Ralph Santarcangelo

==Media==
===LTE===
The slots illusion from August, 2006
Our governor and legislators wait anxiously in
expectation of the impending "goodies" that slot
machines hypothetically will produce. (This includes
their sneaky snooker --another notch in their greed
belt -- to include themselves in the gambling statute,
whereby they are permitted to own 1 percent of a
casino syndicate stock as their "cut.") May I suggest
that while in this ecstatic state they insist casino
owners include in their development proposals
facilities to treat gambleholics created by these same
slot machines.
Furthermore, this redundant Legislature should
seriously consider legislating additional judgeships
with staff to expedite the added bankruptcies that
will result from major losses by slot losers.
The first groundbreaking for constructing a gambling
casino will signify complete capitulation by the
governor and General Assembly to the gambling lobby.
This lobby, once entrenched, will dictate state gaming
policy. Our lawmakers would rather prey on those who
are powerless to resist gambling -- like alcohol is to
an alcoholic -- as the magic potion to alleviate
property/school taxes, health care and educational
costs along with building sports arenas.
Slots, ludicrously projected to be the panacea for the
state's financial woes, will fail. Sophisticated
casino table games in neighboring states; a bungling
Pennsylvania Legislature and Gaming Control Board;
Pennsylvania's stumbling economy and deteriorating
worker's wages are some of the reasons slots will not
deliver the anticipated revenues.
What will succeed, however, is the creation of one
more bloated bureaucracy complete with cronyism,
featherbedding, nepotism and waste. What fools these
mortals be.
RALPH J. SANTARCANGELO, Point Breeze
Santarcangelo category:gambling