Poll: Deal not good enough to prevent casino

Most respondents in an online Argus-Courier poll said Sonoma County should have negotiated a better deal with the Dry Creek Rancheria Band of Pomo Indians to permanently prevent a casino on the tribe’s land near Petaluma. The county signed a deal with the tribe that prohibits building a casino for at least 10 years.

About 71 percent said the deal should have gone further, while 13 percent said the tribe should build a casino near Petaluma.

Here are some of the comments:

--

“Another casino closer to the greater Bay Area will not only further undermine River Rock, it will impact Graton, then we’ll have three lousy casinos in the area. No more casinos. Enough is enough..”

--

“Build it. We need jobs and revenue.”

--

“Ten years is a good deal. Who knows what will happen in a decade?”

--

“Crime in Petaluma has already gone up due to casino in Rohnert Park.”

--

“Enough casinos around. Where do all these people get all this money to gamble, and then complain about high rents? Enough problems already in this town.”

--

“I prefer no casino ever, but I don’t think the tribes would sign that deal.”

--

“It’s like the bad deal with Iran; no nuclear weapons for ten years, just starts the clock ticking for their plan anyway. Just the same here. The deal should have been made forever, in both instances.”

--

“I would have encouraged the Stupidvisors to trade one buffalo pelt, three deer skins, five painted ponies, and a fleet of White Escalades to the elders. For this, they would build nothing.”

--

“That buys us time to find a way to truly ensure there will be no casino on Petaluma’s front porch to match the one on our back porch (Graton).”