Monday, March 31, 2014

Readers write - Coldstream and regional partners getting gamed?

My, my, my, Vernon receives $2 million dollars from the casino, and what do Vernon's regional partners get? A big fat zero!
 
How does this work Vernon?
 
Surely, patrons of the casino who live outside Vernon have an expectation that our "contribution" to the casino would benefit us too.  Be warned sister communities, this is how Amalgo-land will look. Vernon promises to be a black hole into which Provincial gaming grants, regional taxes and energy will flow.  Vernon recreational and cultural facilities, service providers and businesses are  the primary recipients of disposable, and non-disposable non-Vernon boonie-bucks. 
 
Moreover, the spirit of lottery funding suggests that gaming income ought to be used to enrich the cultural and community life of the communities that are home to casinos and the like. Vernon, has gone against this spirit, streaming the money into utilitarian Vernon infrastructure such as roads. 
 
Is there anything stopping one of Vernon's regional partners from allowing a casino to call them home? We'd share with our sister communities wouldn't we?  As for Vernon, we could leave them to play their own "games"...
 
The municipality of View Royal near Victoria has a casino and shares the revenue it receives with the Capital Regional district and it goes towards libraries and parks not roads.
 
Some links:
 

2 comments:

Anonymous said...


Actually I would like to see this prospect investigated. Casinos are a clean industry with the minor exception of increased traffic. Perhaps gamblers would welcome a choice of venue.
We are rural surely we can "milk the cow" also?

Anonymous said...

Just made my weekly foray into the Big Smoke, where fyi I dropped a healthy chunk of Coldstream-bucks in your pockets...

Now where was I?...Oh yes...Vernon your potholes are showiiiinnnggg! I had to dance my car around your generous supply of said car-traps.

Here, in Coldstream we're much more modest, and cover our potholes up.

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I have been a resident of Coldstream since 1976. I have had 15 years of experience on Council, 3 years as Mayor. As a current Councillor I am working to achieve fair water and sewer rates and to ensure that taxpayers get fair treatment. The current direction regarding water supply is unsustainable and I am doing all I can to get the most cost effective water supply possible.