Upstate Lawmakers Promote New York Casino Bill

Las Vegas-style casinos would provide upstate New York's economy a badly needed boost, two lawmakers said at a New York City discussion.

Speaking at an Oct. 21 panel sponsored by the Citizens Budget Commission watchdog organization, state Sen. John Bonacic, R-Mount Hope, and Rep. Gary Pretlow, D-Mount Vernon, urged voters to pass the first of six statewide referendum propositions, which would allow for up to seven casinos.

The Catskills and other upstate regions would get the first three facilities. New York City and neighboring Westchester and Rockland counties would not be in play for seven years.

"Gaming in and of itself is not a catalyst, but I support capitalism and this would provide millions and millions of dollars upstate," Bonacic said at a panel talk at the Yale Club in Midtown Manhattan.

Bonacic, who represents Sullivan and parts of Orange and Ulster counties, said his region has been hurting. "Wall Street is doing better but I don't see Main Street doing better," he said.

The panelists did not discuss the controversial wording of the bill, which critics say wields a pro-casino bias through references to economic development, educational funding and lower property taxes — the intended benefits of the measure.

Last week, acting state Supreme Court Justice Richard Platkin ruled against Brooklyn, N.Y., lawyer Eric Snyder, who wanted a rephrasing of the referendum.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the casinos could add $1 billion annually to New York's coffers.

But David Blankenhorn, founder and president of the Institute for American Values, said that revenue projections were overstated and that casino revenue was essentially a tax against poor people.

"These are advocacy numbers. They are not based on anything real," he said at the New York City panel. "Casino gambling does not contribute to economic development and frequently retards it."

Blankenhorn estimated that 35% to 55% of casino revenue, on average, comes from problem gamblers. "This puts the state in the business of hurting people."

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