Finally, a newspaper starts to raise some questions regarding Gov. Cuomo’s flimsy proposal to legalize commercial casinos. Kudos to the Albany Times Union for its strong editorial regarding the disingenuous way Cuomo and the legislative leaders in Albany have gone about trying to change the state Constitution in order to allow up to seven casinos across the state.
“Crossing one’s fingers and hoping for the best rarely works out well at the blackjack table. It’s not a particularly good way to make laws, either,” said the Times Union, while noting Cuomo’s “disdain” for public debate.
One of the reasons why politicians can disregard voters and do as the please is the lack of a vigorous press that all too often plays the role of lapdog rather than watchdog. (A largely unengaged public is also to blame.) That’s what makes the Time Union’s editorial all the more welcome.
Albany’s newspaper of record raises a number of basic questions that have gone unanswered as Cuomo and other maneuver – mostly behind closed doors – to hammer out a casino deal. For starters, where will the casinos be located? Will local communities have any say in whether or not they want a casino? What is the tax rate for the casino revenue? Will the local communities get any of the revenue?
There are many other questions the paper did not raise. Changing the state Constitution is no small matter. Adding widespread gambling across the state impacts every resident, and creates economic and socials costs. Lawmakers and voters should know what those costs are before moving forward with such a major policy change.
At the very least, Cuomo should answer the many questions. There should be a public debate. The legislature should hold public hearings. An independent cost-benefit analysis should be done to determine if it is even wise to move forward with a major expansion of gambling.
The fact that Cuomo has not provided any information should be an indication why adding more casinos is a bad bet for New York. The public should demand some answers before any votes are taken.
