(Ocheyedan)– A northwest Iowa lawmaker is calling for special referendums in the three counties that have racetrack casinos.
Representative David Johnson of Ocheyedan says he’ll sponsor a bill in the upcoming session calling for the elections in Polk, Pottawattamie and Dubuque counties.
Johnson says two issues would be voted on in each county. One would ask voters if pari-mutuel betting should continue; the other would ask whether the casino should survive. Currently, one question covers both. Johnson says separating the issues would give a more specific feeling of voters.
State law requires counties with legalized gambling hold referendums every eight years. The last one was in 1994. It established casinos at the state’s three racetracks.
