www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/200705 -
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Published on: 5/7/2007
Last Visited: 5/8/2007
For a group like the Disabled American Veterans, that could be a big help as chapters try to stay afloat, said Al Linden, executive director of the organization's Florida branch.
"Last year we sold two chapters because they couldn't sustain bingo anymore," said Linden."That's one of the things we're trying to prevent from happening."
In the 20 years he's been involved with the group's leadership, he said he's seen the number of DAV chapters shrink from 103 to 73.
...
It falls on the county and city and state governments," Linden said.
Rep. Dennis Baxley, R-Ocala, agreed the state should be doing more to help veterans and said he would gladly support more spending on services, but he said he simply couldn't vote for instant bingo because it hurt the same people nonprofit organizations are trying to help.
"We know that those kinds of lottery items are a heavy tax on the poor," he said, acknowledging that he had voted for the idea before Bush's veto.