Tribal gambling expansion issues:
politicians play now, pay later
By now, every
voter in California has received the beautiful brochure telling us all to
support the four new Indian gaming compacts authorizing 22,500 more slot
machines that are supposed to bring California $9 billion over the next 20
years.
This is the
largest expansion of gambling in the history of the United States. The way the
brochure is written, one would think this is “free” money. Governor
Schwarzenegger looks so happy.
Who do those
politicians, the ones who voted in support of this huge expansion of gambling,
think they are kidding?
Economic
studies show that gambling is bad for the economy. Study after study show that the people who
gamble the most are the poor, the young, the elderly and the addicted. People
living within 50 miles of a casino are the most affected.
Other
economic studies show that the $9 billion the state is counting on receiving
from these people’s losses isn’t even an accurate figure. It will be much less
-- if Sacramento can even collect it. So far the state has only collected $27
million of the $1 billion promised after Schwarzenegger’s renegotiation of the
compacts in 2004.
Every
politician who supports any expansion of tribal gambling must be held
accountable, and should have to say, “I support taking money from the losses of
the young, the elderly, the poor and the addicted.”
The losses to
these most vulnerable people do not even take into account the multiple
negative impacts to the surrounding communities. Indian casinos are largely self-regulated.
Gambling is a documented detriment to the surrounding community. In the Santa Ynez
Valley, we have seen a significant increase in crime that can be traced to the
opening of the casino. Traffic has increased exponentially. Casino losers beg
locals for money for gas to get home. The local hospital emergency room is
impacted by people who have forgotten to eat, sleep or take their
medication.
And
what about second–hand smoke?
For some reason the health and welfare of the California public is so important
that smoking is banned on some beaches. Casino patrons and employees are
apparently not worthy of the same protection, and California’s indoor
no-smoking regulations do not apply in many areas within those Alhambras.
Who do we
have to blame?
Our elected
officials! They are no longer
representing the health and welfare of the people. Their “play now” means pay later for
California taxpayers.
It’s time to
take our government back. In February
2008, vote ‘no’ on the compacts. Speak up and hold our representatives
accountable. Their mantra of “there is nothing I can do about gambling
expansion ... it is inevitable” is unacceptable and untrue. There are dozens of countries around the
world that have awakened to the economic strain of gambling on their economy
and are shutting casinos down by the thousands.
Yet our politicians are expanding gambling. What is wrong with this picture?