Hollister’s Mike Walters believes an Indian casino in San Benito
County would deteriorate the community. Dave Nicholaysen said
county leaders would face recall elections if they consider the
idea. Tom Dietrich said he would uproot his family from the area if
one is built.
Hollister – Hollister’s Mike Walters believes an Indian casino in San Benito County would deteriorate the community. Dave Nicholaysen said county leaders would face recall elections if they consider the idea. Tom Dietrich said he would uproot his family from the area if one is built.
They were among a handful of county residents, along with San Benito County Sheriff Curtis Hill, who spoke during Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting in opposition to a proposed Indian casino near Highway 25 in San Benito County.
“I see ourselves looking down the barrel of a firearm, and we’re not on the stock end,” Dietrich told supervisors. “And yet, who is going to be behind the trigger? It’s not those with the casino. It is you, ladies and gentlemen. You are going to be the ones pulling that trigger if you allow this to go any further.”
Hill also took the opportunity to reiterate his opposition to the proposal. He’s in the process of compiling data on the effects casinos have on law enforcement, he said.
“I am adamantly opposed to it and will continue to be adamantly opposed to it,” said Hill, who believes crime rates would rise and traffic safety would be compromised with a casino.
Nobody from the audience spoke in favor of the idea.
Despite the state and federal government having final say over a Miwok Indian band’s hope to build a $100 million to $300 million casino resort here, the governor has said he won’t sign a compact agreement without local support, including that from the board.
Investors say a local casino would be similar in size to Yolo County’s Cache Creek Casino that’s 66,000 square feet with 1,762 slot machines and 120 table games.
Only one supervisor, Ruth Kesler, has taken a firm stance on a casino. Kesler, whose term expires in December, is opposed to it. Other supervisors have indicated they’re willing to explore the idea. Supervisors Reb Monaco and Pat Loe have discussed the proposal with investors backing the California Valley Miwok’s plan.
After two residents who oppose the casino took to the podium, board chairman Bob Cruz announced that supervisors had invited two casino authorities with the California State Association of Counties (CSAC) to a future public workshop.
At that meeting either Oct. 21 or Oct. 22, Yolo County Supervisor Mike McGowan and Sonoma County Supervisor will discuss the effects of a casino and answer questions from concerned residents.
The people at Tuesday’s meeting, though, wanted to express opposition early in the process, before the governor and federal Bureau of Indian Affairs seriously consider the project’s merits. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenneger has said there would have to be strong local support for his approval of a compact agreement, according to a governor’s office press spokesman.
Marylin Hill – who isn’t related to the sheriff – said a casino would raise the level of crime, including domestic violence; increase traffic congestion; and foster gambling addiction.
“Because people move here to get away from things like that,” she said. “People that even frequent casinos do not want to live by them.”
The tribe wants to listen to, and address, resident’s concerns, according to their attorney Phillip Thompson. The tribe and its investors, by law, have to hold their own town hall meetings sometime in the coming months. Thompson said there will be three of them, if not more.
He pointed out that casinos “are not a big-time contributor to crime.” He also said there would be “various programs and processes” that could be established to counter gambling addiction-related problems.
“We’re not getting the firestorm of opposition I thought might come,” he said. “We want to try to make this as helpful as we can to the community.”
Plus, the investment groups behind the deal, Game Won and Game Too, have indicated they’re willing to negotiate with the county and help fund local infrastructure upgrades, such as the widening of Highway 25 from two to four lanes.
But Nicholaysen, who moved to the area a year ago, said there are better ways to earn revenues than by cutting deals with casino backers.
“You’re going to have a fight on your hands. The families here don’t want that kind of stuff here,” Nicholaysen said. “If you entertain this thing, it’ll go to a recall. I guarantee that.”
After hearing those comments, Cruz spoke out against Dietrich’s threat of a recall. He did so again after the meeting.
In the wake of a group’s efforts to remove District Attorney John Sarsfield from office, Cruz called the notion of recalling public officials over the casino proposal “a sad thing to me.”
“Do you really think this board is advocating for a casino to come in here? Give us a break,” Cruz said after the board meeting. “My God, what are we coming to?”
