(For the record, State Representative Vince Wetta is excluded from my remarks. Representative Wetta worked hard to get Destination Tourist Resorts legalized, to get Sumner County included in the legislation, and rallied around what the PEOPLE wanted. Thank you Vince for doing your job.)
The State of Kansas admits that a casino built closest to the Wichita area will bring in the most money for the State. Why? Because they can draw more money from compulsive gamblers in Wichita than from Wellington. These Wichita gamblers will spend their lunch hour and after work hours putting existing Kansas dollars into the slot machine in hopes of striking it rich. These gamblers will not eat at Paula’s restaurant or visit Toby’s shows. They will not rent hotel rooms or spend money at neighboring businesses. They will only come to gamble…where’s the tourism in that?
Did Kansas Government not realize, or did they ignore the fact, that this type of gambling leads to increased unemployment when those employees are late returning to work and lose their jobs? Did Kansas not realize, or did they ignore the fact that putting the casino further away from Wichita would minimize these effects?
Did Kansas Government not realize, or did they ignore the fact that compulsive gambling leads to increased bankruptcy cases?
Did Kansas Government not realize, or did they ignore the fact that compulsive gambling leads to increased divorce rates, and other social problems?
Did Kansas Government not realize, or did they ignore the fact that this type of gambling is not good for our State; that re-circulating existing dollars does not increase the overall wealth of the State?
Did Kansas Government not realize, or did they ignore the fact, that everything they did to get a casino as close to Wichita as possible is now transparent to us voters, and that your false façade of legalizing gambling for the sake of “tourism” is now a joke?
Did Kansas Government not realize, or did they ignore the fact, that if the Sumner County voters had not approved of a “Destination Resort Casino”, the south-central gaming district wouldn’t have a casino at all?
Did Kansas Government not realize, or did they ignore the fact, that ignoring the will of the people only further deteriorates existing Government, and furthers our mistrust of Government?
Why did you not listen to THE PEOPLE? Why did you not listen to Sedgwick County voters who voted against a casino? Why did you not listen to the Mulvane voters who overwhelming elected Peter DeGraaf, a very vocal anti-casino icon, as their Republican Candidate for 81st District House of Representatives? Mr. DeGraaf received 51% of the vote while the other four candidates split the remaining 49%. Do you not care about those who voted for you and put you in the positions you serve?
SHAME ON YOU, KANSAS GOVERNMENT, for trying to put a casino as close to Wichita as possible (on the County line none-the-less) after Sedgwick County voted NO.
SHAME ON YOU, KANSAS GOVERNMENT, for extending the endorsement deadline so the City of Mulvane could endorse a casino where YOU wanted one, not where the PEOPLE WANTED ONE. The Board of Sumner County Commissioners did their job, acted as Government is supposed to, and listened to the voice of the people.
SHAME ON YOU, KANSAS GOVERNMENT, for trying to pull the wool over our eyes and legalizing gambling under the guise of tourism, when in fact all you want is MONEY, regardless of the social impact on the State.
SHAME ON YOU, KANSAS GOVERNMENT, for ignoring those people who enabled you to make money from casino gambling in the first place.
SHAME ON YOU, GOVERNOR SEBELIUS, whose term limit is up, who is not running for re-election, who is obviously through with the voters, and who told me last December that my concerns about the Lottery Commission’s extension of the deadline were unfounded. My concerns were very much founded, weren’t they Governor?
But, SHAME ON US, if we continue to let Government tell us what is best for us, what is in our best interest, and sit back with closed mouth and continue to support those who have not supported us.
Until then, SHAME ON YOU, Kansas Government.
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