Respondents to lthe Argus-Courier’s online poll Ju;y 31, 2008 are overwhelmingly opposed to the casino complex proposed to be built by the Graton Rancheria tribe in Rohnert Park.
Of those responding to the survey, 81.8 percent were opposed to the casino, while only 12.1 percent were in favor.
Two-thirds (66.7 percent) of those responding to the survey favored the board of supervisors putting an advisory measure regarding the casino on the November ballot.
No one opposed to the casino who responded to the survey thought the county was doing enough to oppose the facility, while 60.6 percent said the county was not doing enough to oppose the casino or mitigate its impacts.
The majority of the respondents (54.5 percent) also believe that the board of supervisors was wrong in approving an agreement not to pursue legal action regarding the casino in exchange for the tribe’s promise not to build any more casinos in Sonoma County.
However, 27.3 percent of the respondents weren’t sure if the agreement is a good idea or not, while 18.2 percent said it was a good decision.
Here are some of the comments from those who participated in the survey.
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“I’m not opposed to casinos or gambling, although I don’t enjoy such activities. I don’t want it to receive government subsidies or waivers from contributing to normal infrastructure development fees.”
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“The original proposal for Indian gaming was underhanded. No one expected casinos to be put in their community ” only on Indian reservations already established. Even then I voted no!”
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“If the casino is on tribal land and claims to be a sovereign nation, then why not deny it access to water and wastewater? There was a precedent when they cut off all electricity and water to Alcatraz during the Indian occupation.”
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“The supes should be brave and put the advisory measure on the ballot.”
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“I really see nothing good about the casino. I believe it will add traffic, crime and gambling problems. The promised monetary benefits of a casino are just not worth it”
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“There should be no casinos here. It is low-life and will bring property values down. It will bring more crime than what the swelling illegal population is causing. Look at the amount of serious crime we now have and look at who is doing it. This city has gone to the dogs.”
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“Stop! Enough is enough!”
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“Go for it!”
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“Putting a Rohnert Park casino advisory measure on the ballot is a waste of time and money. The main reason is that it holds no legal weight. There was an advisory measure recently in Petaluma, plus we voted on the Southern California Indian casinos last fall. Just use those votes if you want evidence from the people. This whole idea is just a ploy by a former Petaluma City Council member (who I refuse to name) to get his name back in the paper. How pathetic. The bottom line is that the whole Rohnert Park casino issue is in the lap of the state government. Whether it will happen or not is up to them and not us. The board of supervisors was 100 percent wrong in making the deal with the Graton Rancheria tribe. If you remember when they were granted ‘official’ status some years ago, they promised not to build any casinos here. This recent deal is worthless, but our B of S doesn’t really care about the people anyway.”