R.I. Senate panel to hear casino referendum proposal
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PROVIDENCE - Should Rhode Island voters have a chance to say yea or nay to full-scale casino gambling at Twin River and Newport Grand? That question will be up for debate Wednesday, when the Senate Committee on Constitutional & Regulatory Issues holds a public hearing on a bill to put that question on the ballot during the next statewide general election. In 2006, voters rejected a proposed Harrah's-financed Narragansett Indian casino in West Warwick. The defeat was attributed, in part, to the vagueness of the proposal, which did not even include a proposed tax rate, and the inclusion of a "slippage clause" that would have required the state to compensate the two pre-existing slot parlors for any losses attributable to competition from a new Rhode Island casino. This year's proposal by Sen. John J. Tassoni Jr., a business agent for Council 94, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, seeks to amend the state Constitution to allow casino gambling at Twin River and Newport Grand only. The legislation cites the threat that Massachusetts will approve casino gambling - or slots at its own tracks - exacerbating Rhode Island's budget crisis by snatching away the Bay State gambling dollars currently being spent here. It also starts from the premise that: "the establishment of a casino would generate substantial tax revenue and other economic benefits for Rhode Island, including the creation of jobs and the stimulation of capital investment.'' "I think it is time. We don't have enough revenue for the budget. I believe this would help,'' said Tassoni, in an interview earlier this year when he first introduced his legislation, co-sponsored, by two other Senators with organized labor ties: Frank Ciccone, D-Providence, and Majority Whip Dominick Ruggerio. Both work for arms of the Laborers International Union of North America. The hearing comes at a critical time for Twin River especially. The owners announced through a spokeswoman a week ago that the dire circumstances that led it to miss loans payments in March 2008 were just as dire now, but the governor's office had "broken off all discussions with the owners of Twin River - BLB Investors, LLC. - regarding the possible state takeover or purchase of the gaming venue.'' It remains unclear why the talks broke down, after months of negotiations between Twin River, its lenders, and the state's financial advisers. But Governor Carcieri's office issued this statement at the time: "After lengthy discussions, the State has decided that given the State's current fiscal situation, it is not prudent to enter into a transaction that would add hundreds of millions of dollars of debt to the State's balance sheet." Twin River spokeswoman Patti Doyle would not say what options Twin River's owners were exploring. But given the slot parlor's year-long struggle to keep its lenders and contractors at bay, this latest development, at the very least, raised the possibility they would seek protection from their creditors with a filing in U.S. Bankruptcy Court. Wednesday's hearing begins at the end of the regular 4 p.m. Senate session. A second bill on the Senate committee's agenda would lift the exemption the two slot parlors have from the statewide workplace smoking ban. A third, drafted by members of the Rhode Island Council on Problem Gambling, would extend to Twin River and Newport Grand the same problem-gambling aversion requirements that state lawmakers adopted in 2004 for the proposed West Warwick casino. At its most basic, it would require the slot parlors to submit to the state Lottery a written plan which, at minimum, provides an opportunity for compulsive gamblers to voluntarily - and permanently - exile themselves from the premises, with the knowledge they will have to forfeit their winnings if they get caught sneaking back in. The gambling houses would also be required to adopt procedures "to prevent employees from willfully permitting" self-excluded gamblers to return; deny them access to credit, check-cashing and other complimentary services; make sure they are not on mailing lists for promotions and "prevent serving alcohol to individuals who appear to be intoxicated." One of the points of contention when matching legislation was considered earlier this year in the House, was a provision allowing the Rhode Island Council on Problem Gambling to forge an agreement with the state Lottery on the framework for employee training on the "diagnostic signs ... identification of vulnerable populations, including youth, women, low-income patrons, the elderly and persons who abuse drugs and alcohol," and "the impact of problem gambling on finances, emotional, marital, interpersonal, occupation and legal problems." The slot-parlor employees would not be required to identify compulsive gamblers, "which is an activity that requires medical and clinical expertise," but their employers would face $1,000 per-incident fines and license suspension if they "willfully" disregarded self-exclusion statements. 
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give the narragansetts twin river-
they would do a better job than the state and the brit company that is screwing it up now.
leave newport a slot machine parlor.
next....
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We do not need any more state sponsored gambling in the state of Rhode Island.
This is fools gold and a false hope of fools by fools for fools, at best.
Further the present gambling establishments should be eliminated. Near by CT has real big problems with their two major Gambling establishments. Now MA wants to build several.
You will get the poor less fortuneate newely created socialist under class, illegal aliens, the desperate out of work or under employment. Gambeling historicaly sucks money out of an economy. It is a bad investment, with the kicker of a very bad social price to pay.
The Indians should be educated and training and provided assistance in creating small businesses. In the old world order (OWO) We took their land and culture and subjected them to germ warfare and birth control. NOW giving them a false enterprise is not even near compensation due!
Perhaps the OWO is just like the NWO?
Report Abuse
We do not need any more state sponsored gambling in the state of Rhode Island.
This is fools gold and a false hope of fools by fools for fools, at best.
Further the present gambling establishments should be eliminated. Near by CT has real big problems with their two major Gambling establishments. Now MA wants to build several.
You will get the poor less fortunate newly created socialist under class, illegal aliens, the desperate out of work or under employment. Gambling historically sucks money out of an economy. It is a bad investment, with the kicker of a very bad social price to pay.
The Indians should be educated and training and provided assistance in creating small businesses. In the old world order (OWO) We took their land and culture and subjected them to germ warfare and birth control. NOW giving them a false enterprise is not even near compensation due!
Perhaps the OWO is just like the NWO?
Report Abuse
We do not need any more state sponsored gambling in the state of Rhode Island.
This is fools gold and a false hope of fools by fools for fools, at best.
Further the present gambling establishments should be eliminated. Near by CT has real big problems with their two major Gambling establishments. Now MA wants to build several.
You will get the poor less fortunate newly created socialist under class, illegal aliens, the desperate out of work or under employment. Gambling historically sucks money out of an economy. It is a bad investment, with the kicker of a very bad social price to pay.
The Indians should be educated and training and provided assistance in creating small businesses. In the old world order (OWO) We took their land and culture and subjected them to germ warfare and birth control. NOW giving them a false enterprise is not even near compensation due!
Perhaps the OWO is just like the NWO?
Report Abuse
How many different ways will they ask? And how many excuses will they come up with for each rejection until they finally get the answer they want?
MEANWHILE... back on the homefront... they spend like drunken sailors, act like giddy schoolgirls, and pretend there is no problem with the state's budget until 36 hours before deadline. THEN they raise taxes on anything that moves, breathes, crawls, or rolls, and rename it a fee, so they can come home to their district and say that it's the fault of the economy, hand out checks to the little league, and go back with your vote and blessing.
It will continue like this until you realize they don't care about YOU, they care about THEIR JOB!!!
Report Abuse
How many different ways will they ask? And how many excuses will they come up with for each rejection until they finally get the answer they want?
MEANWHILE... back on the homefront... they spend like drunken sailors, act like giddy schoolgirls, and pretend there is no problem with the state's budget until 36 hours before deadline. THEN they raise taxes on anything that moves, breathes, crawls, or rolls, and rename it a fee, so they can come home to their district and say that it's the fault of the economy, hand out checks to the little league, and go back with your vote and blessing.
It will continue like this until you realize they don't care about YOU, they care about THEIR JOB!!!
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It's just another UNION power grab. The last thing the State needs is to be stuck paying unsustainable wages ,health benefits and pensions for another 500 to 1000 COUNCIL 94 members.Not only will TWIN RIVER and NEWPORT GRAND be losers but every citizen will lose.Hey, I'm still waiting for San Bento and the retired Rep. from South County to release the in depth report from their junket to VEGAS at the TAXPAYERS EXPENSE last year
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