6/21/2012 - South Side Leader
     

To the editor:

There was a silence in Green about the racino for a while, and now there is a group against racinos about to form — maybe.

Just to clear the air up front — I’m a 73-year-old Green citizen and I’m on the fence about a racino in Green, but I don’t think my life would change if one arrived.

A few facts already published:

The governor has approved a racino within a 12-mile radius of the Akron-Canton Airport.

The interested parties say they want it in the Interstate 77 corridor.

The Akron-Canton Airport management are saying they would lease the land for $200,000 a year, and also say they will not go ahead with a deal for a racino unless the city of Green approves it.

A meeting was held at the city of Green, where a large crowd was expected; a crowd of 30-40 Green citizens showed up.

The majority of the citizens attending the meeting expressed disapproval of locating the racino at the Akron-Canton Airport.

Some comments and questions from me:

There are approximately 19,000 adults older than 18 in the city of Green.

Forty people expressing disapproval of the racino represents .02 percent of the adults in Green. Probably the remaining 99.98 percent (18,960) of the Green adults should have a say about a racino in Green.

How does Mayor Dick Norton and the Green City Council make a decision to approve a racino? By weighing the good and the bad aspects, taking into consideration development issues and, hopefully, listening to the concerns as well as the positive side and comments of the citizens of Green.

How does Mayor Norton and the Council find out how the citizens feel? Maybe a nonbinding issue on a ballot that provides a yes or no answer to the question: “Should a racino be approved to operate in the City of Green?” That gives Mayor Norton and the Council the input of the citizenry, and from there, reviews can be made of appropriate issues to be considered in the best interest of Green, and a decision can be made.

Signing a “petition” is meaningless. How many names could be signed on the petition that could be fraudulent?

Don’t let a handful of your neighbors and an ad hoc “group against casinos” help make a decision for you — demand that your input be heard. Get it on a ballot.

Paul Tarr, Green

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