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We love our lottery, but charitable gambling and horse-race betting is down in Minnesota

By John A. Stefani

Most all the articles on charitable gaming acknowledge that charitable gaming is down:

Charitable Gambling Continues Its Steady Decline

MinnPost - We love our lottery, but charitable gambling and horse-race betting down in Minnesota

Session Daily - produced by nonpartisan Public Information Services = Lottery up, other gambling down

There is only speculation on why there has been this decline and most articles ask a couple of people for their opinions which are biased and data can only be ranked statistically as a poor sample of the population. I would like to see some research with some empirical data that shows the reasons for this decline. It's not just charitable gaming in Minnesota that is down. I have seen articles from other states whose revenues from charitable gaming has declined as well.

Both articles say that adding a racino would help. Seems to me, adding a racino wouldn't at all help charities who need and depend on charitable gaming.  Some say that electronic pulltabs and electronic bingo would provide more flair and rejuvenate charitable gaming. What do you think?

What are you waiting for? If not you, who? If not now, when?

By John A. Stefani
Video by the Minnesota Jaycees


Here is a great organization to volunteer, learn, show an gain solid friendships!



There are many people I know in the Minnesota Jaycees that have proved themselves in their communities and within the state to be a positive force of change. These are people who see thing in the world that they don't like, make a plan to improve it and then act to make things better.

Volunteering to improve the world through the Jaycees isn't work. It's fun and enjoyment! People who participate in this dynamic organization are the in the top ten percent!

I think about the great years I had had being involved in this organization. The great people I've met, and the fun I had. Even though I'm an alumni of the Jaycees, I look forward to continually supporting this organization.

Rant - Hollywood Celebrities Betray 99ers - Tier 5 Unemployment Now

By John A Stefani

I saw this blog post (Rant - Hollywood Celebrities Betray 99ers - Tier 5 Unemployment Now) written by Pastor Dinary and had some thoughts.

In the US, there are tax regulations when giving donations to charities and to receive tax deductions. For example, one could receive a tax deduction if the charity were a 501(c)(3) organization.

I did wonder how the IRS considers the legitimacy of those foreign charities? As I looked into it further, the IRS.gov has some specific rules on Charitable Contribution Deductions. With very few exceptions, contributions to a foreign organization are not deductible. Also according to Don D. Nelson, Attorney at Law, CPA., a U.S. expatriate residing abroad, still must file a US Income Tax Return each year on their worldwide income! If there is some sort of foreign charity tax shelter, I wasn't able to find it.

It's true that it appears like Hollywood celebrities are self promoting and shameless to be giving money to overseas charities when the economy here in America seems so bad. Yet, there are many who have helped out with US issues, as well. After Hurricane Katrina, there were many Hollywood celebrities who helped and contributed to improving the situation of those who were effected there (see: Stars roll up sleeves for hurricane relief - USA Today Posted 9/14/2005).

I thought about the arguments of the writer saying that, "Hollywood celebrities take American money and use it to live in foreign countries." On the surface the writer makes a good point yet, Hollywood celebrities aren't the only ones that use American money and use it to live outside the U.S. According to www.overseasvotefoundation.org, "The data indicates that the number of civilian Americans living abroad hovers around 4 million." Another website (Suite101.com) states, "According to a recent report by the U.S. State Department, nearly 7 million Americans have temporarily or permanently relocated overseas."

It's obvious that the military is a fraction of that number, the number of Hollywood celebrities living overseas is even smaller and the Hollywood celebrities numbers are minuscule. Celebrities living overseas are noticed more because of their celebrity status. When Uncle Bill and Aunt Alice decide to spend their retirement years in Chapala, Mexico no one hears about that in the news. Are they admonished for turning their backs on the unemployed? NO! They are looked on as making an economical retirement decision that made sense for them.

The writer alludes that since Hollywood celebrities are taking US dollars (converting them into foreign money) to buy goods and services from other countries, an argument could be made that they are contributing to the US international trade deficit. According to the U.S. Census Bureau Economic Briefing Room, The US  international trade deficit in goods and services was $38.3 billion in November, 2010. Again the amount of US earned dollars Hollywood celebrities are spending overseas is minuscule. Our consumption of foreign goods (like oil) and foreign services (like outsourced call center personnel) far outweigh the amount of money that the handful of Hollywood celebrities are spending by living overseas.

Compared to what millions of average families spend on gas, cars, clothing, and other items that are manufactured overseas, the negative economic effect of Hollywood celebrities spending money abroad would be like standing on the coast of France and throwing a stone into the ocean and then expecting a tsunami to hit the US East Coast.What I'm saying is, the money Hollywood celebrities are spending abroad is a drop in the bucket compared to the accumulated purchases of imported items from the rest of  us 308,745,538 US residents (2010 Census Data).

I am a "Buy American" guy, and feel that Hollywood celebrities who are US citizens should work towards changes here in the US by becoming more politically involved here. A good example of those would include: Ronald Reagan, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Sonny Bono.

What do you think?

Bingo at the Hastings Eagles Club.

The Minnesota Jaycee Charitable Foundation runs the Bingo every Thursday at the Hasting Eagles Club

On Thursday January 13th, 2011 for the game twelve blackout is the progressive game and game twelve's Jackpot will be at $775 for a Bingo on 60 numbers or less. Get there early to get yourself a seat!

Hastings Eagles Club is located at: 1220 Vermillion St., Hastings, MN, 55033
Their phone number is: (651) 437-1310

Where's the 'charity' in charitable gambling? I'll tell you where...

by John A Stefani

Where's the 'charity' in charitable gambling? | StarTribune.com

Response to the The StarTribune.com article by Jean Hoppensperger

Hoppensperger did a marginal job representing the current issues of charitable gaming in the state of Minnesota. Charitable gaming in past years had been a huge contributor to charities and they still make significant contributions. Just not as much. There was a time when most gaming managers of charitable gaming operations could budget a month’s revenues based on the revenue’s of the same month in the prior year. This is true no more. What should have been researched and explained better in Hoppensperger’s article is why?