Health & Fitness
State's Casino Constitutional Amendment: The Wrong Choice
NYS Assembly gave first passage to a State constitutional amendment that would permit the establishment of 7 new casinos.
Last night, the State Assembly gave first passage to a State constitutional amendment that would permit the establishment of seven casinos across the State of New York. I voted in opposition to this amendment.
First, I have consistently voted against the establishment of additional gambling, including casinos, during my tenure in the State Legislature. Gambling is not real economic development and brings with it a host of public safety and social problems that far outweigh any financial benefit to the State.
Second, the amendment provides no detail. There is no way to know where these seven casinos will be located or what the rules will be for their establishment. Without such detail, the amendment is buying a pig in a poke.
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Finally, this amendment, as currently drafted, will undercut the substantial and long term efforts of the to establish a casino somewhere in western Suffolk or Nassau County. While, I am not a supporter of casinos, this amendment would be unfair to the Shinnecocks by failing to provide for their proposal.
For all of these reasons, I am opposed.