Tell Rep. Keller: Stop gambling with our future!

Once again the politicians who are supposed to represent your interests are failing to do so.

A provision that would give faltering Foxwoods an extra year to get up and running on our riverfront has been thrown into the midst of an amendment to a bill that would legalize table games in Pennsylvania. Foxwoods faces a state-imposed deadline to have 1,500 slot machines operating by May 2011, but it has yet to publicly present plans for the casino's design or its financing.

The amendment would push the deadline to May 2012.

Though Foxwoods isn't mentioned by name in the bill, it's the only slots parlor the extension would impact. To add insult to injury, House Majority Leader Todd Eachus claims he doesn't know who added the provision.

It's time these politicians stopped gambling with our future. Read on for a way you can make your voice heard.

Building on victory with Sen. Kitchen

Two weeks ago we picketed state Senator Kitchen's office and confronted her on a different provision, one that would offer easy credit to gamblers.

We sat down with her and explained our concerns — how easy credit is rocket fuel for gambling addiction — and we won. She clearly stated she opposed provisions that would allow Pennsylvania casinos to offer credit to gamblers.

But that doesn't mean she's off the hook.

She made several statements to us that require further explanation: She said the language about casino credit wasn't in the original bill she sponsored, and that the casino credit provisions were added at a later date to a bill she didn't get to vote on.

We see the record differently. So we have asked Senator Kitchen to respond to these discrepancies by the end of today.

Take action now: Contact Rep. Bill Keller

There are other battles to be fought in the meantime.

Contact state Representative Bill Keller, in whose district Foxwoods is seeking the extension.

We need you to tell Rep. Keller that his constituents oppose giving Foxwoods the one-year extension and that he needs to represent our interests.

We are also asking Rep. Keller to find out and publicly expose by name the lawmaker who inserted the one-year provision.

Contact Rep. Keller using our easy web form now!

Finally, in this season of thanks, we want to offer our sincerest gratitude for all you do, and all you've accomplished! THANK YOU!

Photo: Flickr (cc)