SLOT BARNS* in the Commonwealth, beyond the
desire for power, campaign contributions or future
promises. As such, I would hope you would re-consider
your vote.
( *For $600 million, you get a SLOT BARN, not something
euphemistically labeled or future promises.)
1. Re-capture of revenue across state lines is a specious
argument, created by Gambling Vultures.
Were the Commonwealth truly concerned about $$ flooding
across the border, Beacon Hill would address: 1. air travelers
taking off from T.F.Green or Bradley; 2. Massachusetts
residents flocking to New Hampshire to avoid the sales
tax, liquor tax and cigarette tax.
2. Economic development
From "Cha Ching" Murray: SLOTS suck $$$ from economy
Murray, meanwhile, told the Cape Cod Times over the weekend that she believed
slot machines "suck all the economic environment from within 20 miles, and
you
really don't get any jobs from it."
3. Tourism
From CT: No Economic Development, No Tourism
Ledyard borders the Pequot reservation that's home to the world's biggest
casino, Foxwoods Resort.
"There has been no economic development
spin-off from the casino. Businesses do not come here," [Mayor Wesley Johnson of
Ledyard, Conn] Johnson said. "Tourists come mainly to gamble. Gamblers have one
thing in mind: get to the casino, win or lose their money, get in their cars,
and go home."
4. Job creation
From What’s the big hurry? :
The three states with the highest unemployment rates in the nation are Michigan,
Nevada, and Rhode Island, all home to casinos or racinos. With decreased
earnings, fewer gamblers, and limited casino borrowing, layoffs are hitting
their casinos.
The number of jobs the proposed legislation would create
has been wildly exaggerated. We are told that two casinos and four racinos will
net about 16,000 construction and permanent jobs. But in Indiana it takes 10
riverboats, one casino and two racinos to generate 16,000 current jobs and
Louisiana requires 18 casinos to employ 17,268, according to the American Gaming
Association.
The states that most closely mirror the current legislation
suggest that the real results will be but a fraction of the job estimates we
have been hearing. Michigan’s three casinos net 8,568 permanent jobs and New
Mexico’s five racinos employ less than 2,000 people.
5. Gambling Addiction
From: Gambling Addict Costs $13,000 A Year:
“Each compulsive gambler costs society approximately $13,000 each year and will
impact the lives of at least seven other people,” he said.
6. Revenues
As Scott Harshbarger wrote:
In Las Vegas, it takes 266 casinos to bring in $11.6 billion in gross revenue,
which translates into $924 million in tax revenue. Even the $300 million to
$600
million now estimated here is a stretch based on that data.
7. Indian Gaming
This is a complex issue, explored in depth elsewhere.
http://middlebororemembers.blogspot.com/search/label/Hawaii
Carcieri v Salazar and Hawaii v Office of Hawaiian Affairs
eliminated any potential threat to the Commonwealth.
Simply put:
Casino Proponents Misleading Public
Citing repeated claims by lead Senate gambling bill conferee Sen. Stanley
Rosenberg, casino opponents on Tuesday said there as no possibility of tribal
casinos in Massachusetts unless the Legislature and Gov. Deval Patrick agree to
legalize slot parlors and casinos.
SCOTUS and Hawaii Being Ignored
Within weeks of the 8-1 Carcieri v Salazar decision, a second
strike on fee
to trust was issued. This time it came from a case
originating in the state
of Hawaii. In the 9-0 decision on Hawaii
v. the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.
Justice Alito wrote, "It would
raise grave constitutional concerns" Congress
sought to "cloud
Hawaii's title to its sovereign lands" after it had joined
the
Union. "We have emphasized that Congress cannot, after
statehood
reserve or convey....lands that have already been
bestowed upon a state".
How many readers of this paper could
be effected by issues concerning land
that has been "bestowed
upon a state"; as an original colony, through
disestablished
territory or when the territory entered into statehood?
8. Lottery
From: Exploding Myths: Lottery
The state lottery of Massachusetts
brings in more revenue than
Las Vegas's 266 casinos.
If it takes a 10% hit -- which is a fairly
conservative number -- it will be very difficult
for the state to bring in enough slot tax revenue
to offset the 100 million we'd lose to the
state lottery.
Note: The Spectrum Gaming Report projected LOTTERY
REVENUE loses of $144 MILLION.
9. CRIME
From Crime in Atlantic City
...expecting to see a “clean and safe” Atlantic City
by July 1, 2011. Many casino executives and city officials have argued that
safety concerns are merely based on inaccurate perceptions, which the governor
alluded to during his visit to Atlantic City this week.
But the McKinsey
report refers to it as fact, citing statistics that show the city’s violent
crime rate in 2009 far exceeded the national average and trumps other cities
such as Trenton and Biloxi, Miss, according to federal
statisitics [sic].
From Race to the bottom....
His research compared crime at Las Vegas to that at high-tourist destinations
not associated with gambling – Branson, Mo.; and the Mall of America in
Bloomington, Minn.
Las Vegas’ crime rate is 1,040 percent higher than Branson’s and 15.7 times
higher than Bloomington’s, Grinols reported, although both destinations draw far
more visitors per resident than does Las Vegas.
A similar pattern is found
when comparing crime rates at large tourist destinations in the National Park
System to Las Vegas.
10. GAMBLING ADDICTION
This is the ugly face of SLOT BARNS:
http://middlebororemembers.blogspot.com/search/label/gambling%20addiction
11. LOW WAGE JOBS
http://middlebororemembers.blogspot.com/search/label/low%20wage%20jobs
Although I have no expectation that you will read or digest this information,
at least I've made my attempt to enlighten.
Respectfully,
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