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Faxes Sent to Raymond S. Angeli

Letters

From:	G
To:	Mr. Angeli, Ms. Colins, Senator Costa, Mr. Coy, Mr. McCabe, Representative Readshaw, Governor Rendell, Mr. Rivers, Mr. Sojka
Date:	Thursday, 07/17/08
Subject:	Pittsburgh Casino

Dear Gaming Boardmembers:
As a voting, tax payer I am urging you (The Gaming Control Board)
not to rush into giving Barden and Neil Bluhm control on the
Pittsburgh Casino. Mr. Barton casino license should be pulled.
Mr. Barden had no right to sell something that he doesn,t own. He
should have talked to the board before moving forward with Mr.
Bluhm. I feel that a investigation should be done to ensure the
voter of Pa. that honesty and integrity of the parties involved
will be for the voter of pa. and not for a couple of party members.
Also I feel that the bidder back in 2006 that bid for the casino
license should be contacted to see if they want to continue with
Mr. Barden Casino or start all over and use the building that Mr.
Barden started into a new hotel, that could be used for the sport
center and casino guest.

Thank You
Pa. Voter

Please no casinos near my house!

Dear Gaming Boardmembers
What would be involved to have Slot Machine Repair taught to
adults at our Technical School. Can you let me know if this is
possible? Thank you.

William Krzemien
Continuing Education Supervisor
North Montco Technical Career Center

Dear Gaming Boardmembers:

I am writing today to express my strong opinion against building
casinos in Fishtown. I Grew up in Fishtown, and own a business
here. I love my area and wouldn't ever consider leaving it until
now. I feel my opinions and other residents voices are not being
heard. Most people in our City/area are against the building of
these toxic casinos.


Philadelphia is so rich in history, and is a place people take
pride in their neighborhoods. I think the building of New huge
casino's, will destroy what makes Philadelphia a great family
oriented, historical valued, laid back, working class, City of
Pride.

Take away all the effort and residents opinions, and you will
turn my area into a crime ridden, gambling addicted, traffic
congested, named "party town"... just like the Atlantic City,
and Las Vegas. Why must we accept this as the only option?
Atlantic city is 1.5 - 2hr drive from Philadelphia, why must we
have this negativity in our own back yard? Are you ready to turn
Philadelphia into a classless place, you will be moving the
loyal, family oriented, pride filled people from their homes, to
find a less toxic place to live. Consider my opinions, as well
as my neighbors who are against the building of these Casinos in
Fishtown. Find another location that is appropriate to that type
of negativity, not where families, churches, schools have been
located for a century. Thank you for your time.

Dear Gaming Boardmembers:

I implore you to vote out HB 1477 that is sponsored by house
representative, Babette Josephs, to keep any gambling casinos, at
least 1500 feet from residences, schools, churches,playgrounds
and community centers,along Delaware avenue and Columbus Boulevard.

I feel the welfare of children,families,small businesses and
restaurants would suffer greatly with the presence of gambling
casinos in this area. Besides traffic nightmare, along Columbus
Boulevard and Delaware Avenue, there would be increased crime.
prostitution and drug trafficking. The revenue of small
businesses and restaurnants would decrease sharply and last but
not least the value of our homes would drop dramatically. This
would negate the hard work and sacrifice of many people to create
a safe and secure environment for thousands of citizens in this area.

I beleive that placing casinos in these areas would eventually
have a serious destructive social and economic effect, not unlike
a tsunami, that would start along the waterfront and advance
westward to Broad Street, and to the rest of the city! And this
in the birthplace of this country, in close proximity of
Independendence Hall, the Constitution Center, the Liberty
Bell,etc--all important and vital symbols of America.

Please take the appropriate action to see that this never
occurs! Thank you!

I would like to formally declare via this letter my strong
opposition to the decision to remove the referendum from the May
15 primary ballot and express my disbelief at the unfair and
undemocratic manner in which this whole process has been handled.
I am deeply ashamed that this state's officials would exclude
considering the opinions of the people who will be directly
affected by the proposed casino sites.

I moved to South Philadelphia five years ago. While most of my
friends who were starting families abandoned the City to move to
the suburbs, my husband and I decided to remain committed to
urban growth and revitalization in Philadelphia and invested in
this City by purchasing a small home on Snyder Avenue. My seven
year old daughter now attends a small parochial school that is
located on the corner of Moyamensing and Reed streets, a mere
FIVE blocks from the proposed site for the Foxwoods casino. I am
not only concerned for her safety, but for her quality of life as
she grows up in this neighborhood.

I plead with both the City Council, the Governor, the Mayor and
the Gaming Commission to reconsider the Foxwoods site--at least
for the sake of my daughter and the other children who live and
attend school in South Philadelphia.

Dear Gaming Boardmembers:

I am a resident of the Fishtown neighborhood in Philadelphia.
These days this neighborhood is often associated with the
future location of the Sugarhouse casino, but I want you to
know about the great things that have been happening here in
the past several years, that are now threatened by this new
casino.

In a city that has lost a quarter of its population since its
peak, Fishtown is a neighborhood that has been growing with an
influx of new artists, student and working professionals.
Houses are being rehabbed, new restaurants are opening, new
businesses are revitalizing the Girard Ave corridor. Now all of
this is being threatened by the prospect of a giant Casino in
our neighborhood.

Why would anyone want to move into a neighborhood where traffic
chokes residential streets. Where drunk people will be
stumbling around at all hours of night. Where prostitutes and
pawn shops become part of the landscape. We were never given a
chance to say if we wanted this at our doorsteps. There was no
statewide referendum like in every other state that legalized
casino gambling. When our city counsil unanimously placed a
referendum on the May 15th ballot, we finally thought we'd get
the chance to have out voices heard. Again, our right to vote
was taken away. I am not against casinos or gambling, but to
put a casino in a residential neighborhood is blatantly
irresponsible. If you believe in true democract and the ideals
upon this country is based, please give us back our right to
vote.

Sincerely,
Roman Strakovsky

Join Frank DiCicco in his effort to give us voters a say.

On March 15 vote YES to place the casino location referendum on
the May 15 ballot.

Thank you,

Mary O. Reinhart

Dear Governor Rendell, Gaming Commissioners, State Representatives, Mayor Street,
and Philadelphia City Council members,

I ask that the big box casinos stay 1,500 yards away from our houses, schools,
stores, mosques, synagogues, churchs and the vital street life of our residential
communities on the waterfront and throughout the city. Surely there are other sites
in Philadelphia (or beyond) that would present a viable compromise in which all
parties benefit. I support a referendum on the May Ballot so that the people of
Philadelphia may have a say in this process.

I know that if we DO get a referendum on the ballot, Sugarhouse and Foxwood will
flood our streets with candy, t-shirts and thank you notes to persuade our
beleaguered neighborhoods that a casino will be friend to the community. But the
truth is that ultimately, these casinos bring lower wages, higher crime, increased
bankruptcy, gambling addiction, distressed local businesses, and no real new
revenue to the communities while Gaming interests get very rich. By placing the
referendum on the ballot we will demonstrate both the strength of our city to make
its voice heard, and our respect for the legacy we were handed over two hundred
years ago in this very city. The birthplace of democracy.

Can't we be a bit more farsighted, creative, and healthy in our decisions?

How do we see ourselves? Do we see a population of Type 2 diabetics lined up in
front of one-arm bandits, throwing money away on a long shot because they think
it is their BEST chance to get ahead? I don't like the odds. But our State government
has legislated its belief that gambling is our best bet to get ahead and to finance
convention centers and schools. That is the message our state government is
sending to our children as the first generation of Americans who will grow up with
legalized gambling.

We can do better than that. We can come up with a more ambitious, inspiring use of
our Delaware Water Front as it connects to our vital and historic neighborhoods.

We can come up with a more ambitious goal for our children than service jobs in the
gambling industry. (Like the $6.6 million workforce development project that is
intended to develop a skilled workforce for the area's life-science industry.)

We need to set the bar higher for ourselves and our children. If gaming is to be a
part of our state's culture, it should not take the starring role on the rehabilitation
of our neighborhood waterfronts. Gaming should take a role in revitalizing
industrial areas that do NOT flank established neighborhoods that are vital to the
history, fabric, and sense of community in our city. Break new ground. (How about
Central Pennsylvania, where people could hike, cross-country ski, gamble, eat
regionally grown arganic food, have spa treatments and tour anthracite coal mines.
I'd come visit. But I'm digressing.)

I heard that New Jersey is putting a billion dollars into its gaming industry to shore
up the threat from neighboring states. And Pennsylvania expanded legal gambling
to compete with Delaware. WHERE DO YOU THINK THIS ESCALATION WILL LEAD?
WHAT KIND OF COMMUNITIES WILL BE LEFT IN ITS WAKE? Vegas is the exception.
Not the rule.

Thank you.

SIncerely,

Peggy O'Donnell
Division 15, Ward 15

Dear Gaming Boardmembers:
I implore you to DO THE RIGHT THING and spend some time on due diligence
concerning the safety and welfare of our citizens and the impending negative
impact of casinos on our community, for which the state seems to have no regard or
respect.

Take a few moments and check out these websites and the negative impact that
gambling can have on communities around the country. That is if you care and I
assume you do!

All of this makes me very sad because I really care about and love this city.

Gambling and Homelessness
“Alcohol, drug use, loss of work, and poverty are the most recognized causes of
homelessness. But there is an increasing trend of acceptable behavior that is
destroying families and adding to the problem of homelessness … gambling”.

http://www.casinowatch.org/costs/increases.html

http://society.guardian.co.uk/print/0,3858,5005112-106808,00.html

http://www.agrm.org/news/gambling.html

http://www.hereshelpnet.org/gambling%20is%20it%20worth%20it.htm

http://www.lava.net/~manis/gambling.html
Addicted gamblers have the most serious troubles: theft, arrests, loss of jobs,
bankruptcy, marital conflict, and suicide. Some of these troubles are faced by
problem gamblers who are far more numerous than addicted gamblers. The
Harvard study reported that the number of problem gamblers rose from 4.9 million
in 1976 to 11 million in 1997. Altogether, addicted and problem gamblers rose to
over 15 million in 1997.

I implore you to DO THE RIGHT THING and spend some time on due diligence
concerning the safety and welfare of our citizens and the impending negative
impact of casinos on our community, for which the state seems to have no regard or
respect.

Below you will find a very small sampling of information readily available on the
terrible effect that casinos and gambling have on communities everywhere.

Take a few moments and check out these websites and the negative impact that
gambling can have on communities around the country.

All of this makes me very sad because I really care about and love this city.

Gambling and Homelessness
“Alcohol, drug use, loss of work, and poverty are the most recognized causes of
homelessness. But there is an increasing trend of acceptable behavior that is
destroying families and adding to the problem of homelessness … gambling”.

http://www.casinowatch.org/costs/increases.html

http://society.guardian.co.uk/print/0,3858,5005112-106808,00.html

http://www.agrm.org/news/gambling.html

http://www.hereshelpnet.org/gambling%20is%20it%20worth%20it.htm

http://www.lava.net/~manis/gambling.html
Addicted gamblers have the most serious troubles: theft, arrests, loss of jobs,
bankruptcy, marital conflict, and suicide. Some of these troubles are faced by
problem gamblers who are far more numerous than addicted gamblers. The
Harvard study reported that the number of problem gamblers rose from 4.9 million
in 1976 to 11 million in 1997. Altogether, addicted and problem gamblers rose to
over 15 million in 1997.

We need more time, money and information about
this project and its participants in order to deal with the
gruesome impact this will have on our much loved neighborhood.
We have learned that Foxwood cannot be trusted as they failed
to disclose their plans to pursue a presence in Atlantic City.
Please renew our faith in the democratic process - which has
taken such a beating in this day and age - and come to our aid
in preserving our quality of life in this great place. Casinos
do not belong in the middle of a family oriented neighborhood.
We are all aware this is an election year and all of us will be
sure to note the response of our elected officials. Do the
right thing! Sincerely, Diana Werner

Please do something to reverse the bad decision to put casinos
in Philadelphia. This decision will cost our city services,
businesses, and residents far more than any tax revenues from
gaming.

Thanks,
Jeff

My name is Patrick Renzi I hane been working on the
Philadelphia waterfront for the past 3 years.
I am considering purchasing my first home.In order to make this
purchaste I am assuming that I will have my job to make it
possible for me to pay my mortgage. My decision to entrust my
livelihood to the longshore industry is based on the optimism
that exists. However I now have tremendous concerns the casinos
takeover of industrial sites in the Port of Philadelphia will
destroy all hope of attracting the enormous amount of growth
projected for our industry and we will lose everything to our
competing ports.While I worry for my own future, I am also
fearful of the impact the casinos will have on our many
pensioners and their widows as the future of our pension plan
could be in jeopardy.
It is my belief the hasty decision to allow these properties to
be occupied by casinos is shortsighted. If the expanse of this
plan repalaces my famil sustaining job with low paying entry-
level casino work,I will be unable to afford a home in my own
neighborhood.
I ask that you use your legislative powers to delay the
progress of the casino industry until a plan can be realized
that will protect my job,and the thousands of others like me,
who have made our linings on the Philadelphia Waterfront for
may generations
I would appreciate your responding to my letter in writing.
Thank you
Sincerely

Patrick Renzi
154 Emily Rear Apt
Phila Pa 19148

Dear Governor Rendell, Mayor Street, and Representatives: It is
unconscionable that to date the Pennsylvania Gaming Control
Board has declined to provide Philadelphia residents with
critical information about the casino applicants and their
horribly ill-advised plan to set up shop in the City of
Philadelphia. We need more time, money and information about
this project and its participants in order to deal with the
gruesome impact this will have on our beloved home. Please
renew our faith in the democratic process - which has taken
such a beating in this day and age - and come to our aid in
preserving our quality of life in this great place.
Respectfully, Kimberly I. Bravo

Dear Governor Rendell, State Representative and city council
members: There has got to be a better way to generate revenue
for the city of Philadelphia. Each of you should ask yourself,
in good conscience, if you would want to live in a neighborhood
with a casino down the street.

I moved to Philadelphia in 1987 and have seen great
improvements since then. The ability to live in a city that
retains a neighborhood feel is the reason i've stayed. I like
living here. I'm afraid that living 2 blocks away from Foxwood
will ruin what is unique about Phila. I work in Yardley and
will have to deal with the traffic created by two casinos
EVERYDAY.

The very character of my neighborhood will be forever altered,
and in my opinion, not for the better.

It couldn't be more painfully obvious that the sites picked are
in the WORST locations of all 5. I can't help but think that
the reasons these sites were picked are based on political
influence.

Why can two casinos be with 3 miles of each other yet a site
like the Navy Yard is not considered because it is with 8 miles
of a racino?

Why have the people this will effect the most been ignored or a
best a pretence of being heard.

Why did we spend all this time, effort and money on even having
a selection process when the studies are ignored?

Why don't we have the support of our political representatives?

I'm very disheartened about the process, concerned about the
changes and NOT WILLING TO GIVE UP to try and preserve the very
character that makes Phila a place where I want to live.

I URGE YOU TO RECONSIDER THE CASINO SITE SELECTION AND THE
PROCESS USED TO DETERMINE IT.

Thank you

Dianne Mayer

Dear Gaming Boardmembers:
We are frustrated and cannot imagine what you were thinking.
It was agreed by every objective entity that the Delaware and
Reed Street site would have the worst impact on the community.
The only interest that was served by choosing it were those
belonging to Foxwoods, which was also the only group fined
before they even started doing business here.
Your decision will destry what's now a wonderful neighborhood
since no one in their right mind and any financial means will
move within 5 miles of it.
You do not represent "the people" and though your actions have
shown that you have no willingness to do what is best for
Pennsylvania and Philadelphia. We are devestated that we will
probably be forced to move rather than live surrounded by the
blight that will inevitably occur.
Reconsider this decision and choose a site not at the end of 3
one-way streets. What will your legacy be????

Dear Governor Rendell:

I am most opposed to the planned Foxwoods Casino for several
important reasons. First, Foxwoods' placement in South Philly
will severely impact traffic and commerce at the maritime
terminals. Columbus Blvd. is often at a standstill now. Adding
another 5,000 cars a day will cause gridlock.

Second, the planned relocation of Wal-Mart and Home Depot to an
area near the Packer Ave. Terminal will disrupt much needed
expansion of the Port down towards the Navy Yard. This relocation
will be necessary to accomodate Foxwoods' planned expansion for a
hotel, shops and restaurants.

Will a few thousand low paying gamning jobs be a good substitute
for a thriving port and high wage longshore jobs? Let's step back
for a year and do the proper due diligence regarding the impact
to the local community and traffic congestion that the Gaming
Board should have done in the first place.

Sincerely,
The Rev. James D. Von Dreele
Executive Director
Seamen's Church Institute of Philadelphia & South Jersey

Dear Governor Rendell:

The process that has awarded the licenses in Philadelphia and
around the state has suffered from public input and democratice
processes. Because of the stakes, the process should now be
slowed and the award of licenses held off for one year.

Dear Governor Rendell:

I met you once, and you seemed like an upright guy to me.
I always figured that you would do right by the Philly
folks.
Has something gone wrong? I always thought that my up and
coming neighborhood of Pennsport would be a great place to
live.
Now there's a casino coming in and a chance that I may loose
my home to a traffic ramp!
Please, tell me this isn't happening to me!
-Laura Compton

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