Staten Island Register - 01/29/2002 "Campaign Starts with a Lawsuit" By Christopher Franz With all of the jockeying for position... More... The Issues Contribute Help Save New York News Jack's Bio Contact Us New York is First in Debt Over 37 BILLION and growing daily... Gambling?! Its Here! With All of the Problems, None of the Benefits... The Great Exodus People are leaving New York State in droves... Join our mailing list to learn more about Albany's Outrages! Email Address: Better Late than Never Budgets? Democracy in Reverse Your Vote VS. Their Money Less Congressmen, More Legislators? Legislators for Life Legislative Rewards...and Punishments. Taxpayer Financed Campaigns THE WINNERS: Native Americans with a huge, new unregulated money maker The high paid lobbyists who pushed the back room deal The elected officials who collect big campaign dollars for making it happen A big victory again for those who circumvent the New York State Constitution to promote their own agenda THE LOSERS: Local and New York State taxpayers because Native American casinos:       - pay zero school or local taxes       - pay zero sales tax       - pay zero gross receipts tax       - pay zero occupancy tax       - pay zero gasoline or cigarette tax       - and have no labor or workplace regulation Local convenience stores who can't compete with tax-free prices Local restaurants, hotels and motels who can't compete with tax-free prices The New York State Treasury because of the back room deal to kick back a percentage of the anticipated slot machine take that very probably will declared illegal Gambling - All of the Problems, None of the Benefits New Yorkers are traveling to Atlantic City, Foxwood, Connecticut and Niagara Falls, Canada, often by the busload. They're taking their money, leaving it there and coming back to New York with lighter wallets and often-devastated family finances. With these hundreds of thousands of dollars spent every day, none of it stays in New York to help relieve property taxes, to improve our schools, to rebuild our bridges and roads or to reduce the New York State debt. We get only the problems, including bankruptcies broken families and personal ruin, but none of the benefits. Gambling is not going to go away and New York State condones plenty of it from Race Track Betting to well established institutions like OTB (Off Track Betting), Lotto and Quick Draw and even bingo games. But Casino Gambling, the one form of gambling that can actually attract substantial tourist dollars - especially to economically hard-hit areas like the Catskills and Niagara Frontier - and help rebuild this state's economy has turned into one of those familiar Albany Political Footballs. Moralizing aside, the fact is New York State already has Casino Gambling. It's called the Turning Stone Casino just outside the Utica area. Turning Stone is a full-fledged casino growing by leaps and bounds and operated by the Oneida Nation strictly for their benefit. Not one cent of revenue for either state or local government is required by law from the Turning Stone enterprise. Not a penny! Casino gambling is simply too valuable a franchise to just give away to a select group. All of the states residents should realize the revenue benefits of casino gambling ventures. New Yorkers, regardless of their ethnicity, should be given an equal opportunity to compete in the casino gambling industry. Casino gambling has changed Joliet, Illinois from a rust belt town to wealth belt city. Since the 1990 advent of casino gambling in Joliet, there has been a 38% growth in population, a 6% reduction in unemployment, a 30% reduction in home owner taxes and $100 Million in wages paid to 3400 casino employees while eliminating the city debt. The citizens of New York need to get the facts, not lobbyist propaganda. Based on those facts, New Yorkers should determine via a statewide referendum on whether or not to allow casino gambling. And it needs to happen soon, before the Albany crowd gets a chance to do another fumble with both your pocketbook and your future. Help Jack Cheevers Fix Albany and Save New York. Support and vote Jack Cheevers for Governor in 2002. Jack Cheevers for Governor   |   108 Washington Avenue   |   Endicott, NY 13790   |   607-785-8240   |   Security & Privacy   |   Contact Us        The Issues · Contribute · Volunteer · News · Jack's Bio Paid for by Friends of Jack Cheevers  ·  Design by jdgimzek.com