Griffo, others wrong to not support Del Lago

Once again, our local State Sen. Joe Griffo has practiced his politics of hypocrisy on the taxpayers of Central New York by coming out against helping the Del Lago Casino’s request to lower its tax rate from its gaming operations from 37 percent to 30 percent -- or maybe as low as the 25 percent the Oneida Enterprises pays. The Utica newspaper and our local politicians are scaring taxpayers into thinking they would have to come up with new tax dollars to salvage a private entity - Del Lago Casino!

Nothing could be further from the truth! The property on which Del Lago was built was an open field with minimal county and town property taxes. Today, with a lot of private development money and minimal tax breaks, sits a small casino in comparison to Turning Stone. It’s created 1,200 jobs, stimulated local taxpaying businesses and generated more tax dollars to the local impacted area than the revenues being given to the towns of Vernon and Verona from the Picente/Griffo deal! And the taxes generated by the private casinos, unlike the tribal casinos, are audited by the state!

If I was such a conservative voice and a member of the Racing and Wagering state committee I’d (Joe Griffo) be satisfied with tens of millions in revenues that funded education programs throughout the state. I would be more concerned about the fact the Seneca Nation casinos stopped paying any taxes to the state and also question why the Mohawks and Oneida Enterprises pay considerably less than their smaller private sector competitors.

When Mr. Griffo helped the Vernon Downs Casino receive a tax break to make them more competitive, did he call it a “tax bailout”? Did our local Utica newspaper oppose that? Of course not! It was tax relief to make them more competitive and place them on a more level playing field! Just as Del Lago ownership is requesting!

Let’s call this what it is; from the governor, to our illustrious state senator, to the local newspaper and to our county executive, this is all about the money from the Oneida Enterprises!

Mr. Griffo’s remarks are for the benefit of protecting his relationship with the Oneida Enterprises. He was against the agreement before he was for it! Not that the Democrats don’t raise money from the same source, but neither action is in the best interest of this community!

When we wake up and realize that we keep electing the same people who have never worked in the private sector, never been held accountable for their actions, are the same political party and with the same spend and tax mentality, we will see different results. We need to reshuffle the cards!

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