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In Case You Missed It: California State Association of Counties Joins League of California Cities and other Local Elected Leaders in Opposing Proposition 27

In Case You Missed It: California State Association of Counties Joins League of California Cities and other Local Elected Leaders in Opposing Proposition 27

Sacramento, CA – Today, the California State Association of Counties (CSAC) – representing all 58 counties in California – voted to officially oppose Proposition 27, the online sports gambling measure on California’s November ballot.

CSAC joins the League of California Cities and dozens of local elected officials in strong opposition to the November 2022 ballot measure.  Proponents of Prop 27 are deceptively marketing their measure as a “solution” to homelessness, but under Prop 27, 90% of profits would be sent into the pockets of the out-of-state gambling corporations, leaving little for homelessness or mental health programs.

“California’s counties are on the front lines of the homelessness and mental health crisis, providing safety-net programs and services for unhoused residents. We carefully reviewed Prop 27 and concluded it’s a bad deal for counties and for California,” said Graham Knaus, Executive Director of the California State Association of Counties. “Make no mistake, Prop 27 is NOT a solution to homelessness.”

“The League of California Cities voted to oppose Proposition 27 for several reasons: It jeopardizes local tax revenues, fails to ensure that all California cities receive funding to address homelessness, lacks proper enforcement mechanisms commensurate with the substantial increase in virtual sports wagering, and creates an unlevel playing field,” said Carolyn Coleman, Executive Director and CEO of the League of California Cities.

Background:

Prop 27, sponsored and entirely funded by out-of-state online gambling corporations like DraftKings, FanDuel and Bet MGM, would legalize the largest expansion of online and mobile sports gambling in the history of the country – turning virtually every cell phone, laptop and tablet into a gambling device. Prop 27 would multiply the risks of addiction and problem gambling among California’s most vulnerable, jeopardize Indian self-reliance and drain billions of dollars from our state. Under Prop 27, 90% of profits go to the out-of-state corporations, leaving only pennies for homelessness programs and even less for California’s tribes.

That’s why Prop 27 is opposed by a broad coalition of 50+ California Indian tribes, civil rights, public safety, labor, business, faith leaders, local governments, advocates for the homeless and mental health advocates.