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Moral issue or ~-~-----' economic issue? T ime to drag out the tired old arguments against gaming proposals:. "increased gambling means increased crime, increased corruption, increased compulsive gambling, and other social ills." The person vocalizing this viewpoint : Attorney General Scott Hershbarger of Massachusetts, who testified with these very words at a mid-April hearing conducted by the Joint Committee on Government Relations. The focus of the hearing: legalizing video poker in the state. Few issues raise the hair on the back of everyone's neck as quickly as gambling. The cable program " Investigative Reports " turned its attention to present gambling and proposed gambling in an April segment. The reporter I host drew a parallel with another emotional issue, saying, "The lines are drawn; it's like abortion with dice." While such a comparison is a stretch, mention gambling activities and you can brace yourself for the rhetoric. It 's time to stop confusing morals and economics. What's really at issue in Massachusetts, and many other states , is this quandary : how do we raise revenue without raising taxes? Hike taxes and voters could render the equivalent of legislative pink slips at the next election. Too often the answer is to engage in a political tap dance around the issue; test the waters, rerun the cliches, let the media "have at it," and see who gets excited. Question its validity on moral grounds and pave the way for the only alternative known to politicians: more taxes. What does Massachusetts have to gain from regulated gambling? Millions in state funds , for starters. Don't forget jobs. This new industry would bring the desirable by-product of gainful employment and an increased sales tax base. With a pubJic/private sector partnership the state wins all the way around: minimal investment in hardware (central computer system only, no game purchases) and support staff(field inspectors and administrative personnel), and a boost to small businesses all over the state (coin machine operators and locations in every county, not just the big cities). Are the oft-stated fears of gambling ills also applicable to the socially acceptable forms , such as lotteries, race tracks, and charitable gambling that exist in most states? These appear to be shielded from criticism. But legalized video poker is fair game. Any new gambling choices are seen as a threat to the very existence of entrenched gambling ventures. Opposition that originates from these sectors is strictly economic. While nothing short of a Vulcan mind meld will accomplish a change in attitude, parties on both sides should read between the PLAY METER 13 JUNE 1993 lines. Things are not always what they seem. Take the phasing out of the CD longbox . All that packaging translates to moun-. tains of trash that will take eons to biodegrade, say manufacturers. They claim the changeover to the 5 x 5-1 / 2" jewel box without the 6 x 12" longbox exterior is based on ecological grounds . Sounds correct. Look closer. The jewel box is the world standard. The United States is the last country to eliminate the longbox. Five of the six major manufacturers are owned by foreign companies . Now they can ship product anywhere in the world and save the cost of producing longboxes . Is this a decision based on ecology or economics? Retailers are now faced with added costs to properly display the jewel boxes and protect these easily concealable items from theft. Will consumers ultimately absorb these costs in higher unit prices? Will low-stakes legalized video poker really test our moral fiber, or will its defeat guarantee a safe respite for existing gambling activities? Gambling is not a moral issue but an economic issue. D Bonnie Theard Managing Editor