In their rush to cram through legislation at midnight on the Fourth of July, Pennsylvania lawmakers, anxious to reward wealthy investors and suck discretionary income from the poor ignored the experiences of other states, just as Beacon Hill has done.
Slot Barns exist and profit by creating ADDICTION.
And so it is with the rash of children (and animals) being placed in jeopardy, being left in vehicles.
Recall the rash of child abandonment cases at Parx, an experienced Gambling Vulture fully familiar with this issue and public officials ignorant of the threat --
Parx: children abandonment cases begin in court
Since mid-June, 13 children - ranging from 15 months to 15 years - have been left in vehicles outside the Bensalem casino by their adult caretakers, police say.
From: Smack into the face of addiction
But officials in Bucks County say that while planning for the 2006 opening of Parx Casino in Bensalem, they never anticipated this. [Even though due diligence would have revealed this.]
"One thing that we never expected was for people to leave their kids inside their cars while they went inside to gamble," said Fred Harran, Bensalem's public safety director.
"Of all the problems we thought about that were going to happen, this is one thing that was probably inconceivable," State Rep. Gene DiGirolamo (R., Bucks) said at a noon news conference Thursday in Bensalem.
Added State Sen. Robert M. Tomlinson (R., Bucks): "We were all shocked when we first heard of these incidents."
They shouldn't have been, some experts and gambling critics say.
"They didn't do their research," said Janette Fennell, founder and president of KidsAndCars.org, a national nonprofit child-safety organization. "There is plenty out there about the fact that kids are left alone in cars at casinos."
"It's amazing to me that legislators are surprised at this stuff," said Paul Boni, a Philadelphia lawyer who has represented anti-casino groups. "You are looking smack into the face of the addiction.
"They are surprised because they haven't thought about it and haven't looked into the issue."
Photo courtesy of:
EMPLOYEE FREE CHOICE ACT UNION BUSTING CLUB
One must wonder where Pennsylvania lawmakers mandated the Casino Vultures to patrol their parking facilities. What culpability do they have? This was inside a parking garage and reported by a passerby.
Parents In Jail For Leaving Children Alone While At Casino
PITTSBURGH -- A mother and father were arrested for leaving their three children inside a car while they went gambling.
Police said the children, ages 10, 3 and 10 months, were alone in the parking garge [sic] for about 45 minutes before a concerned passer-by found the kids and alerted casino security.
Lounla Xayathep 54, and Phayvong Peaungvong-Pak 38, are residents of New Eagle but were born in the country of Laos. They will each face three charges of endangering the welfare of children.
The incident occurred at about 3 p.m. Saturday at the Rivers Casino on the North Shore. Both are in jail awaiting an arraignment.
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