Debate for Question 7 - 6th Gambling Location in MD (Berlin: crime rate, hotels)
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So because these individuals have the choice to decide not to go to this place, that is reason enough to vote for it? I hear the same argument about everything these days, gay marriage, gambling, liquor stores, etc. That's like me saying, if you want gambling go to another state. I'm not trying force people to think like me, I'm just stating what I feel about this particular topic.
It's a very narrow-minded view of things. What is wrong with someone simply not wanting something around them? The idea that you should vote for it, because you can choose not to go to, doesn't change what a person may feel about that particular thing. We are given the power to vote, to voice our opinion. Too often in society people try to manipulate and con individuals with this line of thinking that voting a certain way is a way of 'forcing' people into a certain lifestyle. No single person has that power. My opinion is not going to make someone change their lifestyle. We don't vote to force people into certain lifestyles, or ideas, we vote to voice what us as individuals feel is right or wrong. It's not different than you asking for an opinion on a plumber. I may say that I dislike a certain plumber, but my opinion is not stopping you from patronizing that plumber. If these laws pass b cause a majority of the people support them, then we all have to respect that.
I respect your opinion but in my opinion you are the one with the narrow minded view. Especially when you stated "perceived negative implications" associated with a casino.
Regarding adelphi's comments, if you don't think that people are risking money they can not afford on lottery tickets you have obviously not worked in a liquor store selling them all day. The daily number pays 500-1 on odds that are 1,000-1. I doubt a casino has many games with odds that bad.
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Originally Posted by DaveinMtAiry
I respect your opinion but in my opinion you are the one with the narrow minded view. Especially when you stated "perceived negative implications" associated with a casino.
Give me an example of a community that has gotten better schools and safer communities with a casino.
Also, I never told anyone how they should vote, I just stated how I felt. When I did, all people are saying is, well you don't have to go there. Again, it's not like I said, you can go to another state for gambling. If you support gambling, that's your choice but because I decide I don't support it, you are basically telling me I should support it and just not go there, but I'm the one being narrow minded? Why do I HAVE TO support this and decide not to go? Why can't I just decide not to support this?
Quote:
Originally Posted by DaveinMtAiry
Regarding adelphi's comments, if you don't think that people are risking money they can not afford on lottery tickets you have obviously not worked in a liquor store selling them all day. The daily number pays 500-1 on odds that are 1,000-1. I doubt a casino has many games with odds that bad.
Give me an example of a community that has gotten better schools and safer communities with a casino.
Also, I never told anyone how they should vote, I just stated how I felt. When I did, all people are saying is, well you don't have to go there. Again, it's not like I said, you can go to another state for gambling. If you support gambling, that's your choice but because I decide I don't support it, you are basically telling me I should support it and just not go there, but I'm the one being narrow minded? Why do I HAVE TO support this and decide not to go? Why can't I just decide not to support this?
As I said at the beginning I am on the fence. I really don't want to live in Las Vegas. I shared this opinion with a friend who has a beach house in Berlin, MD. He said that 5 years ago downtown Berlin was in trouble, with boarded up shops everywhere. Once the casino was built at the racetrack nearby it created vital jobs (low paying but better than nothing) and pumped money back into the area. Suddenly stores began to open again. Shopkeepers insist the casino revitalized their town.
I never asked you to support the bill. I am just pointing out how your assumptiuons about casinos are just that, assumptions. I also never claimed that casinos had a direct effect on schools, just the area in general. But it's not really a big leap to assume that with more tax money comes improvements to schools. And again you are assuming that casinos make the areas less safe. That is simply unfair and what I was talking about earlier with your closed mind.
Quote:
Originally Posted by pgtitans
I have no idea what you're talking about here.
As my post indicated I was addressing Adelphi and his claim that casinos have worse odds than the daily lottery.
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Originally Posted by DaveinMtAiry
As I said at the beginning I am on the fence. I really don't want to live in Las Vegas. I shared this opinion with a friend who has a beach house in Berlin, MD. He said that 5 years ago downtown Berlin was in trouble, with boarded up shops everywhere. Once the casino was built at the racetrack nearby it created vital jobs (low paying but better than nothing) and pumped money back into the area. Suddenly stores began to open again. Shopkeepers insist the casino revitalized their town.
Does Berlin have crime like PG? Not an apples to apples comparison, don't you think? One place has a higher rate of crime, is more dense, has access to public transportation, and is surrounded or near high crime areas. How are they the same?
Quote:
Originally Posted by DaveinMtAiry
I never asked you to support the bill. I am just pointing out how your assumptiuons about casinos are just that, assumptions. I also never claimed that casinos had a direct effect on schools, just the area in general. But it's not really a big leap to assume that with more tax money comes improvements to schools. And again you are assuming that casinos make the areas less safe. That is simply unfair and what I was talking about earlier with your closed mind.
But that's the major issue. There is a reason why there is money that is going to be dedicated to an education fund. It's not to improve the area 'in general', it's because Prince George's County has horrible schools and issues with crime. The County Executive basically wants to use this initiative to help with those two issues which are somewhat correlated. But even with that said, as was stated in another thread, Prince George's County spends more money per student than Fairfax County and also Frederick County and the schools in both places are significantly better in both places. Money isn't the real issue in the school system. It would be silly to assume it is going to magically improve the overlying issues here.
And I want to point out that I think you are confusing me with another poster. I never said that the casino WILL have a negative effect on the community. You are misinterpreting what I have said. I have already gone in detail, but basically the regular posters on this thread know that my main issue with this project has more to do with it's proximity to a residential area than the possible negative implications of the project. I'm not completely convinced that this would indeed have a negative effect on the community around it, I am also not completely convinced it will help it. I believe this will really end up being wash, but again that's just my opinion. I'm sorry if you misunderstood what I was saying, but again, never said that there WILL be negative implications.
As I said at the beginning I am on the fence. I really don't want to live in Las Vegas. I shared this opinion with a friend who has a beach house in Berlin, MD. He said that 5 years ago downtown Berlin was in trouble, with boarded up shops everywhere. Once the casino was built at the racetrack nearby it created vital jobs (low paying but better than nothing) and pumped money back into the area. Suddenly stores began to open again. Shopkeepers insist the casino revitalized their town.
I never asked you to support the bill. I am just pointing out how your assumptiuons about casinos are just that, assumptions. I also never claimed that casinos had a direct effect on schools, just the area in general. But it's not really a big leap to assume that with more tax money comes improvements to schools. And again you are assuming that casinos make the areas less safe. That is simply unfair and what I was talking about earlier with your closed mind.
As my post indicated I was addressing Adelphi and his claim that casinos have worse odds than the daily lottery.
Maryland WONT be Las Vegas, ever! Too many casinos and sites will saturate the area and stop the addition of more casinos. Frankly, this MGM casino should be it for a while closer in to DC.
Regarding adelphi's comments, if you don't think that people are risking money they can not afford on lottery tickets you have obviously not worked in a liquor store selling them all day. The daily number pays 500-1 on odds that are 1,000-1. I doubt a casino has many games with odds that bad.
Okay. So, what are the odds at a casino then? Taking into account someone sitting at ONE slot machine or moving to different machines. The size of the bets, etc? Are you saying that someone could win $500 every week as opposed to winning it in the pick3 or pick-4 every month or so? I have no idea what the odds in a casino are since there are so many games to be played. Which games has the highest and lowest odds?
And I want to point out that I think you are confusing me with another poster. I never said that the casino WILL have a negative effect on the community. You are misinterpreting what I have said. I have already gone in detail, but basically the regular posters on this thread know that my main issue with this project has more to do with it's proximity to a residential area than the possible negative implications of the project. I'm not completely convinced that this would indeed have a negative effect on the community around it, I am also not completely convinced it will help it. I believe this will really end up being wash, but again that's just my opinion. I'm sorry if you misunderstood what I was saying, but again, never said that there WILL be negative implications.
Quote:
Originally Posted by pgtitans
Except everybody doesn't gamble. If you don't like gambling and you especially don't like to live near it and the perceived negative implications, then there is no reason to support this. Everybody is different though.
So we need to distinguish between "perceived negative implications" and "WILL have negative implications"? Point is you keep implying that a casino will have a negative impact on a community but I have yet to see any evidence. You asked me to give you an example of where an area was improved and I did that. I'm not going to bother pulling up crime stats but yes Berlin has a crime problem and with the increased tax base it's not a stretch to assume that some of those funds are used on police and fire.
Okay. So, what are the odds at a casino then? Taking into account someone sitting at ONE slot machine or moving to different machines. The size of the bets, etc? Are you saying that someone could win $500 every week as opposed to winning it in the pick3 or pick-4 every month or so? I have no idea what the odds in a casino are since there are so many games to be played. Which games has the highest and lowest odds?
The slots have one of the worst odds in a casino. To compare apples to apples let's use a $1 bet. At 1,000 to 1 and paying 500 to 1 the lottery has a house edge of 50%. Slots at the casino, by comparison, have a 8.1% house edge.
The slots have one of the worst odds in a casino. To compare apples to apples let's use a $1 bet. At 1,000 to 1 and paying 500 to 1 the lottery has a house edge of 50%. Slots at the casino, by comparison, have a 8.1% house edge.
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Originally Posted by DaveinMtAiry
So we need to distinguish between "perceived negative implications" and "WILL have negative implications"? Point is you keep implying that a casino will have a negative impact on a community but I have yet to see any evidence.
Please don't take this the wrong way, but do you not understand the difference between something is based on perception and saying something is reality?
Saying perceived, doesn't mean a) that I think it will happen or b) that it will happen. It just means those are the perceptions of a casino. I didn't say that they would happen, but the discussion of the POSSIBILITY of them have been brought up by many and it is real. Again the thing I am for certain that is negative is the locality to a residential area. I just don't know why you are trying to interpret 'perceived' as me saying that some will happen.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DaveinMtAiry
You asked me to give you an example of where an area was improved and I did that. I'm not going to bother pulling up crime stats but yes Berlin has a crime problem and with the increased tax base it's not a stretch to assume that some of those funds are used on police and fire.
That's not what I asked you. I asked:
Quote:
Give me an example of a community that has gotten better schools and safer communities with a casino.
That is not the same thing.
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