Raffles at sports events a good bet for charities

Voting begins a week from Monday in the fall general election.

All Texans can vote on seven amendments to the oft-amended Texas Constitution.

Depending on where you live, some suburban voters also will choose city council members or make decisions in charter amendment or bond elections.

The shortest proposition on the ballot is also a local idea: Proposition 4 would authorize sports team charities to raffle off a cash prize at games.

If approved, the raffles would benefit the Texas Rangers Baseball Foundation and other charities operated by teams.

Beginning with Dallas Cowboys, Mavericks and Stars games in January, major league sports events could include a raffle.

Half the money raised would go as a prize to a ticket-buying fan, and 40 percent would go to the team’s charity foundation to support causes such as education, parks or veterans’ services. (Up to 10 percent could go to raffle expenses.)

Supporters say the raffles would give foundations a way to raise another $250,000 to $1 million a year for charitable causes. In 24 years, the Rangers’ foundation has given $14 million for youth programs.

Some opponents originally feared the raffles would expand legal gambling. But Texas already allows raffles and bingo for charity, and the amendment only allows the foundations to give a cash prize and hold more than the current two raffles per year.

Yes, the foundations are a goodwill gesture that help private sports team owners promote community relations. But the charities also do plenty of good work, and the community is better off with sports teams and athletes raising more money for local causes.

If team owners also sustain their current levels of personal charity support, the raffles will be a great gain for the community.

But if owners depend on raffle proceeds to sustain foundations and neglect their own personal responsibility to give back to the communities that support the teams, Texans will regret the amendment.

That has not been the case in other states, where charities have raised up to $50,000 in a single game.

Recommendations on other amendments will follow in days ahead.

The Star-Telegram Editorial Board recommends a vote for Proposition 4.

This story was originally published October 9, 2015 at 6:43 PM with the headline "Raffles at sports events a good bet for charities."