The reasons against a Casino

By Mike Harris

Las Vegas-style casino has no place in or around Petaluma

June 14, 2006

By MIKE HARRIS

We must work together and do everything we can to stop a casino from coming to Petaluma! A Las Vegas-style casino has no place in or around Petaluma.

Dry Creek Rancheria band of Pomo Indians has purchased 277 acres of farmland immediately south of our city between Highway 101 and the Petaluma River opposite Kastania Road. A spokesman for the Dry Creek Rancheria has recently denied their intent to open a casino there. However, they have now applied to the federal government to have the property taken into trust, which, if ultimately successful, could allow a casino to be located in this sensitive area.

Over the past few years, many people have been working together to revitalize our city. People have been working collaboratively to complete a renaissance of our downtown area. Many people have worked hard to come together and find regional transportation solutions and many people have worked together to simultaneously keep Petaluma's cherished small-town character while this is all happening.

Unfortunately, a casino near Petaluma could undermine all of the work that citizens, elected officials, city staff and appointed officials have done over the past few years.

A casino could bring increased traffic to our area, along with additional congestion along Highway 101, more pollution, additional water demands on our already scarce resource, public safety challenges, along with an increase in crime, and could attract a lot of the social ills that are often attached to the concept of gambling.

The City Council has already taken the initial step of unanimously passing a resolution opposing the proposal of a casino south of our city. We have also written a letter to Sen. John McCain asking that all trust applications be rolled back to March 29, thus nullifying the tribe's request regarding the Petaluma property.

An integral part of the process is an advisory vote by the people. In order for a compact to be ultimately negotiated and approved by the governor, he has consistently stated that he would consider gaming proposals only if a local advisory vote was successful.

Based on the detrimental effects that a Las Vegas-style casino would bring to Petaluma, an advisory vote against the casino would surely pass and would put everybody on notice that Petaluma does not want a casino in or near the city.

Please join us in fighting the casino. If you would like more information on how to stop the casino or would like to sign a petition, please contact me at mike4pet@aol.com or call me at 773-3196.

If we band together we can stop the proposed casino in its tracks.

(Mike Harris is a member of the Petaluma City Council.)