Gambling is immensely profitable and the Industry can afford the best lobbyists to monopolize the conversation and the media, but not everyone is fooled.
Legislators, reluctant to make difficult decisions or employ sensible tax policy, blindly follow the false promises of "Something for Nothing."
The phony promises are the same around the country.
Enough bad influences without gambling
Ottumwa Courier
OTTUMWA — Gambling will cost everyone, even those who never gamble!
Mr. Jones, who are you to say that someone’s morals and ethics are questionable when you want to bring another drinking establishment not only into this town, but right across the road from a local family attraction that children frequent all summer long? This particular area is extremely busy during summer months — kids playing tennis, walking to The Beach, skate park, etc. Do we really want our children close to such an establishment? Would you want your child, Mr. Jones, to ride a bike or walk in that area? Can you tell me there won’t be folks getting behind the wheel after gambling and drinking for hours, who are now tired, drunk and probably distraught over losing their rent and grocery money for the week? Mr. Jones, these are not the same old scare tactics that you will probably suggest, it’s common sense.
People of Ottumwa, we need to wake up and protect our children! If we don’t, who will? You can guarantee it won’t be Mr. Jones, Mr. Siegel or our mayor.
There are enough bad influences already in this world without bringing more into our community like alcohol and gambling. What kind of a message are we sending? They both destroy families and wreck lives. These are facts, not opinions. There will be way more losers walking out of the casino than winners. Everyone living in Ottumwa and the surrounding communities will lose.
It is so easy to educate yourself to the smoke and mirrors that Roger Jones and Steve Siegel are trying to push on this city. Here is one of many articles that can be found with very little effort. If you want some cold hard facts, Google NCALG or casinowatch.org.
Read — Gambling and Crime: Chad Hills (Originally written by Ron Reno).
It talks about data from gambling communities across the country indicating that gambling does indeed foster a significant increase in crime. Polls show that most Americans assume an association between gambling and increased criminal activity. The gambling industry offers hearty denials and various statistical manipulations attempting to counter this perception. Data from gambling communities across the country, however, indicates that gambling does indeed foster a significant increase in crime.
You can also find on Web sites that in the first six years of casinos in Minnesota, the crime rate in counties with casinos increased more than twice as fast as in non-casino counties. According to an analysis by the Minneapolis Star Tribune, the median crime rate in casino counties rose 39 percent during that period as compared to an 18 percent increase in non-casino counties.
University of Nevada-Las Vegas researchers concluded that the state of Wisconsin experiences an average of 5,300 additional major crimes a year due to the presence of casinos in that state. They also attributed an additional 17,100 arrests for less-serious crimes each year to the existence of casino gambling.
Brett and Deb Mitchell
Ottumwa
Unbiased study shows negative effects of casinos
Ottumwa Courier
OTTUMWA — Gambling fails in a cost benefit analysis by a margin of 3:1. This is the conclusion of a lengthy study by Professor Earl Grinols of the University of Illinois. Professor Grinols has studied the gambling industry and its relationship with state and local governments for over a decade. He spells out his findings in meticulous detail in his book, “Gambling In America: Costs and Benefits.” He makes it very clear that he accepts no funding from either pro gambling or anti gambling groups and has no objection to gambling itself morally. This would make him a very good independent source of information on this subject. He has testified before Congress and many state governments on gambling and its effects on local economies.
Professor Grinols also points out the fallacy of state and local governments trying to use gambling money to make up for revenue shortfalls. These gambling projects are disguised as economic development and sold to the public by politicians trying to avoid the “tax” word. In reality, the short term gains are overshadowed by their long term costs resulting in an even bigger regressive tax on the public. He carefully studies the documented increases in crime, addiction, bankruptcies, abuse and other social costs and attaches real dollar figures to them. I would suggest this resource for anyone interested in the gambling issue. The old adage, “If it sounds too good to be true ...” certainly applies here. The Courier has made its position clear so you won’t see any unbiased reporting on this information.
There are four casinos already in about an hour’s drive from Ottumwa. Do we really think that this casino is going to be a huge tourist destination with people bringing truckloads of money to lose here? Ingenus’ own study shows that 90 percent of their revenue would come from local “daytrippers.” Their idea is to market to Missouri to bring in money.
A quick look at the demographics will show that southern Iowa and northern Missouri have the highest poverty rates in the region. This strategy has not worked very well for Osceola. They have a struggling casino that they fear could close if one is located in Ottumwa. The pool of money in the local economy is only so big, and you cannot remove the amounts they are projecting without damaging the local economy.
It is interesting that the Courier editorial mentioned the vote required by Iowa law to have or keep a casino in a community. This is the law that the casino industry tried very hard to get removed in the last legislative session. They cited that it would cost them hundreds of thousands of dollars to run campaigns in those communities. If casinos were such a great deal for those areas, why would they need to spend huge amounts of money to convince people to keep them?
One could rightfully oppose a casino on moral grounds alone but it also fails the test on pure economic scrutiny. I would encourage everyone to write to: IRGC, 717 East Court, Suite B, Des Moines, IA 50309 and tell them you don’t want this in our town.
Tim Bitner
Ottumwa
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