Maryland Voters urging No Vote to VLTs

The Maryland General Assembly did not write any new funding for education into the proposal last year—since the politicans and gambling industry lobbyists were eager to pressure various groups into supporting the Referendum. "Promising" money to State-funded organizations if they supported the Referendum without any written guarantee was a way to push organizations of teachers and others to support this Amendment to the Maryland Constituton.The money which is supposed to come, in a few years, from slot machines to the State Treasury has been informally, conversationally, "ear-marked" numerous times over.Anybody who has even casually listened to advertisements and politicans knows that the money which is supposed to come, in a few years, from slot machines to the State Treasury has been informally, conversationally, "ear-marked" numerous times over. The gambling establishments could never bring in the exaggerated, many-times-over, claimed, advertised, and rumored benefits for the horse racing industry, for senior citizens, for police and fire protection, for public schools, for the Maryland Teachers Pension Fund, to underwrite health care for needy residents, and everything else.Where's the owner of the big company that Maryland plans to let run gambling establishments here? Canada. This means one-third of the proceeds will go out of the country.Meantime, we know that one-third of the money will go to the owners of the gambling corporations—those people who contend they will be performing such a public service for the State. And, where's the owner of the big company that Maryland plans to let run gambling establishments here? Canada. That's what these proponents of Question 2 call "bringing money into Maryland." That is what these endorsers of the Amendment to our State Constitution call "keeping the money in Maryland."

Ohio Pols Against VLTs

Toledo Mayor Carty Finkbeiner and Ohio Racing Commissioner Jerry Chabler yesterday urged people to vote against a constitutional amendment for a single gambling casino in the Cincinnati area.Issue 6 on the statewide ballot asks voters to amend the Ohio Constitution to allow a casino resort off I-71 in Clinton County.The mayor said the issue does nothing for northwest Ohio; Mr. Chabler said it would threaten existing jobs at Ohio's racetracks.MyOhioNow.com, the group sponsoring the casino initiative, claims the proposal will yield 5,000 new jobs and generate a 30 percent gross-receipts tax that would be distributed to all Ohio counties.While the amendment would subject the casino to a tax of up to 30 percent on its gross receipts, if another casino is built in Ohio, the Clinton County casino's maximum tax rate of 30 percent would be reduced to 25 percent, or to the taxation level of the future casino if that rate is lower.It is unclear whether a Native American casino would be considered not taxable - meaning that the Clinton County's casino tax rate would remain at 30 percent - or if its tax rate would be considered zero, a recent analysis found.U.S. Sens. Sherrod Brown and George Voinovich and Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland also oppose Issue 6.

Hidden Costs of Gambling (PA)

In the last year, the number of calls to the Pennsylvania Council on Compulsive Gambling has jumped 39 percent to 1,250 a month. Those numbers will likely continue to climb as more slots parlors open and more people get hooked. The New Jersey Council on Compulsive Gambling estimates that 20 percent of the customers in Atlantic City are problem gamblers. One study found that each compulsive gambler costs the economy between $14,000 and $22,000, which comes to $280 to $440 for every citizen.Nevada - where Las Vegas is the casino capital - often ranks at or near the top among states in suicide rates, crime, divorce, individual bankruptcies, gambling addiction and high school dropouts. Look for many of these same problems to increase in Pennsylvania as slots gambling spreads.

Cellular Phone Tower

The civic has contacted the Town of Hempstead regarding the unacceptable, and disrespectful condition of the property in front of the Cellular Phone Tower, located on 443 Hempstead Turnpike. (Picture shown)

We had been informed Town Councilman Ed Ambrosino to do the necessary cleaning and visual improvement as promised. His assistant informed us that they have contacted the appropriate agency in an attempt to resolve this issue.

When the tower was first installed, with much hesitation, and extensive criticism from the Civic, and local community members, we were promised that the property will have extensive and beautiful landscaping. As everyone can see, that is not the case.

Several weeks and months had past and the property has not improved. In fact, you can see it degrading.

This matter may require a more direct communication with the Town of Hempstead to resolve this visible eye sore in the community.

Belmont Stakes

The week of the Belmont Stakes, starting on May 31at, has the potential of having a long lasing positive influence on the community. As long as NYRA puts family and community first, success will spill over to the neighboring businesses and be a positive component to the surrounding communities. Additionally it is important that enforcement of current laws and regulations take place to serve as an opportunity for revitalization.
Not every community has the opportunity to be on national television and the whole world watching. Individuals from across the country and world will be attendance, and participate in watching the “Sport of Kings,” at the most famous track in American horseracing. Elmont has the unique benefit of hosting the Belmont Stakes since 1905.
On June 7 regardless of how financially successful the day or week is. It helps to remind us, of what Historic Belmont Park really represents. Belmont Park by its design and accessibility is the peoples’ track. Whether or not you enjoy horseracing, there is the potential of history in the making. It is a day that helps us to remember passion of a sport, culture that existed on the Hempstead Plains since the 1600s and the history of champions.

I hope that once again, Elmont will be in the history book as we celebrate another Triple Crown winner.

NJ and Gambling

New Jersey, after supporting a full out Ban on VLTs, ponder the question of Keno.

Sen. Jim Whelan, D-Atlantic said he opposed the keno idea.
Whelan, chairman of the Senate Wagering and Tourism Committee, said, "I think the casino industry is facing challenging times right now and we need to support the industry in Atlantic City and not divert our attention with keno or VLTs or other issues from around the state."

As the industry is already suffering, instead of expanding; focus should be on improving the current products into a more productive and safer operation.

New York could learn ad thing or two.

Hopefully with open hearings and forums, the state, and the surrounding communities where the "burden of adding VLTs" will become unnecessary.

Gambling Confirmed as a Drug

A new study at the University of Alabama has found that gambling triggers a chemical reaction similar to cocaine, according to high-tech imaging that looks inside the brain. Don Ross, a philosophy and economics professor and a pioneer in neuroeconomics, says it can produce a strong drive to keep betting.

American Psychiatric Association estimates that pathological gamblers range from 0.5 percent to 3.4 percent in adults, with higher rates among adolescents and college students.

"By any measure, the problems far outweigh the benefits. "


Source: http://starbulletin.com/2008/05/09/editorial/editorial01.html