A casino will hurt my NC community. Why won’t Phil Berger listen? | Opinion
My rural community in Rockingham County is being threatened with the possibility of a large casino. I have yet to speak to anyone in the county who is in favor of this besides the politicians.
It’s part of a plan by Republican leaders in North Carolina to open up four casinos across the state – in Rockingham, Anson and Nash counties and one run by the Lumbee Tribe.
Much to my dismay in Rockingham County, our county commissioners, who all campaigned on conservative values, are all for having a casino in our county. They’re not listening to the voices of the people at all. In July, our planning board voted 5-2 against rezoning land for the casino. Weeks later, our county commissioners ignored them and voted unanimously for it.
North Carolina Senate leader Phil Berger, a powerful politician who represents our county, favors it too. So does Reece Pyrtle Jr., our state representative. They’re not listening to “we the people.”
There are numerous reasons why allowing a casino is a bad choice for any county in North Carolina.
Unfortunately, studies have shown that casinos attract crime, which after a few years can devastate the community for several miles around. Drug and alcohol abuse rises, prostitution is readily available, break-ins can become more frequent, and drunk driving accidents increase.
Gambling in and of itself is addicting. It is now officially recognized as an addiction by the American Psychological Association. It has the highest rate of suicide among any addictive disorder.
When someone becomes addicted to gambling, it affects their whole family. Their free time is now spent at the casino. Their money is now spent on the false hope that maybe today will be the day that it all pays off.Yet, studies show that casino gamblers lose almost 90% of the time. They get deeper in their financial hole and it often tears their families apart. This has long lasting effects on them and future generations who reap the painful consequences of the gambler’s addiction.
We must prevent this cycle from getting a foothold in our communities and our state.
REVISED for accuracy and provided source: Our politician’s say having casinos in our state will increase our tax revenue. According to a national report by the Rockefeller Institute of Government gambling operations may generate short-run increases in public revenues, but those slow and decline making the long-term revenue uncertain.
Businesses in our state are already struggling to find enough workers. If a casino opens, it could entice workers from other small businesses, forcing them to close — and the county and state would lose that tax revenue. And residents’ disposable income will be spent at the casino instead of at local restaurants and other businesses.
I received a list of myths about casinos recently from Stop Predatory Gambling. It said two-thirds of citizens who never gamble foot the bill for the inevitable budget deficits produced by casinos.
The casino companies say that they will hire 1,750 people in our area with an average salary of $50,000 per year. That is very deceptive. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for gambling services workers in May 2022 was $31,290, which means half the workers earned less than that. The lowest 10% earned less than $20,710. According to BLS statistics, gaming dealers are among the 50 lowest paying jobs in the U.S., with a median hourly wage of just under $10 an hour. The few higher paying jobs will likely go to experienced casino workers brought in from out of state.
I owe it to my children and grandchildren to fight this push for casinos in North Carolina until it is exposed for what it is. I urge N.C. residents to contact their state representatives and senators. Tell them to vote “NO” to casinos in North Carolina.
Elisabeth Corona lives in Stokesdale in Rockingham County and has been speaking out on behalf of plans to locate a casino there.
