Posted on 01/14/2008 10:22:30 AM PST by NormsRevenge
A staggering amount of money is being spent to persuade state voters to ratify four Indian gambling deals. If approved, Propositions 94, 95, 96 and 97 would authorize 17,000 more slot machines for four of the state's wealthiest gambling tribes. The deals would catapult California into the gambling big leagues, well beyond the modest increase voters were promised when they first authorized Nevada-style gambling for tribes in 1998.
This page has consistently opposed the expansion of gambling, beginning with the state lottery. We oppose the new gambling deals contained in these referendum initiatives, too. Gambling is the wrong way to grow the state's economy. It doesn't create new economic activity. ...
The growing political clout of wealthy gambling tribes that are not accountable to the wider public is worrisome, too. In a few short years, gambling tribes have become the biggest political contributors in the state. Legislators and the governor, too, rush to do their bidding.
Voters should know that the principal opponents of the new compacts have suspect motives. They include rival gambling tribes that fear competition, as well as racetrack and cardroom operators who hope to end the tribes' casino monopoly in California so they can get in on the action.
Supporters of the new compacts, including most prominently Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, have suggested that the gambling deals will provide $9 billion to help ease the state's fiscal crisis. A clearer picture comes from the nonpartisan legislative analyst, who says of their likely fiscal impact, "Even assuming that all the 2006 compacts are ratified and a few more similar compacts are ratified in the future, we expect that compact related sources will provide the general fund with less than 0.5 percent of its annual revenues for the foreseeable future."
(Excerpt) Read more at sacbee.com ...
It must be cold in Hell today because I’m agreeing with The Bee.
Yes they should. I will.
To hell with propositions!
I’m ready for another RECALL! LOL
The Schmo-hawks aren’t getting their casino here in NY. I am not against gambling at at all (Those Chinese waiters need to get their jollys). But in this area NY-NJ-CT you have Atlantic City and Foxwoods. They are both a nice bus ride. I think there would be a glut of casinos if NY had it too. IF they do decide to have casino gambling in NY, the Schmohawks should have it in Schenectady (a very depressed town that could use some excitement)—not much has happened in that place since GE basically put all it’s blue collar work overseas. I lived there for a year in the late 80s—what a hole (actually Troy NY was worse, at the time)
This entire issue is fundamentally wrong when only one type of group can be involved in a business while the law stops another.
Voting no on everything will send them a message the entire discussion is unacceptable.
Agree with the SacBee on this one. Have in the past as well.
Here in California the informed voter is the one who reads the prolific billboards on the highways, and watches the elaborate, well funded commercials on television.
WE WILL vote NO on those Propositions, but the informed Californians will pass them once again resoundingly.
Siiiiiiiiiiiiiigh
Will do.
Well then according to commercials the Sac Bee is in the pocket of one large casino owner and two racetracks.
LOL
I’m voting NO !!
A NO vote is also a must for Prop 93.
I’m torn. Part of me sides with Native Americans and part of me wants to scream no as a vain hope that they will be forced to cut off all bennies to illegals.
Maybe that’s what this is really about. If they get more tax monies from tribes, they won’t have to make those kind of cuts.
Maybe I should vote no.
“Here in California the informed voter is the one who reads the prolific billboards on the highways, and watches the elaborate, well funded commercials on television.”
I just read my CA Republican party mailer with their voting recommendations and they are yes on all of these. The concept is the new revenue will help avoid tax increases. For my part I expect they will pass and then we’ll have the tax increase in any case. I voted yes. I keep telling myself there are many benefits to living in CA which are somehow worth the obvious agonies. I believe that as well but I have to remind myself regularly.
The amounts of monies to actually go to the state are miniscule. In the end, this is gambling, plain and simple. a society that bases its very existence on destroying or sacrificing a few to benefit even fewer isn’t much of a society, jmo.
I’ll see if I can did up the Cal. Legislative analyst analysis.
Quite a few small tribes get nada,, a few large ones are driving this gravy train or so it appears.
I just read the article again.
Arnold thinks it’s a great idea.
Nuff said.
No.
Thanks for link-reading now.
“The concept is the new revenue will help avoid tax increases.”...that’s the concept but those jackass politicians of both parties in Sacramento have to start by cutting spending! HA! BIG chance that’ll ever happen!
I always vote against the propositions, exspecially if it is going to GIVE Kalliefornia any more monies. I am sick and tired of doing the legislatures work for them. Most voters are not informed enough to even vote properly on the propositions.
The only proposition I would vote yes on is a total recall of the legislators themselves.
We’re hearing that California has something on the order of one trillion dollars in currently unfunded pension payouts over the next couple of decades. Let the casino taxes go to pay for all these triple-dipping state government retirees and keep the state’s hands off of our property taxes, etc.
“The amounts of monies to actually go to the state are miniscule. In the end, this is gambling, plain and simple. a society that bases its very existence on destroying or sacrificing a few to benefit even fewer isn’t much of a society, jmo.”
The society I don’t want to live in is where my choices in life are not my own. On occasion I’m been known to gamble, smoke a cigar, and drink an alcoholic beverage, all at the same time (usually on a golf course).
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