Representatives from the City of Madison and Ho Chunk Nation spoke to the city's business community yesterday as part of the Dane County Bar Association Luncheon Program at the White Horse Inn, 202 N. Henry St.
State Sen. Fred Risser, D-Madison, County Executive Kathleen Falk, government affairs specialist Tom Springer, and Mayor Dave Cieslewicz gave their opinions on the Feb. 17 referendum to expand DeJope Casino, 4002 Evan Acres Rd.
\There is a history in a legislative context that is governing this. With or without our approval here, [Gov. Jim Doyle] or any future governor can open a casino at DeJope,"" Falk said, adding she will vote ""yes"" on the referendum.
Falk listed the economic benefits the casino will bring to the county, noting $5.5 million was cut from human services in the 2004 budget. She said the casino will bring in $3.5 million to the county by August 2004 and by 2009 will bring in 4.9 percent net profit.
""Three point five million dollars provides a heck of a lot for a human services safety network,"" she said.
Risser, however, said nobody can argue a casino is absolutely necessary to improve Wisconsin citizens' quality of life. He said a Dane County Regional Planning Commission report found the casino expansion could have a negative net social economic impact of $100 million a year.
He also said he feels uncomfortable having the state government allow such a negative impact to occur.
""We should be trying to help people in society [rather] than act as an enabler for social problems,"" he said.
Cieslewicz agreed with Risser, saying he will vote ""no"" on the referendum because he is opposed to casino gambling.
The casino does not add very much to Madison as a city, he said.
Yet Springer said casino gambling has aided the Ho Chunk tribe, which has a history of devastating poverty. He said Ho Chunk is the only state tribe without a reservation.
""Gaming has allowed the [Ho Chunk] Nation to start catching up to everybody else,"" he said.
He said the casino expansion would create 600 jobs directly and 780 jobs later on, all with full medical benefits.
""All I ask that anyone do is look at gambling in Wisconsin,"" he said. ""If claims about [the negative impacts of] casinos were true, why aren't those communities in an uproar right now?\
