Dear Editor, The biggest reason the proposed Indian casino near
Gilroy is bad has nothing to do with the morality, crime or
deference to Indians.
Dear Editor,

The biggest reason the proposed Indian casino near Gilroy is bad has nothing to do with the morality, crime or deference to Indians. An Indian casino is not required to pay local or state taxes or comply with state of local laws.

I am not too worried about the crime, loan sharks, prostitution or compulsive gamblers, which numerous studies have tied directly to casinos all over the country, I am concerned that my community must pay for problems caused by such activities. Ask any police chief, hospital emergency room or fire chief in a town with a casino about that burden.

Another revelation in these studies is that less than 8 percent of local residents patronize casinos regularly and most of them are in the lowest 20 percent income category. If Times columinst Lisa Pampuch (Oct. 9 edition) doesn’t worry about that, why should I?

The second important consideration is the precedent set by enabling outside developers to use the Indian sovereignty as a shield to avoid federal and local laws about air and water pollution, dwelling density and commercial development. Perhaps the columnist views this exemption as a rightful payoff for past Indian mistreatment.

As a self-confessed liberal, the hypocrisy in her arguments are obvious. She railed against Wal-Mart because it would increase traffic, but that is just fine for a casino. She said people working for Wal-Mart are bad because they are not unionized, but unionized casino workers are fine. If she thinks Wal-Mart jobs are “dead-end” try to peddle your skill as a card dealer anywhere in the business world.

Several years ago, liberals helped to kill the proposal for a Daytona-type Race Track to be built about where the casino is now proposed. The hysterical cries went up about intolerable traffic, pollution, air quality, noise and, above all, changing the nature of our countryside. This was for a facility that would have held less than six events a year. The Daytona Florida track generates more than $7 million in the community with each event, and both union and non-union benefit, I might add.

I would rather see a Wal-Mart and a race track nearby instead of a non-contributing casino.

Don Luke, Morgan Hill

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A staff member wrote, edited or posted this article, which may include information provided by one or more third parties.

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