Letter: Let the casinos bear the burden of growth

Tuesday, March 4, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.

Is there any doubt that the casinos' rapid expansion has overloaded our community's resources and outdated our infrastructure? And yet, the common working stiff and pensioner will have to shell out more money to correct a problem not entirely of their own making.

Not only do the casino bosses successfully lobby with the carrot and the stick to freeze the casino taxes at an unrealistic level,but they are active in preventing neighborhood casinos from adding more slots and table games which produce more tax revenue. Some politicians parrot such altruistic nonsense like "protecting the integrity of the neighborhoods." Safeguards can be set in place without squashing the small businessman.

Let us examine the proposal of limiting growth by establishing a moratorium on building casinos. Does anyone in Nevada, other than a newcomer, really believe that a casino mogul could not get an exception from "understanding" legislatures to erect another casino if he so desired, moratorium or not?

Let us have parity. Why not share in the costs? Have the casino tax move in tandem with the sales tax.

Only with light-shedding, unintimidated newspapers and an informed bloc of voters can we citizens vote out the politicians who subordinate our best interests to curry favor with the casino heavyweights.

J.J. Nowakowski