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Connecticut Anti-Casino Groups Growing15 October 2002CONNECTICUT – As reported by the Westerly Sun: "There was a time when most Connecticut residents thought the problems associated with gambling casinos were isolated to the generally rural towns of southeastern Connecticut. "No more. "Grass-roots groups, including community organizations, antigambling advocates and business leaders, are mobilizing around the state to oppose any more casinos. "Preliminary discussions have started to create a statewide group committed to fighting any new casino plans. Leaders said the time is ripe for such an effort. "…The anti-casino forces hail from the woods of northwestern and southeastern Connecticut to the Litchfield Hills and the monied towns of Connecticut's Gold Coast. "In each place, American Indian tribes are considering plans to build casinos if they become recognized by the federal government. "Three different statewide polls last week showed that the opposition is not limited to these areas; a little more than half of those polled said they opposed additional casinos in Connecticut, while about 30 percent wanted more casinos and the remainder were undecided. "…The various small opposition groups fret that they have few resources to fight the system. They have little money and no lobbyists, while the gambling industry is backing some Indian tribes with lawyers, researchers and lobbyists in Hartford and Washington. "…Casino opponents stress that they are not anti-Indian, although, as Westport First Selectwoman Diane Farrell put it: `Tribal recognition is inexorably linked to casinos.'…" |