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2007-06-14--City Council's Rules Committee voted yesterday to postpone consideration of the casino legislation until the fall. Read the planphilly account of yesterday's public hearing.
Philadelphia's City Council will consider important casino legislation tomorrow, June 13, 2007, but I need your help if Council is going to do the right thing. Write to city council NOW!! Tell them to:
Vote AGAINST SugarHouse Casino and FOR the 1500' buffer.
Council should vote AGAINST Councilman Ramos' bills which would give Sugarhouse the zoning it needs to build its casino and FOR Councilman DiCicco's bill which would protect our neighborhoods by prohibiting casinos within 1500' (3 1/2 blocks) of a residential neighborhood. City Council may vote the Ramos bills out of committee tomorrow, June 13, 2007, unless you act now.
Copy and paste this sample message:
Dear City Council:
Two Las Vegas size casinos will be the beginning of the end for the Delaware river neighborhoods. Casinos and neighborhoods do not mix. Vote no on Councilman Ramos' casino zoning (CED) legislation for SugarHouse and yes to Councilman DiCicco's 1500' buffer bill.
The legislation City Council's Rules Committee will consider tomorrow would do two very different things:
You are needed to save your neighborhood. The press and local politicians are suggesting that there is significant support for casinos in neighborhoods. This is untrue -- this stems completely from a fringe group in Fishtown.
Councilman Clarke recently said "Sugarhouse and Foxwoods are an apple and an orange.." and "now is the time to separate Sugarhouse from Foxwoods" at a recent invitation-only pro-casino rally in Fishtown masquerading as a public meeting.
What does that mean to you?? These statements are a clear indication of where he stands on the issue. He clearly wants to support the Ramos bill since it separates the Sugarhouse site from the Foxwoods site. This is the beginning of the end of our neighborhoods if this happens. Some - including Councilmen Ramos and Clarke think that this $500 million project with all of it's far reaching negative impacts is a FISHTOWN ONLY decision.
Councilman Clarke held a meeting last week for residents close to the Sugarhouse site. It was only for residents in a three block area and they were given fliers twenty-four (24) hours prior. The residents who attended wanted to keep focus on being against the Sugarhouse site. He only wanted to hear concerns and not their objection to the site. He repeatedly ignored residents' pleas to talk about Wednesday's vote.
He has said he will consider the people living closest to the site but has not done so. He is only interested in talking about when Sugarhouse comes, not how we can stop it. Clarke is picking and choosing which constituents he listens to.
This is a divide and conquer strategy: separate the opposition, appeal to the pro-casino forces in Fishtown and get Sugarhouse approved so Foxwoods can be next. We are all neighborhoods and the collective wisdom for moving the sites is overwhelming - 250,000 heads is better than 1000 or 2000 heads.
We know you do not want the casinos at the present sites but you must let your politicians know. You may not want to go door to door, or go to a meeting, but this is something you can do very easily without effort. Write to city council NOW!! You need to let your councilpeople know you want them to SAVE YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD and vote AGAINST the Ramos bill which allows for a Commercial Entertain District at the Sugarhouse site.
Tell them to continue to support Council DiCicco and vote FOR DiCicco's bill that establishes the buffer of 1500 feet away from houses, schools, etc. Remind council that they have been mad at the state for imposing this on the city and let them know that the state legislature is now moving forward with the 1500 foot buffer that council wanted everyone to vote on.
Council needs to either vote in favor of DiCicco's bill or stop any further action on any bill and let the state have time to support the 1500 foot buffer. You need to get every family member, friend, neighbor and co-worker who cares about saving their neighborhood to respond. Make it a goal to get three to five people to do it. Help them if you need to. Take the time do not let the 13th be a bad luck day for you or the neighborhood. Thanks!!! It is easy -- simple instructions are below.
Chuck Valentine, Faxbank Manager
nosugarnosugar@hotmail.com
