If respondents to the Argus-Courier's online poll April 9, 2009 are an indicator, Petalumans want to see an advisory measure concerning the planned Rohnert Park casino on the ballot, and they plan to vote against the casino.
Of those responding to the poll, 62.5 percent said the county should spend up to $120,000 to put an advisory measure on the June 2010 ballot.
An even more overwhelming number of respondents, 91 percent, said they are opposed to the casino. Only 6.9 percent said they support the plans.
Here are some of the comments by those who responded to the survey. Visit http://pulse-of-petaluma. petaluma360.com to read more comments.
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"Indian casinos are a plague to communities. They don't have to adhere to building codes or do any traffic improvements or traffic controls that would be needed. They increase crime and traffic. They buy land and say it is tribal grounds. We need to send a clear message they are not welcome in Sonoma County."
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"Save the money. Most of us don't want a casino."
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"I am for the casino. They offered to pay for road work and other things. It will provide needed jobs and increase visitors to the area, which is good for other business."
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"Just what we need. Let's get the area more crowded, invite crime, which always surrounds these dens of iniquity, and further denigrate our county."
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"I don't think people fully understand the impact this casino will have on Sonoma County."
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"Indian casinos are a fact of life. Why discriminate against Indians? Is a casino any different than any other large retail outlet?"
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"If the supervisors chicken out, they can be voted out."
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"This is absolutely the wrong place to build a casino."
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"The people should have a voice on whether or not they want organized gambling in their communities."
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"Although it is hard to say yes to spending such a large sum of money to put this measure on the ballot, I believe it will cost even more to deal with the traffic and other negative impacts from a casino. With that in mind, I think it is important for the measure to be put on the ballot so that the community can weigh in on the casino issue."
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"I live right down the street from where the Rohnert Park casino is slated to be built. Why can't my neighbors and I have a vote in this matter? My neighbors and I have no say on this issue. This is democracy?"
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"They should have put it on the ballot last November. It would have been much more cost-effective."
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"Casinos do not bring anything to a community but angst and tragedy."
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"The casino will ruin our community."
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"We need jobs."
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"Why are we spending our money to advise people of what is happening in Rohnert Park? That money could put an extra police officer on the street for a year."
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"This is a worthwhile investment given the enormous costs that would be created by a casino."
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"That aquifer is already overdrawn. If local wells dry up, how can that be mitigated?"