New Yorkers are on the verge of being swindled. Today, in addition to mayoral elections, New Yorkers are voting on Proposition 1. It’s a proposed amendment to the New York Constitution that would allow for up to seven casinos to be built in the state. And while we support job creation and job development, we are voting no. When it comes to casinos in New York, seven may be an unlucky number.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo is one of the major proponents of the amendment, arguing that the casinos will bring 6,700 construction jobs and nearly 3,000 long-term jobs. Further, the money generated by these casinos through taxes will be redirected to noble areas like education. Cuomo thinks Prop. 1 will help needy areas, but we think it’ll do the opposite.
While casinos will yield a profit for the state, they won’t have the same effect for the economically depressed areas where they will be erected. We have a pretty strong idea of what would happen: These casinos would take money out of the hands of working-class New Yorkers and give it to already rich foreign investors. Casinos don’t make money for the poor. They make money for the people who build them.
Prop. 1 is relevant to us as New Yorkers and as Binghamton University students. One of the first four casinos will be built in the Southern Tier. The last three, after seven years, will be built in New York City.
We’re not as worried about New York City, where a casino would resemble something like Caesars Palace. We’re more worried about places like Albany, where a casino might be something less glamorous, instead crumbling into an addiction-feeding den of sin.
Take into account the dangers casinos inevitably harbor, such as gambling addictions and organized crime. Plus, how would these additional seven casinos impact the five currently run by Indian tribes? We also fear for the smaller venues that may be harmed by the construction of these casinos. What big acts will want to perform at the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena when they can go to a swanky new casino down the road?
We’re not talking about one casino or even two, we’re talking about seven. Seven casinos. This would fundamentally change New York state. We want people associating upstate with things like leaves and apple cider, not slot machines and blackjack.
Also, Prop. 1 is a gamble. If these casinos are a flop and don’t generate the revenue the governor hopes, we all suffer. This is a real possibility, because who’s to say New Yorkers will trek it upstate when they can gamble in New York City?
Let’s take these same funds and redirect them. Might we suggest something more reasonable, like more carousels, petting zoos or a second, man-made Niagra Falls? Or more seriously, if one of the major justifications for Prop. 1 is that money generated from taxes would go to education, why not just put the money directly toward, say, education?
Today, we’re betting against Prop. 1, and we think you should too.