Some questions to ponder when thinking about a casino.
Dear Editor,
Some questions to ponder when thinking about a casino.
1. If we say no to a casino will a non-indiginous casino be welcome in a neighboring community, impacting us, without any benefits?
2. Will saying no keep people from gambling?
3. Are the choices to work, play, shop and gamble taking us with our money down 25?
4. Are casino night, bingo, lottery, sport pools, card parties, computer gambling and raffles (where you purchase a ticket) gambling?
5. Have any of the above contributed to violence in homes and teens, gang, burglaries, drugs, sexual experimentations, automobile and alcohol accidents?
6. What is the percentage of increase in these negative impacts in other gaming communities under 75,000? with our current problems? What do they do for prevention?
7 Is alcohol allowed on Indian lands?
8. Are children allowed in the Casinos? Are children allowed in restaurants where alcohol is served?
9. Will a casino bring in commerce to the airport and our local businesses? Could shuttles carry guests to our downtowns, and golf courses? Can it decrease our lodging and downtown retail vacancies?
10. Can we mitigate and include funding for and good relationships with local agencies/services: The chamber, Highway 25, sewer, roadways, recovery programs, YMCA, Emmaus House, Community Solutions, Gavilan College, employment training and the hospital foundation?
11. Could the new location cause future annexation to the city and will the county continue receiving funds? Are funds promised prior to expenses, state, gaming and other required payments? Who will regulate the funding?
12. Will it provide employee housing and training for a broad spectrum of people including our youth and seniors?
13. Will it bring tourism, a clean industry with money but without the permanent services permanent residents require? Will it bring in inexpensive entertainment and food?
14. Is there an annual event that many local businesses close for, we lose money, and the money made leaves the county? Does it have a non-family atmosphere with a lot of body exposure, traffic, drinking, noise and once in awhile a tee shirt lifts for the onlookers who may be children?
Money may be the root of all evil, it takes a lot of root to make ends meet. Life, business, and marriage (with its 50 percent success rate) are gambles. When we say “no” it is “no” for a long time. If you say “no” will you be sure a neighbor won’t say “yes?”
The societal problems that exist in our community are something we need to attempt to prevent rather than to deal with.
The casino did not cause them. The accountability rests with our family, friends, churches, schools and a society plagued with many types of addictions including eating.
We must place our bets on the officials who will be busy compromising for the good of our county and city.
Sally Haydon, Hollister
