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Faxes Sent to Michael A. Nutter

Letters

From:	LR
To:	Councilman DiCicco, Councilman Goode, Councilman Green, Councilman Greenlee, Councilman Kelly, Councilman Kenney, Mayor Nutter, Councilwoman Reynolds Brown, Councilman Rizzo
Date:	Friday, 11/21/08
Subject:	Find Least Damaging Locations for Slots Parlors

Dear Mayor Nutter:

Chinatown is under assault yet again -- having been run
rough-shod in the location and building of the now land-locked
convention center they are being wholly disregarded as a valued
community with the abrupt and unexplored relocation of the vastly
unpopular slots casinos. There is not a city or town anywhere
which has seen more benefits than detriments after inviting the
hungry snake that is slots gambling into their communities.

Increases in tax revenues and the creation of jobs is trumped by
the dramatic increase in addictive gambling and the social and
economic disasters this engenders. Cavalier cynacism is
displayed by the City in this latest assault on Chinatown as
Asians are especially prone to gambling addictions; both legal
and illegal gambling has destroyed families and lives.

Whenever the city involves itself too much in planning and
manipulating the natural development, disaster follows. In the
1970s Chestnut Street promenade -- closed to all but bus traffic
-- became a crime-ridden wasteland in short order with
once-highend shops fleeing the city or moving to Walnut Street.
The attempt to solve the crime and traffic problems created was
to allow busses and bikes to share the road -- two very
incompatible modes of transit. Cars were reintroduces more
recently, but no right turn allowed off the street -- leading to
many illegal maneuvers to try to navigate the chaos of it all.
The Gallery also has failed as a shopping destination because the
city was too much involved in selecting and influencing the
retail tenants.

It was not long ago the city proposed (perhaps a red herring to
distract real estate speculators with government connections)
that Chinatown absorb a baseball stadium! What a fiasco that
would have proven to be, and fortunately it was located adjacent
to other sporting arenas where the traffic and congestion could
be better absorbed. (Every study shows that sports patrons do
not go forth to spend in the surrounding communities anyway.
They bring traffic, trash and drunken riots.)

Why must the charming and successful Chinatown neighborhood
always be the whipping boy of the city? You proposed a 1500 foot
buffer when Fishtown and Northern Liberties neighborhoods were at
stake -- and they fought for years against the seeming inevitable
imposition of these predatory businesses into their midst. Why
no buffer for the thousands of residents of Chinatown? Why wedge
these unwanted albatroses into the city's business district at all?

Look at the impoverished disaster that was the neighborhoods of
Atlantic City surrounding their casinos -- and they were
full-service casinos, not just the low-end slots parlors. Look
at New Orleans and any other city that has allowed this
value-less practice into their cities. You will witness at the
doorstep of city hall, the further demise of Market East, and the
rise of the parasites that feed off this heinous industry -- pawn
shops and dive bars.

No neighborhood or business district has been elevated anywhere
by the introduction of slots gambling. The increased use of
police resources to deal with the inevitable increases in crime,
domestic abuse, and traffic congestion will be enormous. And the
social cost has proven to be very high.

These casinos build monolithic structures -- devoid of windows or
street retail and tend to ruin the street scape -- segregating
rather than integrating with the surrounding businesses.

The Commonwealth and our former Mayor Rendell have all but shoved
this concept of casinos in Philadelphia down our throats. At
every turn removing the rights of citizens to determine the fate
of their own community. And we are still gagging our present
Mayor also now joins in the assault you once pledged to protect
us from.

Casinos halt development, create traffic, generate crime, do not
enhance their neighborhoods, cultivate gambling addicts and lead
to general deterioration of the quality of life in an
ever-increasing web around them.

There are regions of this state that would actually welcome and
benefit from this type of development. I would "bet" there are
regions of Philadelphia's former warehouse and manufacturing
districts where no residential neighborhoods exist that would be
far better suited to house this type of high volume,
low-intergration business.

Casinos are best located in places where those who are vulnerable
-- addicts, the impoverished and the under-aged -- do not have
such easy access. They should be a destination, not an evil
plopped down in a citizen's back yard by an indifferent government.

Find us 10,000 citizens of this city who actually want these
casinos and let us hear their reasons for supporting it. Even
the weakest of impact studies -- a mere phone call to sister
cities who have invited this in with similarly mis-guided
expectations and short-sightedness -- and you will be given a
litany of reasons to change course now before it's too late.

Slots casinos are not the dens of glamour one might mistakenly
conjure with images of well-heeled patrons engaged in light
gaming and spilling forth to spend funds on dining and
entertainment throughout the city. Rather they attract the most
desperate of gamblers, the old, the poor who can little afford to
lose what they inevitably feed into the ravenous machines.

When the crime and desolation sets in, I don't think the
Commonwealth will be there with a helping hand as they are so
readily there now with the grasping hand.

Perhaps if a location can be found that does not offend
hard-working residents, the battles will end. Less attention
should be paid to what politically connected individuals will
make money on land speculation based on the casino location than
where they will do the least harm and, if even possible, the most
good.

I think this requires a map of the city, an overlay of
residential neighborhoods, and a true desire to do no harm to
your present tax-paying, hard-working citizens.

And please stop decimating Chinatown. It is an intact treasure
that's endured enough assault already.

Dear Mayor Nutter:

I am disheartened that you have signed into law two zoning bills
that are designed to put a large-scale slot parlor in the heart
of our historic city - on Market Street directly between
Independence Hall and City Hall, and that create a 24 block
district (from 6th Street to Broad Street and from Chestnut to
Arch Streets) in which casino zoning would be made permissible.
Many Philadelphians are disturbed that, in spite of public
testimony before the Planning Commission and City Council that
ran 99% against enacting the two Center City casino zoning bills
into law, both bodies passed the bills virtually unanimously
(one Planning Commission member courageously dissented) --
without any studies to back up the plan and with almost no
public discussion or debate among the members of either body.
There is a real fear that any future forums for public testimony
before the Planning Commission, City Council, or the
Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, will simply be window
dressing to bolster the claim that a real process is taking
place.

I recall when you ran for the Democratic seat for Mayor of
Philadelphia, you gave your full support to the citizen driven
ballot initiative that required a 1,500-foot buffer zone between
casinos and neighborhoods. I applauded your announcement,
immediately after taking office in January, of the creation of a
citywide master zoning plan. Philadelphians were hopeful that
the master plan would create the kind of vision for the entire
City of Philadelphia that was created by Penn Praxis for the
Delaware waterfront - one that all Philadelphians could embrace.

Your support of the buffer between neighborhoods and casinos,
and your initiative to create a master plan, are undermined and
contradicted by the fast track legislation that legalized zoning
for a 5,000 machine slot parlor in Center City Philadelphia.
Thousands of Philadelphians simply cannot understand how a slot
parlor could end up in the heart of Philadelphia -- immediately
adjacent to three thriving city neighborhoods, and at the
disposal of tens of thousands of office, service and government
workers, commuters, and young people -- without any meaningful
public debate, cost analysis or independent economic or social
impact studies to determine that this is an acceptable location
for a casino.

They wonder how zoning for a high impact development of this
magnitude could be enacted into law without a comprehensive
analysis of the potential impacts taking place first. They
wonder what happened to your campaign promises to protect
neighborhoods and to change the culture of ad hoc zoning and
back room deals. Are they to believe that only some
neighborhoods deserve the physical buffer and not others?

Philadelphians deserve a true planning process by which all
possible sites in Philadelphia are evaluated for the two casinos
slated for Philadelphia under Act 71, to determine the least
damaging locations. I ask for you to honor your pre-election
statement that you "do not support gambling as an economic
development tool," but which is the very argument your Deputy
Mayor Andrew Altman and Terry Gillen have been using to support
the Market Street location. Please demonstrate the leadership
that caused the majority of Philadelphians to rally around you
in last year's mayoral election and begin a genuine alternative
site selection process.

Copies to my representatives in City Council

Dear Mayor Nutter:

I respectfully request that you do not sign into law Bills No.
080741 and 080742, involving respectively, zoning for the
proposed Foxwoods Casino on Market Street between 10th and 11th
Streets, and the creation of a 24 block district in which casino
zoning would be made permissible. The borders of the district
are from 6th Street to Broad Street and from Chestnut to Arch
Streets.

I recall when you ran for the Democratic seat for Mayor of
Philadelphia, you gave your full support to the citizen driven
ballot initiative that required a 1,500-foot buffer zone between
casinos and neighborhoods. I also applaud your announcement,
immediately after taking office in January, of the creation of a
city-wide master zoning plan. Philadelphians are hopeful that
the master plan will create the kind of vision for the entire
City of Philadelphia that was created by Penn Praxis for the
Delaware waterfront.

Your support of the buffer between neighborhoods and casinos,
and your initiative to create a master plan, are undermined and
contradicted by the fast track zoning now before City Council
that would put a large-scale slot parlor in the heart of our
historic city - directly between Independence Hall and City
Hall.

Without proper planning, a 5,000 machine slot parlor could end
up in Center City Philadelphia --- immediately adjacent to three
thriving city neighborhoods, and at the disposal of tens of
thousands of office, service and government workers, and
commuters --- without any meaningful public debate or
independent economic or social impact studies to determine that
this is an acceptable site for a casino. Experts in planning
agree: high impact development of this magnitude should start
with a comprehensive planning process and then be followed by
the zoning process.

Philadelphians deserve a true planning process by which all
possible sites in Philadelphia are evaluated for the two casinos
slated for Philadelphia under Act 71, to determine the least
damaging locations. We ask for your leadership in this endeavor
by taking the first step - please veto these two zoning bills.

Sincerely,

Copies to my representatives in City Council

Dear Mayor Nutter:

I respectfully request that you do not sign into law Bills No.
080741 and 080742, involving respectively, zoning for the
proposed Foxwoods Casino on Market Street between 10th and 11th
Streets, and the creation of a 24 block district in which casino
zoning would be made permissible. The borders of the district are
from 6th Street to Broad Street and from Chestnut to Arch Streets.

I recall when you ran for the Democratic seat for Mayor of
Philadelphia, you gave your full support to the citizen driven
ballot initiative that required a 1,500-foot buffer zone between
casinos and neighborhoods. I also applaud your announcement,
immediately after taking office in January, of the creation of a
city-wide master zoning plan. Philadelphians are hopeful that the
master plan will create the kind of vision for the entire City of
Philadelphia that was created by Penn Praxis for the Delaware
waterfront.

Your support of the buffer between neighborhoods and casinos, and
your initiative to create a master plan, are undermined and
contradicted by the fast track zoning now before City Council
that would put a large-scale slot parlor in the heart of our
historic city - directly between Independence Hall and City Hall.

Without proper planning, a 5,000 machine slot parlor could end up
in Center City Philadelphia --- immediately adjacent to three
thriving city neighborhoods, and at the disposal of tens of
thousands of office, service and government workers, and
commuters --- without any meaningful public debate or independent
economic or social impact studies to determine that this is an
acceptable site for a casino. Experts in planning agree: high
impact development of this magnitude should start with a
comprehensive planning process and then be followed by the zoning
process.

Philadelphians deserve a true planning process by which all
possible sites in Philadelphia are evaluated for the two casinos
slated for Philadelphia under Act 71, to determine the least
damaging locations. We ask for your leadership in this endeavor
by taking the first step - please veto these two zoning bills.

GAMBLING IS NOT A HEALTHY INDUSTRY. IT'S STILL A VICE.

Sincerely,
Ruth Sine
Copies to my representatives in City Council

Dear Mayor Nutter:

I respectfully request that you do not sign into law Bills No.
080741 and 080742, involving respectively, zoning for the
proposed Foxwoods Casino on Market Street between 10th and 11th
Streets, and the creation of a 24 block district in which
casino zoning would be made permissible. The borders of the
district are from 6th Street to Broad Street and from Chestnut
to Arch Streets.

I recall when you ran for the Democratic seat for Mayor of
Philadelphia, you gave your full support to the citizen driven
ballot initiative that required a 1,500-foot buffer zone
between casinos and neighborhoods. I also applaud your
announcement, immediately after taking office in January, of
the creation of a city-wide master zoning plan. Philadelphians
are hopeful that the master plan will create the kind of vision
for the entire City of Philadelphia that was created by Penn
Praxis for the Delaware waterfront.

Your support of the buffer between neighborhoods and casinos,
and your initiative to create a master plan, are undermined and
contradicted by the fast track zoning now before City Council
that would put a large-scale slot parlor in the heart of our
historic city - directly between Independence Hall and City
Hall.

Without proper planning, a 5,000 machine slot parlor could end
up in Center City Philadelphia -- immediately adjacent to three
thriving city neighborhoods, and at the disposal of tens of
thousands of office, service and government workers, and
commuters -- without any meaningful public debate or
independent economic or social impact studies to determine that
this is an acceptable site for a casino. Experts in planning
agree: high impact development of this magnitude should start
with a comprehensive planning process and then be followed by
the zoning process.

Philadelphians deserve a true planning process by which all
possible sites in Philadelphia are evaluated for the two
casinos slated for Philadelphia under Act 71, to determine the
least damaging locations. We ask for your leadership in this
endeavor by taking the first step - please veto these two
zoning bills.

Sincerely,

Copies to my representatives in City Council

Hello





PLEASE KEEP ENGINE 39 IN SERVICE.

Dear Mayor Nutter:

I respectfully request that you do not sign into law Bills No.
080741 and 080742, involving respectively, zoning for the
proposed Foxwoods Casino on Market Street between 10th and 11th
Streets, and the creation of a 24 block district in which
casino zoning would be made permissible. The borders of the
district are from 6th Street to Broad Street and from Chestnut
to Arch Streets.

I recall when you ran for the Democratic seat for Mayor of
Philadelphia, you gave your full support to the citizen driven
ballot initiative that required a 1,500-foot buffer zone
between casinos and neighborhoods. I also applaud your
announcement, immediately after taking office in January, of
the creation of a city-wide master zoning plan. Philadelphians
are hopeful that the master plan will create the kind of vision
for the entire City of Philadelphia that was created by Penn
Praxis for the Delaware waterfront.

Your support of the buffer between neighborhoods and casinos,
and your initiative to create a master plan, are undermined and
contradicted by the fast track zoning now before City Council
that would put a large-scale slot parlor in the heart of our
historic city - directly between Independence Hall and City
Hall.

Without proper planning, a 5,000 machine slot parlor could end
up in Center City Philadelphia --- immediately adjacent to
three thriving city neighborhoods, and at the disposal of tens
of thousands of office, service and government workers, and
commuters --- without any meaningful public debate or
independent economic or social impact studies to determine that
this is an acceptable site for a casino. Experts in planning
agree: high impact development of this magnitude should start
with a comprehensive planning process and then be followed by
the zoning process.

Philadelphians deserve a true planning process by which all
possible sites in Philadelphia are evaluated for the two
casinos slated for Philadelphia under Act 71, to determine the
least damaging locations. We ask for your leadership in this
endeavor by taking the first step - please veto these two
zoning bills.

Sincerely,

Sean Benjamin

Dear Mayor Nutter:

I respectfully request that you do not sign into law Bills No.
080741 and 080742, involving respectively, zoning for the
proposed Foxwoods Casino on Market Street between 10th and 11th
Streets, and the creation of a 24 block district in which
casino zoning would be made permissible. The borders of the
district are from 6th Street to Broad Street and from Chestnut
to Arch Streets.

I recall when you ran for the Democratic seat for Mayor of
Philadelphia, you gave your full support to the citizen driven
ballot initiative that required a 1,500-foot buffer zone
between casinos and neighborhoods. I also applaud your
announcement, immediately after taking office in January, of
the creation of a city-wide master zoning plan. Philadelphians
are hopeful that the master plan will create the kind of vision
for the entire City of Philadelphia that was created by Penn
Praxis for the Delaware waterfront.

Your support of the buffer between neighborhoods and casinos,
and your initiative to create a master plan, are undermined and
contradicted by the fast track zoning now before City Council
that would put a large-scale slot parlor in the heart of our
historic city - directly between Independence Hall and City
Hall.

Without proper planning, a 5,000 machine slot parlor could end
up in Center City Philadelphia --- immediately adjacent to
three thriving city neighborhoods, and at the disposal of tens
of thousands of office, service and government workers, and
commuters --- without any meaningful public debate or
independent economic or social impact studies to determine that
this is an acceptable site for a casino. Experts in planning
agree: high impact development of this magnitude should start
with a comprehensive planning process and then be followed by
the zoning process.

Philadelphians deserve a true planning process by which all
possible sites in Philadelphia are evaluated for the two
casinos slated for Philadelphia under Act 71, to determine the
least damaging locations. We ask for your leadership in this
endeavor by taking the first step - please veto these two
zoning bills.

Sincerely,

Copies to my representatives in City Council

Dear Mayor Nutter:

I respectfully request that you do not sign into law Bills No.
080741 and 080742, involving respectively, zoning for the
proposed Foxwoods Casino on Market Street between 10th and 11th
Streets, and the creation of a 24 block district in which casino
zoning would be made permissible. The borders of the district are
from 6th Street to Broad Street and from Chestnut to Arch Streets.

I recall when you ran for the Democratic seat for Mayor of
Philadelphia, you gave your full support to the citizen driven
ballot initiative that required a 1,500-foot buffer zone between
casinos and neighborhoods. I also applaud your announcement,
immediately after taking office in January, of the creation of a
city-wide master zoning plan. Philadelphians are hopeful that the
master plan will create the kind of vision for the entire City of
Philadelphia that was created by Penn Praxis for the Delaware
waterfront.

Your support of the buffer between neighborhoods and casinos, and
your initiative to create a master plan, are undermined and
contradicted by the fast track zoning now before City Council
that would put a large-scale slot parlor in the heart of our
historic city - directly between Independence Hall and City Hall.

Without proper planning, a 5,000 machine slot parlor could end up
in Center City Philadelphia --- immediately adjacent to three
thriving city neighborhoods, and at the disposal of tens of
thousands of office, service and government workers, and
commuters --- without any meaningful public debate or independent
economic or social impact studies to determine that this is an
acceptable site for a casino. Experts in planning agree: high
impact development of this magnitude should start with a
comprehensive planning process and then be followed by the zoning
process.

Philadelphians deserve a true planning process by which all
possible sites in Philadelphia are evaluated for the two casinos
slated for Philadelphia under Act 71, to determine the least
damaging locations. We ask for your leadership in this endeavor
by taking the first step - please veto these two zoning bills.

Sincerely,

Copies to my representatives in City Council

Dear Mayor Nutter:

I respectfully request that you do not sign into law Bills No. 080741 and 080742,
involving respectively, zoning for the proposed Foxwoods Casino on Market Street
between 10th and 11th Streets, and the creation of a 24 block district in which
casino zoning would be made permissible. The borders of the district are from 6th
Street to Broad Street and from Chestnut to Arch Streets.

I am a member of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) and do some tour
guiding at Arch Street Meeting. I delight in showing tourists the words of William
Penn that became such an important part of Thomas Jefferson's Declaration of
Independence. I tell tourists that Philadelphia was not chosen solely because of its
geographic location, but because the ideals of our country were already living here
in Philadelphia. We are a city that is attractive to tourists because of our rich history;
let's keep our history and our ideals at the forefront.

How about citing the casinos, both of them, at the airport and creating a city
ordinance where no individual gambler can spend more than $50 a day on games of
chance.

I recall when you ran for the Democratic seat for Mayor of Philadelphia, you gave
your full support to the citizen driven ballot initiative that required a 1,500-foot
buffer zone between casinos and neighborhoods. I also applaud your
announcement, immediately after taking office in January, of the creation of a city-
wide master zoning plan. Philadelphians are hopeful that the master plan will create
the kind of vision for the entire City of Philadelphia that was created by Penn Praxis
for the Delaware waterfront.

Your support of the buffer between neighborhoods and casinos, and your initiative
to create a master plan, are undermined and contradicted by the fast track zoning
now before City Council that would put a large-scale slot parlor in the heart of our
historic city - directly between Independence Hall and City Hall.

Without proper planning, a 5,000 machine slot parlor could end up in Center City
Philadelphia --- immediately adjacent to three thriving city neighborhoods, and at
the disposal of tens of thousands of office, service and government workers, and
commuters --- without any meaningful public debate or independent economic or
social impact studies to determine that this is an acceptable site for a casino.
Experts in planning agree: high impact development of this magnitude should start
with a comprehensive planning process and then be followed by the zoning process.

Philadelphians deserve a true planning process by which all possible sites in
Philadelphia are evaluated for the two casinos slated for Philadelphia under Act 71,
to determine the least damaging locations. We ask for your leadership in this
endeavor by taking the first step - please veto these two zoning bills.

Sincerely,

Copies to my representatives in City Council

Dear Mayor Nutter:

We live in South Philadelphia, own a home and send our two children to school in
Old City. My wife and I respectfully request that you do not sign into law Bills No.
080741 and 080742, involving respectively, zoning for the proposed Foxwoods
Casino on Market Street between 10th and 11th Streets. We are opposed to the
creation of a 24 block district in which casino zoning would be made permissible.

We recall that you gave your full support to the citizen driven ballot initiative that
required a 1,500-foot buffer zone between casinos and neighborhoods. We also
applaud your announcement, immediately after taking office in January, of the
creation of a city-wide master zoning plan. All Philadelphians are hopeful that the
master plan will create the kind of vision for the entire City of Philadelphia that was
created by Penn Praxis for the Delaware waterfront. Money sucking and crime ridden
casinos have no place in Center City especially right next to Independence National
Park.

Our communities' near unanimous support of the buffer between neighborhoods
and casinos, and your initiative to create a master plan, are undermined and
contradicted by the fast track zoning now before City Council. What sense does it
make to secretly plan and dump a large-scale slot parlor in the heart of our historic
city? Particularly and directly between Independence Hall and City Hall? The
Governor and Senator Fumo were wrong to secretly engineer this taking of local
control and home rule in the first place. It was and is always going to be a net loss
to Philadelphia, both in local economics and in social and cultural values.

A 5,000 machine slot parlor will inevitably end up degrading Center City
Philadelphia. It would be immediately adjacent to three thriving city neighborhoods,
and at the disposal of tens of thousands of office, service and government workers,
and commuters. All this permanent risk and damage without any meaningful public
debate or independent economic or social impact studies to determine that this is
an acceptable site for a casino. Experts in planning agree: high impact development
of this magnitude should start with a comprehensive planning process and then be
followed by the zoning process. Philadelphia is not Atlantic City in the 1980s.

All of America, all Pennsylvanians and all Philadelphians deserve a true and OPEN TO
THE PUBLIC planning process by which all possible sites in Philadelphia are
evaluated for the two casinos slated for Philadelphia under the suspect Act 71. First
and foremost to determine the least damaging locations, for these bait and switch
gambling corporations. They are private profit centered monopolies, provided that
status by illegitimate state mandate, not good neighbors or harmless entertainment.
We ask for your moral and financial leadership in this endeavor by taking the first
step - please veto these two zoning bills.

Sincerely,

Copies to my representatives in City Council

Dear Mayor Nutter:

As Chairman of the Market East Development Corporation in the
late 1970s, I worked diligently to create agreements that led to
the development of the second phase of The Gallery shopping
complex at Market East. The intent of this project was to
strengthen retail activity in the heart of the city. This is
still an important need and revitalization of east Market Street
as a shopping district is greatly needed.

A casino in The Gallery complex will not revitalize the retail
district; it is more likely that the traffic, congestion and
other impacts will have a negative impact on both the retail area
and adjacent neighborhoods, most especially Chinatown. Moreover
the creation of a 24 block district in which casinos would be
permissable makes no sense at all. The potential of future
casinos in Center City and adjacent to Independence National Park
would utterly destroy the character of Center City Philadelphia.

I respectfully request that you do not sign into law Bills No.
080741 and 080742, involving respectively, zoning for the
proposed Foxwoods Casino on Market Street between 10th and 11th
Streets, and the creation of a 24 block district in which casino
zoning would be made permissible. The borders of the district are
from 6th Street to Broad Street and from Chestnut to Arch
Streets. Please support your own committment to retain a
1,500-foot buffer between casinos and neighborhoods and also
insure an equal buffer between casino and important historic and
civic sites.

Philadelphians deserve a true planning process by which all
possible sites in Philadelphia are evaluated for the two casinos
slated for Philadelphia under Act 71, to determine the least
damaging locations. We ask for your leadership in this endeavor
by taking the first step - please veto these two zoning bills.

Sincerely,

John Andrew Gallery

Copies to my representatives in City Council

Dear Mayor Nutter:

I respectfully request that you do not sign into law Bills No.
080741 and 080742, involving respectively, zoning for the
proposed Foxwoods Casino on Market Street between 10th and 11th
Streets, and the creation of a 24 block district in which
casino zoning would be made permissible. The borders of the
district are from 6th Street to Broad Street and from Chestnut
to Arch Streets.


I recall when you ran for the Democratic seat for Mayor of
Philadelphia, you gave your full support to the citizen driven
ballot initiative that required a 1,500-foot buffer zone
between casinos and neighborhoods. I also applaud your
announcement, immediately after taking office in January, of
the creation of a city-wide master zoning plan. Philadelphians
are hopeful that the master plan will create the kind of vision
for the entire City of Philadelphia that was created by Penn
Praxis for the Delaware waterfront.

Your support of the buffer between neighborhoods and casinos,
and your initiative to create a master plan, are undermined and
contradicted by the fast track zoning now before City Council
that would put a large-scale slot parlor in the heart of our
historic city - directly between Independence Hall and City
Hall.

Without proper planning, a 5,000 machine slot parlor could end
up in Center City Philadelphia --- immediately adjacent to
three thriving city neighborhoods, and at the disposal of tens
of thousands of office, service and government workers, and
commuters --- without any meaningful public debate or
independent economic or social impact studies to determine that
this is an acceptable site for a casino. Experts in planning
agree: high impact development of this magnitude should start
with a comprehensive planning process and then be followed by
the zoning process.

Philadelphians deserve a true planning process by which all
possible sites in Philadelphia are evaluated for the two
casinos slated for Philadelphia under Act 71, to determine the
least damaging locations. We ask for your leadership in this
endeavor by taking the first step - please veto these two
zoning bills.

Please do not place the Foxwoods Casino in the heart of center
city. It will do no one but Foxwoods any good there.
Chinatown and the Asian Community are very important to the
health and diversity of our city and do not deserve this in
their back yard, either. I love the idea that a community
group is organizing to find a place where the casinos will best
be sited. We, as residents and taxpayers should be involved in
this process all along. Thank you for your support of the
waterfront neighborhoods. Please also give the same support to
the Chinatown, Wash West and mid-town neighborhoods, too.

Sincerely,
Louise Cupelli

Copies to my representatives in City Council

Dear Mayor Nutter and City Council,

A Slot Parlor in Pennsport? A Slot Parlor in Fishtown and
Northern Liberties? A Slot Parlor in the Historic District?

What is happening to our good sense? It is time for the
Planning Commission to do their job .... PLAN FOR THE GOOD OF
THE COMMONWEALTH.

Truthfully, I don't want any casinos in Philly. Reality says
we are going to get 2. So put them out of the way of everyday
Philadelphians and tourists and their families.

Amend Act 71 to allow these predatory businesses to be housed
near the AIRPORT. Chester will still receive enough money from
Harrahs for their City to prosper. This change will protect
everyone including our City.

-- The City owns the land by the AIRPORT
-- The necessary highway system is in place and functional
-- Every hotel has shuttle buses to the AIRPORT for tourists
-- We have mass transit to the AIRPORT
-- The casinos can build immediately without opposition
-- The casinos will have the ability to expand their business
-- No neighborhoods will be harmed.
-- Citizens can easily reach the AIRPORT for jobs and to gamble
-- No residential or commercial property values will decline
-- Less fiscal impact on individual neighborhoods
-- No alcohol-fueled gamblers driving on small local streets
-- The casino becomes a destination rather than preying on
neighborhoods.

This list could go on and on. C'mon Mayor ... this will be
your legacy .... and our children's.

Start the process --> AMEND 71 --> BUILD AT THE AIRPORT AND
SAVE OUR CITY.

City Council, tell the Planning Commission to step up and use
their skills to preserve our first class City.

Thank You!

Dear Mayor Nutter,
Please keep our lovely historic city casino free. We don't want
the element that gambling brings.

Dear Mayor Nutter:

THIS LETTER IS DIFFERENT FROM THE FORM LETTERS YOU HAVE
RECEIVED.

Many of those senders sincerely believe that the process is
flawed. But many are objecting because they already oppose the
Gallery site and will resist at every point, no matter the
process and no matter the results of studies. That does not
mean that serious issues do not exist.

We accept your assurances, and those of Councilman Dicicco,
that the Planning Commission, City Council and you will insist
upon, and objectively evaluate, comprehensive studies such as
those produced in the process led by Penn Praxis in evaluating
the Reed St. site.

In addition to the studies offered by Foxwoods, we hope that
you and Council will initiate independent studies where
appropriate.

A judgment ultimately will have to be made as to whether we
will be restricted to the Gallery site or Reed St. site, or
whether, if the Gallery site is rejected, a third site might be
proposed.

If we must choose between these two sites, we expect that you
and Council will fairly compare the impact on adjacent
residential neighborhoods, and the respective benefits and
negatives of each site to the City. And that, whatever the
decision, as many safeguards as possible will be imposed, and
significant CBAs will be negotiated for the benefit of
surrounding neighborhoods.

Sincerely, Jim Moss

Copies to my representatives in city council

Mayor Nutter,
I do not want Engine 39 removed from the Firehouse at Ridge and
Cinnaminson Streets. I want you to save Engine 39. It is
important to my family and neighbors to feel safe in our homes.
We have basic rights as citizens of Philadelpha. I am a proud
citizen of East Falls and plan to stay to raise a family, but
fear for our safety if you remove Engine 39 from my community.
My family is entitled to basic protections for the taxes that I
pay. Please, do not cut Engine 39!
Sincerely,
Jennifer Dierberger

While I would like to plead the case that all branches of the
Free Public Library need to remain open, realistically I will
focus on the Kingsessing Branch and the impact that this
closing will have on the children who attend BB Comegy School
and the surrounding community.

The library was built in 1917, and is a Carnegie Library. As a
part of the Carnegie committment, the library has meeting
spaces for the community, open and available stacks of books,
music and video resources, and computers and printers.

For the children, this branch is a safe haven in the critical
hours after school and offers homework help and LEAP. The local
public elementary school, BB Commegy, does not have a school
library and utilizes Kingsessing library to supplement the
student's experiences by making field trips to the library,
participating in the library card drive, and encouraging the
children to read and explore. In addition to the BB Comegy
school, within short walking distance of this library is Wilson
School, Mitchell School, DeSales Catholic and a host of smaller
Christian Academies.

For the community, this branch is also a safe haven. This is a
quiet place to hold community meetings and exchange ideas. This
is a place to look for a job, get resume help, read newspapers
and books, listen to music and borrow videos that range from
documentaries to block busters. This is an underserved
community. Without the Kingsessing Library, thee will no other
place in the community for these resources, at any price. There
are no bookstores, music stores or video stores near this
library. There is no other quiet place for a community group to
meet and exchange ideas.

With the closing of this branch, the next nearest library is
nearly 2 miles away. Once considered one of the finest
neighborhoods in the City, for years, this Kingsessing has
struggled with violence, drugs and poverty. Removal of this
asset from the community will be a tragedy that is counter to
Mayor Nutter's pledge to protect the most vulnerable among us.
I sincerely hope that you will work to remove this library from
the closure list.

Dear Mayor Nutter:

What a simply terrible and nutty idea!

A casino in the heart of historic Philadelphia.

Think of it. Stop by Independence Hall, walk east to City Hall and if you have an
hour or two, stop by the casino and play some slots.

This is NOT what Philadelphia is all about.

I beg of you. Stop this nuttiness, Mayor and a very good Mayor Nutter.

Aline Gay

Dear Mayor Nutter:

I respectfully request that you do not sign into law Bills No.
080741 and 080742, involving respectively, zoning for the
proposed Foxwoods Casino on Market Street between 10th and 11th
Streets, and the creation of a 24 block district in which
casino zoning would be made permissible. The borders of the
district are from 6th Street to Broad Street and from Chestnut
to Arch Streets.

I recall when you ran for the Democratic seat for Mayor of
Philadelphia, you gave your full support to the citizen driven
ballot initiative that required a 1,500-foot buffer zone
between casinos and neighborhoods. I also applaud your
announcement, immediately after taking office in January, of
the creation of a city-wide master zoning plan. Philadelphians
are hopeful that the master plan will create the kind of vision
for the entire City of Philadelphia that was created by Penn
Praxis for the Delaware waterfront.

Your support of the buffer between neighborhoods and casinos,
and your initiative to create a master plan, are undermined and
contradicted by the fast track zoning now before City Council
that would put a large-scale slot parlor in the heart of our
historic city - directly between Independence Hall and City
Hall.

Without proper planning, a 5,000 machine slot parlor could end
up in Center City Philadelphia --- immediately adjacent to
three thriving city neighborhoods, and at the disposal of tens
of thousands of office, service and government workers, and
commuters --- without any meaningful public debate or
independent economic or social impact studies to determine that
this is an acceptable site for a casino. Experts in planning
agree: high impact development of this magnitude should start
with a comprehensive planning process and then be followed by
the zoning process.

Philadelphians deserve a true planning process by which all
possible sites in Philadelphia are evaluated for the two
casinos slated for Philadelphia under Act 71, to determine the
least damaging locations. We ask for your leadership in this
endeavor by taking the first step - please veto these two
zoning bills.

Sincerely,

Copies to my representatives in City Council

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