District 3 Commission Candidates Discuss Casino Gambling

Next month, voters in Gwinnett County District 3 will decide if Mike Beaudreau, Jerry Oberholtzer, Tommy Hunter or Mike Korom will serve as the area's next county commissioner.

Dacula Patch asked each of the candidates to answer a  The questionnaires were based in part on questions submitted by readers. Dacula Patch did not limit the length of the responses. Each candidate's answers are presented unedited and in their entirety.

Candidate:  Tommy Hunter
Occupation:  civil engineer
Campaign website:  www.ElectTommy.com
Campaign Facebook page:  Elect Tommy Hunter

3.) Do you support efforts to bring casino gambling to Gwinnett County? Why or why not? 

I am still trying to decide how I feel about this opportunity. Though I am well aware you can not legislate values or morality--nor should in a free society--I am personally, through my faith, opposed to legalized gambling.  At the same time I am a constitutionalist conservative and do not believe in using the power of government to limit people to my way of believing, feeling, or living--so long as it does not encroach upon another's right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.  I say all that to say, that if shown to be a benefit to our community, I would support the people's wishes.

Candidate:  Mike Beaudreau
Occupation:  national accounts manager
Campaign website:  www.mikebeaudreau.com
Campaign Facebook page:  Mike Beaudreau
Campaign Twitter account: @MikeBeaudreau

3.) Do you support efforts to bring casino gambling to Gwinnett County? Why or why not? 

A proposal to build a casino with video lottery terminals at the OFS site has been floated by a developer.  At this point, it is too early to tell if this proposal makes sense for the county.  As with the recent airport proposal, we have to approach decisions of this magnitude with caution and discretion.  Sometimes, what sounds good at the beginning may not look as attractive when the full research is completed.  I will keep an open mind, and if it is presented to the Board of Commissioners, I will decide yes or no based on the merits of the formal proposal.

Candidate:  Mike Korom
Occupation:  independent contractor
Campaign website:  www.mikekorom.com
Campaign Facebook page:  Elect Mike Korom

3.) Do you support efforts to bring casino gambling to Gwinnett County? Why or why not? 

I do not support bringing casino gambling to Gwinnett County.  I honestly believe it does not fit the environment or the image we are wanting to achieve in our county.  

Candidate:  Jerry Oberholtzer
Occupation:  former mayor of Snellville
Campaign website:  www.JerryOberholtzer.com
Campaign Facebook page:  Jerry Oberholtzer

3.) Do you support efforts to bring casino gambling to Gwinnett County? Why or why not? 

Casino gambling is illegal in Georgia and would require a statewide vote in favor of a constitutional amendment to implement.  Gwinnett has too many current problems to be distracted by this issue (or non-issue).