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« Opinion
Casinos are magnets for crime and misfortune
Casinos are magnets for crime and misfortune
EDITOR:
I am shocked at the fact that so many Valley residents were hoping for a Las Vegas style casino.
Recently, I moved back to Youngstown from the Los Angeles area to care for my elderly mother. While in Los Angeles I worked as a paramedic for 12 years. Most of the areas that I worked in had a local casino within their borders. What the wonderful people of Mahoning Valley may not know, is that casinos are nothing but a magnet for crime.
While on duty in L.A. I was often called into the security office to evaluate and treat the victims of assaults that were often the result of a parking lot robbery attempt. There were a slew of other complaints, many of which originated from gamblers sitting at the tables and machines for up to two days straight with virtually no sleep. Other situations included drug or alcohol abuse and even murder.
What really got me when I found myself in those security offices, were the photographs of the people who had been missing. There were always about a dozen of them and they were all last seen at the casino.
Everything within a five mile radius of the casino became a “bad neighborhood” almost instantly after the casino was built. What happens when Youngstown gets a casino and then Warren gets one? Maybe Struthers will want one too?
Promoting vices like gambling is not a good trade off for jobs in the Mahoning Valley. What our area needs is a good industry or two that wants to stay here. Youngstown is primed for industries to come here and operate with less expense and a great work force!
JEFF BUZARD
Youngstown
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Comments
Have you even read the police reports for Walmart and the Southern Park Mall??? If we use the writers arguement, we should not have Walmart stores or malls. I have traveled to many casinos and never felt threathened by any of the alledged criminal activity anti-casino opponents spew.
Society has and will always have those that cannot control their behaviors. But there are many more responsible individuals who can see gambling as a form of entertainment. Casinos are just one piece in building economic develop-ment. So please quit telling me how to spend my money and I will quit calling you stupid!
Im voting for it...we need the money. It is THAT bad.
What do you call,the south side,east side,north side and west side of Youngstown ? Areas that have crime,apparently the writer has lost touch with reality of what is going on in Youngstown.
"Casinos are magnets for crime and misfortune"
So is Youngstown.
Yea....Ill take my chances on the Casinos.
I just have to laugh at this. It's been 12 years since you've been in Youngstown. Have you looked around at all since you've gotten back? There's crime everywhere!
http://www.rateitall.com/i-2680632-young...
http://picasaweb.google.com/jimbobthebos... nOhio?feat=directlink
Let's use a little common sense here. Whether you are for or against casinos, we have to look at exactly what we are voting on in Issue 3. Issue 3 will AMEND THE OHIO CONSTITUTION!!! This is a dangerous thing! If Ohio is going to get casinos, let's not enshrine them as part of the Constitution! The Indians, Cavaliers, Walmart, Toys R Us, Budweiser, GM are not enshrined in the Constitution. There is no reason that Casino Businesses should be!
Well, first of all, Youngstown is not getting a casino. That being said, casinos are no panacea. They don't create wealth; they take wealth. A litany of issues accompany casinos: The proliferation of problem gamblers; prostitution; loan sharking, crime to pay for gambling debts. These are things that Youngstown has somewhat managed to distance itself from. No one needs a return of these types of issues.
We do have loansharks here, prostituion, crime, thefts, and drugs. On the lighter side, perhaps it would be wise for the criminals to move to cleveland because it will be more lucrative for them, and we will still reap the rewards. We should have voted it in a long time ago
The crack dealers need someplace to go and spend their money .