Community thread

21 Comments

  1. Joe Williams
    Posted June 11, 2007 at 10:12 am | Permalink

    pwn3d!

    Article in the Eagle today about the petitioners who are trying to gather enough signatures to put Sunday Liquor sales on the ballot! Will they make it? They are pleading for more signatures, because they are about 2,000 short.

  2. Ben
    Posted June 11, 2007 at 10:12 am | Permalink

    Something I raised before but sort of got buried in a Comm thread by other stuff.

    The Eagle had a blurb on 24 local attractions looking for the “8 wonders of Kansas”. I suggested that they should publich a pull-out section on all of these with directions, accomodations, maps, etc. It could pay for itself with advertising revenues from business establishments in the various areas. Thoughts? Keep our own tourism dollars in Kansas? Especially into some of the smaller communities across the state?

  3. Joe Williams
    Posted June 11, 2007 at 10:15 am | Permalink

    Sounds good! But does the Eagle need to do this or can’t the Kansas Travel and Tourism Division of the Kansas Department of Commerce do it?

    They print State road maps and visitors guides of Kansas.

  4. Posted June 11, 2007 at 10:16 am | Permalink

    Could be either. I tend to think private sector first.

  5. Ben
    Posted June 11, 2007 at 10:41 am | Permalink

    If the Sunday sales goes on the ballot that might be a “No means Yes” vote. In other words something like “should the decision be reversed?” Then, if you want Sunday sales you vote NO and if you don’t want them you vote YES.

    Actually, I tend to favor putting it on the ballot. Then voting to allow Sunday sales.

  6. Posted June 11, 2007 at 1:48 pm | Permalink

    Joe,

    Where can i sign to get sunday sales on the ballot.

  7. Ben
    Posted June 11, 2007 at 1:54 pm | Permalink

    Tony – that is a City of Wichita issue.

  8. Mrage
    Posted June 11, 2007 at 4:50 pm | Permalink

    Quiet in our community today. Nice!

    Sundays sales vote doesn’t interest me. I’m not suffering without Sunday sales or go looking for liquor out of town.

    I hate when crimes happen because of alcohol and drug abuse.

    The economics pushing it, society harmed when they get addicted.

    Casino is the same problem but won’t most people have already gambled somewhere before we open a a casino here? If they have a gambling addiction, it should show up already.

    I have a brother who gave up day trading stocks because he got addicted in behaviours doing that.

    He smokes too, so that addiction problem is in him.

    Casino might not be a good place for him. I look at a casino as fun, not looking to win retirement funds there.

    I heard somebody say interest rates are going up and people invested in 401K’s better watch out. Long term investors are going to be harmed soon.

    I hate the stock market, its unfair to the middle class.

  9. Joe Williams
    Posted June 11, 2007 at 6:22 pm | Permalink

    Actually! I believe that Sedgwick County is passing a Sunday sales in unincorporated places within the county as well. The City is having their own. I’m not for sure if the petition is just for the City of Wichita or for both the County and the City.

    Would be interesting.

    But I’m for Sunday Liquor Sales. People think that it will affect the Casino Vote, I don’t know, Maybe!

  10. Tony
    Posted June 11, 2007 at 7:04 pm | Permalink

    The more crap they can put on the ballot, the more people who will show up to vote.

  11. Ben
    Posted June 12, 2007 at 9:38 am | Permalink

    Very true Tony. I fear that if the ballot is SOLELY the casino that turnout will be even lower than the already abysmal level we usually have in August elections. Consider the consequences if only 10% turn out. 5.01% of the electorate could carry the election. Add to that the fact that many on the anti-casino side are passionate and definitely WILL turn out.

    In many ways this is similar to the manner that ‘true believers’ can take over a political party via the Pricinct Committee. Virtually nobody votes on those.

  12. Mrage
    Posted June 12, 2007 at 2:49 pm | Permalink

    With the arena conversations and downtown on those minds, the Aug. casino vote could have decent turnout.

    Wichita will turn out, what about County, those cities. Park City, sure, they have some ideas of a casino out there, but other cities in the county don’t.

    It could be a vote ballot. I’m sure County advertising will happen, right? Those forces wanting a casino in Sedgwick County have to do their lobbying in the community.

    Construction forces, both govs are for the casino to happen. Jobs and economy. City wants to sell land and buildings. County wants it to support the arena.

    Gambling mob is out there promoting it. State is offering casino’s licenses, their promoting them to happen. State is counting on future gambling revenue.

    It’s a pretty strong one ballot vote.

    Drinking and gambling on the ballot might increase the “spiritual” to deny both those choices. Many religious drink and gamble.

    These are votes about the human condition. Voting for things that can harm our spirit.

    Sunday sales, yes, no to the casino vote?

    Does that make sense.

  13. Ben
    Posted June 12, 2007 at 3:21 pm | Permalink

    I’m not sure I see how “arena conversations and downtown on those minds, the Aug. casino vote could have decent turnout” unless the voters think they will have an opportunity to vote on the issue. In fact, with “County wants it to support the arena” it might even be that the anti-arena majority might turn against the casino.

    I see the arena and the casino as separate issues. However, I do NOT see how a casino supports the arena. Are gamblers going to decide to go over to the arena and watch the semi-pro basketball team? Or the Thunder? Just what is the spill-over effect between an arena and a casino?

  14. Ben
    Posted June 12, 2007 at 3:55 pm | Permalink

    “Gambling mob”?

    I gather you are opposed to casinos?

  15. Mike
    Posted June 12, 2007 at 4:11 pm | Permalink

    Funny how the opposition to the casino has religious ties. Here we go again with the religious right trying to legislate morality. Give me a break! How bout this, if your church wants to oppose the casino publicly, then you give up your “tax exempt” status. I am sick of being preached to about how to live my life and spend my money. And I DON’T belong to any church.

  16. Mrage
    Posted June 12, 2007 at 4:28 pm | Permalink

    Ben,

    You think gambling forces aren’t a mob? I can distrust the background business of casino’s and still want one in Sedgwick County.

    I don’t plan to gamble heavy, unless I’m corrupted somehow, the way “full service” casino’s can do it.

    No one should be using bank cards at casino’s, use cash only. That way they can’t reach deep into finances and “own” that person.

    A casino downtown affects the arena because it adds to those attractions. WaterWalk will be finished…before the casino, maybe.

    WaterWalk, Arena, Old Town. If voters want more to do downtown, they will vote yes.

    Some were No on the Arena and will vote No on the Casino.

    How to classify those people, these are civic improvement projects.

    The civic improvement on the casino to me, is City selling property they own.

    Gambling is 24/7, some can schedule time in the casino, then go to an arena event later on.

    They will park near the casino and walk to the arena on a nice day or evening.

    Both casino choices so far, the Canadians and if Ruffin can control one on property he owns downtown. Both will be within walking distance to the arena.

    If the vote is yes, Park City has no chance to put one out there. The state choices will be Wichita or Ruffin.

  17. Ben
    Posted June 12, 2007 at 4:36 pm | Permalink

    Mrage – I consider gambling forces to be no more and no less a ‘mob’ than any group out to get what it wants.

    I get a funny feeling about this vote a lot like the one I had in Illinois in 1986 (or maybe 87) when the LaRouchies won Lt. Gov and Sec State nominations in the Democratic primary. Nobody believed me when I said it could happen – they then got blindsided.

  18. Mrage
    Posted June 12, 2007 at 4:54 pm | Permalink

    Are the other locations voting the same time we are?

    For those areas, its almost a state wide vote?

    If its just us in Aug. I think its important enough by itself, many will vote because of the implications.

    Why can’t we vote for our personal fate and choices.

    This a “freedom” type of vote.

    More might vote for this than they ever did for politicians.

    Bikers, that street culture, or the bar crowd, never voted for the rules and regulations of politicians, but this is party establishment they want in the city.

  19. Ben
    Posted June 12, 2007 at 5:42 pm | Permalink

    Less than 20% turnout; probably less than 15%. That is my prediction.

  20. Posted June 12, 2007 at 6:07 pm | Permalink

    Borrowing my numbers, Ben?

    ::grin::

  21. Ben
    Posted June 12, 2007 at 9:47 pm | Permalink

    Perhaps Tom. Actually I think we were both pretty much on the same page anyway.

    I attended the anti-casino meeting tonight; just to see what they have to say. They are well organized; they will put up quite a fight. And, if I am reading things correctly, I think the casino referendum is in trouble.

    I’m not saying what I want here; just my prediction. If the turnout is very low the issue fails.