Local Support for Casinos

Nieces and Nephews, we all know that one of the criteria for the decision making process of the NYS Gaming Commission (as to where the casinos would be located) is LOCAL SUPPORT. And the other  is to place the casinos in economically disadvantaged areas.

Let's look at our County Executive's press release regarding the matter! What fun!!!

Neuhaus Shows Support for Local Casino Aspirants press release 9-9-14

2nd Paragraph One of the provisions in the legislation authorizing casino development in the Catskills-Hudson Valley region focused on support for economically disadvantaged areas. According to the state Department of Labor, Orange County has 11,000 individuals out of work, and thousands more underemployed. Thirty percent of residents in the City of Newburgh live below the poverty line. In addition, a gaming facility in Orange County would be within an hour’s commute of many of the state’s most disadvantaged areas, such as Newburgh, Poughkeepsie, and Sullivan County.

STEVE SAID:“Putting casinos in Orange County makes sense for two reasons: our casinos would provide the greatest possible benefit in terms of new tax revenue for our schools, for the state, and for the region and would create the greatest number of jobs, according to New York State’s own projections,”

And what projections would they be, Dain er Steve?

And, yes, the Casinos in Orange would be within a hours commute for the Sullivan County residents and maybe they will be lucky enough to get a job in a casino, after the casino hires Orange County residents.After all, didn't you say that the casinos will be hiring LOCAL? You are being disingenuous when you try to argue the benefits for OC and then on the other hand, argue that it will help Sullivan County. A casino in Orange County will NOT help Sullivan County. FULL STOP.

Orange County unemployment rate 6.3% 11,000 unemployed (per press release)
Sullivan county unemployment rate 6.6% 23,00 unemployed (per NYS DOL July 2014http://www.labor.ny.gov/stats/pressreleases/prtbur.pdf )

Maybe some people are still getting confused by percentages.

So, Steve was at the big presentation showing his local support for casinos in Orange County.

Well, Auntie and the team wonder how much local support is generated by monies contributed to individual campaigns and to school districts. When you look at the contributions by Genting LLC, which is looking to site a casino in Tuxedo (Montgomery as back-up), Auntie wonders just how much that would influence "local support".

Genting has contributed large sums of money to Tuxedo schools and now pledges $30 million (do we hear correctly? 30M a YEAR?) to "protect parkland" (is that after they destroy it?) referring to Sterling Forest and Harriman State Park.

Both Genting and Flaum Management (involved with the Woodbury Casino/Caesars) have contributed thousands of dollars to our County Executive's campaign account.

STEVE SAID:  "Today’s six Orange County applicants made convincing cases to the public why our area deserves a shot at more revenue and new jobs when the Gaming Commission decides this fall."

Auntie and the team wonder? Did the County Executive also receive campaign contribution money from the other applicants as well?