How come the Predatory Gambling Industry NEVER argues about the FACTS?

Group Claims Casinos Bring Higher Taxes and Crime
By Alex Crichton

The group No More Casinos Coalition has released details of analysis of property tax and crime data released by Freedom of Information Law requests to the cities of Niagara Falls and Salamanca.
Former Rochester Mayor Bill Johnson, speaking for the group, says the initial data show taxes went up 17 percent and 16 percent in Niagara Falls and Salamanca, respectively, from the period before the casinos were built there to 2012.

Certain areas of crime also increased, according to Johnson.

That includes a 22-percent increase in theft-related crimes over the same period.

WXXI tried to reach Niagara Falls mayor Paul Dyster for verification, but he was unavailable.
Gates Town Supervisor Mark Assini, who favors the idea of a casino at Rochester Tech Park in his town, says the issues of higher taxes and crime rates and casinos are unrelated.

He says pressures that force higher taxes or crime in urban areas have nothing to do with a single business, casino or otherwise, going into an urban center.

Johnson says it's clear that Seneca-run casinos aren't a panacea for local problems, and while residents in Henrietta have said "no" to the idea, it's still the subject of talk in other towns, including
Greece and Gates, and Irondequoit.

He says any community that is considering a casino should question whether a deal with the Seneca Nation to build would be a benefit for the long term, based on analysis of the data.

Johnson urges residents to bring up the issue with Monroe County lawmakers at their May 13th meeting.

Assini argues a casino would have several benefits: it will bring [LOW WAGE] jobs to region [THAT WILL REPLACE LOCAL BUSINESSES - CANNIBALIZATION], and if the town of Gates received the same offer that went to Henrietta, residents would no longer have to pay town property taxes, and Gates residents support the proposed location, Rochester Tech Park
Assini points out that the No More Casino Coaltion is funded by Batavia Downs and Finger Lakes Gaming and Racetrack, which don't want competition from Seneca run casinos.

How come the Predatory Gambling Industry NEVER argues about the FACTS?

http://wxxinews.org/post/group-claims-casinos-bring-higher-taxes-and-crime

Anti-casino coalition releases study

Sarah Taddeo 1:24 p.m. EDT May 1, 2014

 

 

Western New York cities with casinos have higher tax and crime rates than those without, according to an analysis by a group opposing proposals to create a casino in the Rochester area.

Speaking on behalf of the No More Casinos Coalition on Thursday, former Rochester Mayor William A. Johnson unveiled statistics from Salamanca and Niagara Falls, showing that property tax rates went up by 16 percent and 17 percent, respectively, in those cities between 2002 and 2012. Seneca casinos opened in Salamanca in 2004, and in Niagara Falls in 2002.

Crime went up by 18 percent in Niagara Falls, though the only crimes studied were burglary, robbery and larceny. The No More Casinos Coalition facilitated the analysis, with help from city departments in both Salamanca and Niagara Falls.

Though the Seneca Nation pledges to hold down taxes in every potential development area, that promise is almost never validated, Johnson said. He mentioned several sites in Rochester's suburbs that are in talks about developing casinos, including the town of Henrietta and the Odenbach Shipyard in Greece.


Photos: Then & Now: Odenbach Shipbuilding Corp.

A potential buyer is a West Coast development group interested in turning the site in to a retail complex. (Photo: ANNETTE LEIN staff photographer)

 

       

 

"Everyone thinks that casinos will be a bonanza for their area, with jobs and tax rates," Johnson said.

 

"But these casinos have not delivered on their primary goals of increasing development and benefiting tax rates in the communities they serve."

Niagara Falls has had developmental challenges for years, and the city had hoped that a casino would bring tourism and revenue to the area, Johnson said. But the casino just brought higher taxes and crime, having the opposite effect, he said.

"Criminals go where the customers are," Johnson said. "We've seen enough warning signs for us to continue investigation into the building of casinos anywhere in Monroe County."

Casinos promise to bring jobs into development areas, but really they only provide low-level jobs, which are not the kind of jobs a city "wants to stake its economic turnaround on," Johnson said.
Johnson emphasized that the Seneca Nation is a "sovereign nation," and that it will continue to pepper the state with casinos if residents do not actively push back.

"This is not a witch hunt...it is based on their actions that have occurred in the past," Johnson said.

"They won't change things if everything continues to go their way."

Johnson invited attendees to the Monroe County legislature meeting on May 13 for further discussion
on this issue.



http://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/2014/05/01/anti-casino-coalition-releases-study/8559605/


 

Fairy Dust For Sale

Another sad example of leaders believing the Fairy Dust of Predatory Gambling that instead replicates the experience of others ---

DiNapoli: Niagara Falls, Salamanca facing dramatic revenue shortfalls

by jmaloni

Press release

Mon, Dec 10th 2012 11:30 am

 

Cities challenged by high poverty, unemployment rates

 

The cities of Niagara Falls and Salamanca continue to be hampered by population loss, decreased property values and a significant decline in revenue, according to two fiscal reports issued Monday by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. The reports are the first in a series of fiscal profiles on cities across the state.

The reports detail the impact of the ongoing dispute over casino revenue on the two Western New York communities. The cities are home to casinos operated by the Seneca Nation - the Seneca Niagara Casino and the Seneca Allegany Casino. Niagara Falls and Salamanca have not received their "local share" of casino revenues since 2009, when the Senecas halted gambling compact payments to the state. To date, Niagara Falls has been deprived of $60 million in casino revenues.

Salamanca had been receiving more than $3 million annually as part of the compact.

"Niagara Falls and Salamanca face more severe stresses than most other cities in the state, and the loss of casino revenue has exacerbated their problems," DiNapoli said. "City officials have been forced to make drastic budget cuts, spend down reserves and seek emergency aid from the state.

Unfortunately, the systemic fiscal problems that have plagued these communities cannot be properly addressed until casino gaming issues are resolved."

In Niagara Falls, the city has struggled due to a number of socio-economic factors, according to the comptroller's report.

At its peak in 1960, Niagara Falls' population was 102,394. By 2010, the city had lost 51 percent of its population, the largest percentage drop in population for any city in New York during that time frame.

Currently, 17.6 percent of families in the city live in poverty and the city's unemployment rate (11.4 percent) is significantly higher than the statewide average for cities (8.2 percent).

Other findings in DiNapoli's report include:

•Niagara Falls has exhausted 76 percent of its constitutional debt limit and has $73.8 million in outstanding debt.

•Nearly 14 percent of properties in Niagara Falls are vacant and another 44.8 percent of property in the city is listed as tax-exempt.

•The median home price in Niagara Falls is $65,400, far below the median city's price of $96,000.

"The City of Niagara Falls commends Comptroller DiNapoli for this independent assessment of the fiscal issues facing our community," said Niagara Falls Mayor Paul A. Dyster. "The challenges raised in this report present major hurdles for our city. But we remain optimistic that our economic development activities, which are vital to attracting new business investment and new visitors to the city, will be accelerated once the state's dispute regarding casino revenues is settled. By reestablishing this vital revenue stream, Niagara Falls can begin to reverse the negative trends cited in Comptroller DiNapoli's report. My administration will continue to work with Comptroller DiNapoli as we continue our efforts to redevelop our city."

In Salamanca, city officials are similarly coping with a drop in revenues, a stagnant tax base and an increasing number of families living in poverty.

In 2010-11, the city nearly depleted its fund balance after suffering a 25 percent decline in revenue.

The following year, city officials used a one-time advance of $5 million in state aid to cover operating costs and debt payments, but the city now faces a $2.5 million shortfall and could run out of cash before the end of the current fiscal year.

The report also noted:

•Since 1950, Salamanca has suffered a 34 percent decline in population and is now the fourth smallest city in New York, with 5,815 residents.

•With much of the city's property located on the Allegany Territory of the Seneca Nation, Salamanca has the second highest number of tax-exempt properties in the state (62 percent).

•More than 15 percent of families in Salamanca are living in poverty.

•The median income in Salamanca of $32,741 is well below the state median of $55,603.

"The demands on city government did not go away when casino revenues did," said Salamanca Mayor Jeffrey L. Pond. "The city is still responsible for ensuring public safety, maintaining roads and providing essential municipal services. Our sustainability, however, has been complicated by the loss of these revenues and the continued erosion of our tax base. Comptroller DiNapoli's report details why it so difficult to balance our budget and pay for the vital services that our residents depend on."

In the coming months, DiNapoli will issue fiscal profiles on select cities across the state to further inform officials and citizens on some of the unique environmental and systemic pressures facing New York's cities. As part of this effort, DiNapoli will also release in-depth reports on some of the issues that contribute to the financial pressures on local governments.

In September, DiNapoli's office unveiled details of a new fiscal monitoring system that will calculate and publicize an overall score of fiscal stress for municipalities and school district across the state.

The "early warning" system will identify those headed toward fiscal crisis and give local officials and the public sufficient time to consider options for turning things around. DiNapoli recently completed the process of receiving comments from local officials about the process.

The monitoring system was announced in conjunction with a report examining the demographic and financial trends of New York's 61 cities (excluding New York City) over the past three decades. The report found that many cities are struggling to balance budgets and revitalize deteriorating local economies.

For a copy of DiNapoli's report on New York's cities, visit: http://www.osc.state.ny.us/localgov/pubs/fiscalmonitoring/pdf/nycreport2012.pdf

For a copy of DiNapoli's fiscal monitoring system plan, visit:
http://www.osc.state.ny.us/localgov/pubs/fiscalmonitoring/pdf/fiscalstressmonitoring.pdf

For a copy of the Niagara Falls profile, visit: http://www.osc.state.ny.us/localgov/pubs/fiscalprofiles/niagarafalls.pdf

For a copy of the Salamanca profile, visit:
http://www.osc.state.ny.us/localgov/pubs/fiscalprofiles/salamanca.pdf



http://www.wnypapers.com/news/article/featured/2012/12/10/108924/dinapoli-niagara-falls-salamanca-facing-dramatic-revenue-shortfalls

NY localities hurt

NY localities hurt as Indian casino cash dries up

MICHAEL HILL, Associated PressCopyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

MICHAEL HILL, Associated Press

Sunday, July 29, 2012

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Since the casino cash stopped flowing, Salamanca has laid off workers, Niagara Falls has cut back on cleanups and county reserve funds have dried up in the North Country.

The struggling municipalities in western and northern New York are collateral damage in a high-stakes confrontation between the state and Indian tribes involving gambling dollars.

The Seneca and Mohawk tribes have for years withheld casino payments to the state, claiming that New York violated contracts with the tribes by allowing gambling in their exclusive territories.

Consequently, the state stopped sending money — more than $100 million so far — to municipalities where Indian casinos operate.

Without their share of casino money, the local governments are straining to provide basic services.

And with no compromise in sight, arbitrators may have to resolve the long-running dispute.

"Our piggy bank is empty now," said Niagara Falls Mayor Paul Dyster, whose city is out almost $60 million in casino payments.

The Seneca Nation of Indians, which operates casinos in Buffalo, Niagara Falls and Salamanca, stopped sending payments starting in 2009. They say the state violated the compact that gives the Seneca exclusive gambling rights west of the Finger Lakes when it allowed three western New York harness tracks to operate video lottery terminals.

Seneca President Robert Odawi Porter said about $400 million worth of withheld payments to the state have been placed in escrow. A quarter of the money would have gone to host cities like Buffalo and Niagara Falls.

"We're not going to sit by idly while we're being cheated," Porter said.

The St. Regis Mohawks, who operate a casino on their land straddling the Canadian border, separately decided in October 2010 to stop making payments, citing slot machines operating on Indian territory elsewhere in northern New York. After two years, Franklin and St. Lawrence counties and four local towns are out $12 million.

The losses in casino revenue are a small part of New York state's $132 billion budget, but is felt keenly in the smaller municipalities struggling to balance their books.

St. Lawrence County Administrator Karen St. Hilaire said the county has eliminated positions, cut back programs and hasn't replaced equipment. Next door in Franklin County, the lack of casino cash is complicating plans to help pay for a natural gas pipeline. If the money doesn't flow, the cost will have to be shouldered by local taxpayers, said County Manager Thomas Leitz.

"We have made a commitment so we'll have to find a way to finance it," he said.

In western New York, Salamanca Mayor Jeffrey Pond said the roughly $5 million a year from the Senecas was about half the city budget. Salamanca laid off 49 people and has gotten by with a no-interest loan from the state.

In Niagara Falls, Dyster said the city had to cut back on cleanup crews that fixed up vacant lots, and was not able to invest extra money to promote itself as a destination for weddings for same-sex couples after the state legalized gay marriage a year ago.

Leaders of both tribes cast the issue in terms of gambling and broken promises, though some observers believe the long-simmering resentment among Indians over the state's efforts to tax Indian cigarettes played a role as well. The dispute also intensified as the state considers a constitutional amendment to allow casinos on non-Indian land.

Discussing the payment dispute with reporters in June, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said he wouldn't rule out approving non-Indian casinos in western New York.

"If there are no payments, then you would argue, there's no exclusivity," he said.

Senecas, Mohawks and state officials all express sympathy to the local communities for their lost payments — and they blame each other for it.

"It's unfortunate that the state has really put them in the middle of our dispute and left them high and dry," Porter said.

Cuomo spokesman Richard Azzopardi said that under state law, New York can only make a local-share payment out of revenue received from slot machines but there's no revenue to share.

"We have made it clear to the Senecas and the Mohawks that they can make payments to local communities directly and that these payments will be recognized and credited by the state," Azzopardi said. "They have apparently chosen not to do so."

The issue of payments — from the Indians to the state and from the state to local communities — could wind up before arbitrators.

"They have basically ignored our attempts to settle our issues," the Mohawk council said in a statement.

Where gambling operations get to locate could add to the pressure if New York legalizes casinos on non-Indian land. The state Legislature approved a measure to amend the state constitution, but needs to take another vote before voters can make the final decision in a referendum, possibly next year.

Proponents are focusing on the New York City area and the Catskills, far away from New York's Indian casinos. The Mohawks say they aren't worried.

"It will cost the state a tremendous amount of capital to get to where the Indian casinos are in the state," the Mohawks say.

Read more: http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/business/article/NY-localities-hurt-as-Indian-casino-cash-dries-up-3744442.php#ixzz223b53tSo


NY localities hurt as Indian casino cash dries up
Wall Street Journal
Associated Press. ALBANY, N.Y. — Since the casino cash stopped flowing, Salamanca has laid off workers, Niagara Falls has cut back on cleanups and county reserve funds have dried up in the North Country. The struggling municipalities in western and ...