Same Small Circle of Misinformation

Kathy Cleary’s editorial in the SYVN once again perpetuates the small circle of misinformation these groups continue to generate. Right out of the gate she states “… tribal casinos are not taxed” This is an old cliché, and you would think in this day and age people would abandon these myths. All American Indians pay Federal Income, FICA and Social Security taxes. Tribal members living off of reservations (there are more than you think) are required to pay all federal, state and local taxes including property tax. The Chumash Casino Resort also pays payroll taxes. In 2005 they paid $15.8 million in payroll taxes.

She then says. “..tribes must contribute to a Special Distribution Fund (SDF) to attempt to mitigate the impacts of the casino. These monies distributed through the SDF are mandatory but are often referred to as donation dollars” Perhaps in her little circle they “often” refer the SFD as “donation dollars” but that’s about it. The words “mandatory” and “donation” have two complete opposite meanings.

Next she says,” In 1999, the bipartisan National Gambling Impact Commission found that 80 percent of gambling revenue comes from households with incomes of less than $50,000 a year.” This statement has become a staple in these groups anti-gambling repertoire. I read the entire report front to back and then scoured it again but failed to find this “fact”. If someone can tell me where in the report this fact lies I would be very grateful. Even if this were true what point would it make? The poverty level for a 4 person family in 1999 was $16,700. What does “incomes less than $50,000 a year” in 1999 have to do with anything? Of course if you have a $19 million estate, as one of the people in this little circle does, then I guess, to them anyway, an income of $50,000 a year is peanuts and could be considered poverty level.

Here is a more realistic perspective. According to NFO WorldGroup, casino customers are better educated with higher incomes than the average U.S. household. The median household income of U.S. casino customers is $50,716, compared to $42,228 for the overall U.S. population. Casino customers are more likely to have attended college and hold a white-collar job than the average American. The survey results show casino visitors are enjoying the increasingly diverse array of entertainment options available at casinos, with 82 percent of casino visitors saying they ate at a fine dining restaurant as part of a casino visit during the past year. Additionally, more than twice as many Americans say the overall casino experience—the food, shows, entertainment and everything else—is more fun for them than the actual gambling. There is widespread public approval for gambling. The annual poll of American adults conducted by Luntz, Maslansky Strategic Research and Peter D. Hart Research Associates, Inc, found that out the more than 80 percent of American adults who consider casino gambling acceptable, almost seven out of 10 interviewees (67 percent) say casinos bring economic benefits to other industries and businesses. The same percentage believes legalized casino gambling is a good way for state and local governments to generate revenue without raising taxes.

Moreover, as the NGISC pointed out, only1% of gamblers are problem gamblers and that "the vast majority of Americans gamble recreationally and experience no measurable side effects related to their gambling, or they choose not to gamble at all." In other words, approximately 99% or more of the people going into the casino are perfectly normal happy citizens who go by their own free will and gamble responsibly.

It seems the very small minority wants to save the extremely small 1% from self destruction at the expense and the rights of the 99% who gamble responsibly and recreationally of their own free will. Does that seem rational?

The next comment was extremely disturbing and shows how much these groups are grasping for straws in their crusade against the casino. Cleary stereotype’s Latino’s in her “impact of gambling on Latinos” comment using one story of one person who “ …every two weeks after finishing his job cutting cilantro or spinach in Arroyo Grande…catches a free bus ride for his ‘ride to riches.’” Talk about racial profiling. Why stop with Latino’s. What about Asians and African-Americans? Or is it just all the Latino’s that are impacted by gambling? Cleary owes an apology to the Latino community for this ignorant remark. It’s inexcusable and I am embarrassed for her and her little circle.

She then goes on to criticize the Chumash’s generous donations calling them” a powerful marketing tool to buy community and political favor. This favor is used to justify the industry, buy local, state and federal elected officials, and promote expansion of the gambling establishment” The Chumash are in a “no win” situation with these groups. If they stop donating to these great causes and organizations these people would be all over their case and when they do donate they criticize it as “buying off people” How petty and it really exemplifies the anger and animosity they have for the tribe.

The truth is the Chumash have been donating generously from day one over the last 12 years but we haven’t heard a word from these groups about it. Why now? Is it because they are running out of “ammo”? All the hype and myths have been exposed so now they attack this?

Despite years of failed federal government policies concerning the American Indian, the Chumash, among other tribes, have found a way to pull themselves out of poverty and are making more money than they probably ever dreamed possible. They make a lot of money and they are generously giving back to the community…..much more than these wealthy extremists do who only seem to be jealous of the Chumash’s success. Yes, people lose money when they gamble and 99% of those people that lose are normal, well-adjusted people who gamble responsibly and see casinos as destinations where they can also see shows and eat at fine restaurants and consider the entire experience as recreation and vacation. By the way… there are people who win when they gamble. And the majority of Americans think that this is just fine.

Sources:
http://www.americangaming.org/industry/faq_detail.cfv?id=60
http://www.santaynezchumash.org/letter_armenta.html
http://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty/figures-fed-reg.shtml
http://www.viejasbandofkumeyaay.org/html/tribal_gaming/myth_fact.html