them.

There were numerous impassioned voices who related the stories of family members who succumbed to gambling addictions which left them broken and destitute. One man said that he had never met anyone who could say they had a positive life event associated with a VLT, while another noted “The wealthy gamble for leisure and the poor gamble out of desperation.”

Business owners spoke in favour of having VLTs returned and pointed out that when they were banned in 1998, there were only about seven machines in the entire community.  As it stands now, fewer than half a dozen businesses are eligible to have a VLT.

The business owners also debated the morality issue regarding addictive personalities.  While some people want to continue to ban VLTs, residents are still able to purchase lottery tickets at a number of Coaldale locations and there are four liquor stores in the community. They argued that residents have been purchasing these items for a number of years but, there has been no overriding negative impact on the community.

Another individual pointed to an element of hypocrisy.  Although Coaldale has no VLTs, the community and its various organizations have been the recipients of considerable lottery money. He stated that if residents want a ‘family oriented town’ they should not be taking their kids to sports facilities or parks because those entities have been sustained by various lottery funds.

Councilor Jack Van Rijn sees the issue as one of freedom of choice for businesses and also pointed to the element of hypocrisy.  While Coaldale does not allow VLTs, the community’s various groups and institutions have accepted 192 grants from Alberta Lotteries, which total in excess of $4 Million.

Van Rijn ran down the list: $400,000+ for the Agriculture Society, $154,000 for the Coaldale Granite Club, $17,000 for the Coaldale Hospital Chapel, Jenny Emery school received grants for a new playground, The Kinette Club received three grants, the Kinsmen Club and Library received grants, the Birds of Prey tallied 17 grants for upgrades, there were three grants for the community Food Bank, Kate Andrews High School received eight grants for band and sports equipment, R.I Baker got six grants, St. Joseph’s received three, the local Soccer organization received three grants and there were two for Hockey, as well as grants for the Senior’s Centre, the Chamber of Commerce and 14 grants for the Town of Coaldale for facilities and equipment upgrades.

Councilor Bill Chapman moved that the matter be sent to a plebiscite. However, Councilors Van Rijn and Roger Hohm felt the November survey showed overwhelming support for return of the VLTs and wanted the matter tabled for further discussion after the public hearing.  The latter motion was defeated and Chapman’s motion was seconded and passed by the remaining members of Council.

The plebiscite attached to the October Municipal Election, will allow the return of VLTs to Coaldale with a vote of 50 per cent plus one.