Southeast : Poker Clubs OKd in Hawaiian Gardens

Nearly a week after going to the polls, voters in Hawaiian Gardens have learned that they approved a ballot measure to bring poker clubs to this tiny city.

The vote for Measure A--965 to 722--capped a high-stakes, raucous campaign punctuated by allegations of stolen property, battery and, according to one opponent, a death threat.

A final tally was delayed until Monday night because hundreds of absentee and provisional ballots required county approval before being counted, officials said. Poker supporters were rushing to beat a Jan. 1 deadline, when a statewide three-year moratorium on new card clubs takes effect.

According to some estimates, a poker club would create 1,500 jobs and at least $3 million annually for the city, which faces a $1.5-million budget deficit. “It’s going to keep this city alive,” Mayor Robert Canada said.

Opponents fear that poker will bring crime and gambling addiction. Some, including Councilwoman Kathleen Navejas, complain that the measure was poorly written and have vowed to fight it in court. Navejas has argued that some signatures collected for the ballot measure were invalid.

The vote ended what some called the most bitter local campaign in recent history.

Poker proponents complained that other Southland card clubs were sending anti-poker mailers to voters to defeat the measure to quash competition. Supporters spent more than $200,000 to get out the vote, according to finance forms filed at City Hall. Their effort was backed by Dr. Irving Moskowitz, a retired physician who plans to operate a poker club at Pioneer Boulevard and Carson Avenue.