The troubling discovery that some welfare recipients have been spending their much-needed benefits on alcohol, tobacco, and even strip clubs raises the possibility that if casinos are established, the same thing will happen. It appears that state legislators left the problem hanging when they adjourned; the sad victims will be the children and other family members who will continue to suffer deprivation until steps are taken to stop this abuse of our welfare system.
What makes Gov. Andrew Cuomo and/or the legislators overlook this grave concern? It's hard to believe they think only comfortable, wealthy people are gamblers. It's obvious that millions of people who can least afford to gamble away the food they should put on the table for their families are the prospective gamblers the governor hopes to lure to casinos. If it hasn't occurred to him, someone should remind him.
Besides a citizen vote on casinos, it would help also if a public forum on the subject was held so that voices other than those of some self-serving public officials could be heard.
And one more thing: The governor refers to his casino plans as gaming The word gambling is a more loaded word that he cleverly avoids. Whatever he calls it, it needs a thorough public airing to remind everyone that gambling addiction is a serious problem, and that casinos may cause far more harm than any good that the governor is promising us.
Sylvia Honig
Wynantskill