Council Cool to Poker Club Plan

The Hawthorne City Council on Monday refused to support an effort by real estate agent Guy Hocker to bring a large-scale poker parlor to the city, saying the possible cascade of tax revenues would not be worth the potential problems.

Hocker, a former councilman, urged the council to approve a gaming-room initiative for the November ballot. He argued that the city sorely needs to boost its revenues and could reap millions of dollars in taxes a year from a card club in the redevelopment area along Imperial Highway.

“Our citizens have been watching this town slowly, slowly, slowly disintegrate,” Hocker said. “This is a golden opportunity.”

But a council majority disagreed.

“I am not willing to sacrifice morals . . . for potential affluence for our city,” Councilwoman Ginny Lambert said. “We have enough problems in this city.”

Councilman Charles Bookhammer said that if the council placed such a measure on the ballot, it might be misconstrued by voters as a signal of support. He suggested that the poker-room proponents test the depth of community support by trying to collect the required number of signatures to have it placed on the ballot.

“I would never support a casino,” added Mayor Betty J. Ainsworth. “The money isn’t worth the problems we might inherit.”