Hollister
– San Benito County residents came out in hordes Tuesday night
to voice their opinions on one of the most hotly debated issues in
recent county history: The proposed Miwok casino.
Hollister – San Benito County residents came out in hordes Tuesday night to voice their opinions on one of the most hotly debated issues in recent county history: The proposed Miwok casino.
The Veterans hall was packed at the San Benito County Board of Supervisors casino meeting. People lined up along the walls, holding up signs declaring “We Need Jobs,” while in the middle sat rows of residents wearing anti-casino buttons.
Before the board opened the floor for the heated back-and-forth speeches from casino supporters and opponents, Board Chairman Reb Monaco told the crowd the board would not be making any decisions.
“I want to assure you that no action will be taken tonight,” Monaco said.
The following three hours were filled with residents who begged the supervisors for casino jobs and those who told them the jobs were dead-end, those who envisioned a future with residents who could afford the rising home prices thanks to casino jobs and those who see a future where locals are driven out of business by the same casino.
“I don’t think this white knight of a casino coming in is going to be our savior,” said Lupe Downing. “I look at all these kids holding up signs saying ‘We Need Jobs,’ but I think, why are you selling yourselves short? Why do you need a minimum wage job at a casino?”
Carlos Vargas told the board he was involved with the same young people as a soccer coach and father of four children, and saw the casino as a means for local parents to support their children.
“I’ve heard lots of people say tonight that you can’t buy a house in San Benito County on $10 an hour. But at least we can buy them food, shoes, soccer shoes,” Vargas said.
The meeting came two weeks after the board had voted unanimously to draft a resolution opposing the proposed Miwok casino after four of the five supervisors announced their own opposition to the project. Supervisor Jaime De La Cruz was the only supervisor who said he was “right in the middle” on the issue, but still voted to draft the resolution.
The five-member California Valley Miwok tribe has teamed up with investors from Game Won to develop a casino on about 200 acres off San Felipe Road. The casino could be similar in size to Yolo County’s Cache Creek casino, which is 66,000 square feet with 1,762 slot machines. Project Manager Gary Ramos has also said the tribe would eventually like to add a hotel, restaurants and entertainment venues.
Angry casino opposers told the massive audience the Miwok tribe and its investors were trying to take advantage of the community.
“The investors and the developers, they will shake the dust of Hollister off their shoes and not even remember the name of the town they ruined when they leave,” said Hollister resident Donna Gonzalez.
Resident Susie Fisher came to the podium saying she wished to apologize to the California Valley Miwok tribe for the difficulty it has encountered, and reminded the audience that Ramos has promised 2,000 jobs if the casino becomes a reality.
Others expressed a concern that San Benito County would wither and die without the casino industry.
“Instead of talking about today and tomorrow, why don’t we think about what it’s going to look like ten years from now? What about 20 years from now?” asked Irving Atlas.
Others acknowledged the area’s need for industry and an increased economic base, but pleaded with the community to seek out alternatives to a casino. Marilyn Hill referenced a study done in Illinois finding most casino jobs weren’t created, but only replaced the jobs people in the surrounding town lose when business slows.
Ruth Erickson stood to ask the community who exactly the investors are, asking for any of the investors present in the audience to stand up. Seeing none, she left the podium amid applause and cheers from the casino opponents.
But immediately following Erickson’s comments, Ramos stood to tell the board and the locals he was ready to sit down and talk about the possibilities and the tribe’s business plan, which he has said will give back more money to the county and the state than is typical in similar situations.
One of the most dramatic points in the night came when Casinos Represent A Poor Solution (CRAPS) Chairman Steve Merrell took to the podium and asked, “Will all the people here tonight who oppose the casino please stand up?” and was answered as the majority of audience members rose from their seats. “I think that speaks volumes,” Merrell told the board.
Mickie Luna, a member of the local League of United Latin American Citizens, begged the board to think of the minority groups in San Benito County.
“Please remember that certain groups have not been heard,” she said. “Please remember that we are the silent majority. It’s a real shame in San Benito County that can’t step up and say ‘We need jobs. Help.'”
Philip Bump, an associate political director with the South Bay Labor Council, supported Luna’s comments, telling the board to put the number of jobs Ramos has promised into perspective.
“We’re not talking about 40 jobs here. We’re talking about thousands of jobs,” Bump said. “I don’t know of any other company coming in here offering thousands of jobs. It’s easy for people who have jobs to dismiss the need for jobs.”
San Benito County Sheriff Curtis Hill was the only elected official to take the stand last night, where he told the audience he had been the first elected official to take a stand against the casino, and assured the community his decision had been easy.
“What we’re witnessing here is a seduction of our community by the out-of-town developers. We haven’t heard one single fact from the supporters here tonight. They have no anthropological connection to this area. None. They keep saying they’re going to prove they do. Well, why aren’t they proving it?” Hill said.
Anne-Marie Sayers, a member of the Amah Mutsun tribal band of Native Americans, agreed with Hill, telling the audience the California Valley Miwoks have no ties to San Benito County while the Amah Mutsuns can trace their roots back thousands of years. The Amah Mutsuns are not asking to build a casino, two other tribal members later pointed out, but oppose the reservation shopping the Miwoks are being accused of.
The meeting continued as of press time. Monaco encouraged any residents who did not get a chance to speak last night to come to the supervisors’ next regular meeting on Feb. 22, when they are scheduled to vote on a casino resolution. The resolution has not yet been drafted, and the supervisors have said they would take all of last night’s comments into account before they put the resolution together either opposing the casino, supporting it or declaring a need for more time and research.
