Casinos Represent a Poor Solution (C.R.A.P.S.) has teamed up
with several members of the local Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints to take its anti-casino petition to the masses in
what both organizations see as a nondenominational, moral
opposition to casinos, according to C.R.A.P.S. Chairman Steve
Merrell.
Hollister – Casinos Represent a Poor Solution (C.R.A.P.S.) has teamed up with several members of the local Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to take its anti-casino petition to the masses in what both organizations see as a nondenominational, moral opposition to casinos, according to C.R.A.P.S. Chairman Steve Merrell.
The group expanded the scope of the door-to-door petitioning it has been doing recently and began petitioning Monday in front of the Safeway in Hollister and the Windmill Market in San Juan Bautista.
California Valley Miwok Project Manager Gary Ramos said Friday that while C.R.A.P.S. may have a slew of signatures, its stance against the proposed casino is premature.
“It is disappointing that this group is opposed to a project that would bring a thousand or more jobs and economic benefits to the community as a whole. It is even more disappointing that they are mounting this effort without any facts and before the public has had an opportunity to assess the benefits this project has to offer,” Ramos said.
Ramos said in September in addition to the jobs the casino will create for locals, the tribe could provide financial compensation to the county if the casino is built, possibly including some funding to widen Highway 25.
Merrell said he was confident the signatures the groups are continuing to gather will speak volumes to Gov. Schwarzenegger, delivering a message that San Benito County residents do not want the proposed Miwok casino off of Highway 25 to be built.
“It’s kind of interesting. I’m hearing through the grapevine that they’re (the Miwoks) feeling quite confident, but I don’t see how,” Merrell said.
Schwarzenegger has said he will not allow Indian gaming in areas where tribes do not have ancestral roots unless there is overwhelming support from the locals. Since some doubt the Miwoks have ties to San Benito County, C.R.A.P.S. is hoping to instead show the governor overwhelming opposition to the casino.
Laura Lee Foote, a member of the Church of Latter-day Saints, said she and several of her fellow members joined forces with C.R.A.P.S. because they believe the proposed casino is morally wrong.
“It’s a moral issue and we don’t want it here. We don’t want that for our children. We don’t want the drugs and the crime and the unhappiness that a casino brings,” Foote said.
Foote also encouraged members of other churches to join in the fight, she said. She said she called all the different local churches, regardless of denomination, to encourage them to attend community meetings on the proposed casino and work with C.R.A.P.S.
Merrell confirmed that members of other churches are participating, including the pastor of the Hollister Home Church.
C.R.A.P.S. and the various church members will continue to petition outside of grocery stores through the end of December, Foote said, but hope to have a good idea of how many signatures they will be able to collect by the end of November.
Neither Ramos nor Miwok spokeswoman Nicole Ratcliff could be reached Monday for comment on the churches’ opposition.
Last Thursday, the tribe held an informational meeting at the Tres Pinos Inn for “friends of the investors,” according to Ratcliff. The meeting was invite-only and was not open to the press. Some attendees said there were about 120 people at the meeting.
Ramos said last Thursday’s meeting was not meant to be secretive.
“We are working very hard to prevent a repetition of the kind of divisive debate that took place during the Measure G campaign. We want to work to bring people back together,” Ramos said.
He added the tribe would eventually like to sit down for a discussion with C.R.A.P.S. and other concerned community groups.
The California Valley Miwok tribe is in the midst of conducting environmental and economic impact studies for the proposed casino. While Ratcliff said last week some information regarding the studies would be ready for release by Monday, neither she nor Miwok attorney Philip Thompson could be reached for comment Monday.
Jessica Quandt is a staff writer for the Free Lance. Reach her at 831-637-5566 ext. 330 or at jq*****@fr***********.com.
