In enacting the provisions of this Chapter, the Board of Supervisors of the County of San Bernardino hereby finds, determines and declares that within the unincorporated area of the County of San Bernardino there are maintained certain devices described in § 26.0202 hereof, which are capable of and are being used for gambling purposes; that the Grand Jury of the County of San Bernardino, regularly drawn and impaneled for the year 1955, did find, and after an independent comprehensive investigation conducted by the Attorney General of the State of California of the operation of pinball machines and other similar devices situated in San Bernardino County, officially reported:
(a) That throughout San Bernardino County machines of the type prohibited by § 26.0202 hereof are numerous and are operating in general violation of the gambling laws of the State of California;
(b) That the merchants interviewed during the investigation, 90.4 percent admitted making payoffs;
(c) That the proceeds from the machines were divided 50-50 between the pinball machine owners and the merchants upon whose premises the machines were installed;
(d) That the wide-spread use of these machines makes enforcement by law enforcement officers of the laws against gambling, impractical;
(e) That the operation of these machines constitutes a serious menace to good government; that said Grand Jury recommended the immediate adoption of ordinances banning such machines as public nuisances; that the Board of Supervisors further finds, determines, and declares that the presence and use of such machines for gambling purposes teach and encourage gambling in both minors and adults, foster delinquency and encourage such persons in the commission of unlawful acts for the purpose of obtaining money in order to operate such machines; that the continued presence of such machines in the unincorporated area of this County constitutes a serious problem of law enforcement and is contrary to the public peace, health, safety, morals and general welfare of the people of this County.
(Ord. 777, passed - -1955)