Opponents press legislature to abandon casions

By DAVID HULSE

MONTICELLO, NY — Anti-casino forces continued their lobbying efforts before the Sullivan County Legislature last week when Casino-Free Sullivan County presented the lawmakers with some 3,000 new petition signatures asking that since a referendum was not possible, the panel void two existing contracts with tribes seeking to develop casinos.

Spokeswoman Susan Lynn Brown’s salient point was the apparent weakening of public support for the projects indicated in recent newspaper and county surveys.

“Once again, the county legislators have heard from us. Finally, we deserve to hear from them,” Brown said.

Chairman Chris Cunningham accepted the petitions and assured the petitioners that there voices would be heard.

More to the point recently has been the question of when legislators’ voices would be heard. Provisions of the two $15 million host benefit agreements with the St. Regis Mohawks and the Stockbridge-Munsees require legislative support for the ongoing projects.

No legislator has since spoken publicly of the apparent change of public opinion indicated by the polls, nor has any legislator sought the opinion of County Attorney Sam Yasgur as to how they might speak to the issue or free themselves of the agreements’ restrictions. “My clients have not asked me for one, so I have no position,” Yasgur has repeatedly said in response to questions about the legislature’s contractual obligations on behalf of the tribes.

Yasgur was more outspoken after Brown’s October 20 remarks. “When we begin running the country based on polls, we won’t need elections,” he said.

Yasgur said public opinion is fickle and easily changes. “It’s like a baseball manager dealing with fans. One moment he’s brilliant and the next he’s a bum.”