"Your recent editorial, "Equal treatment for Valley businesses," misses the mark, in several significant ways.

First, the editorial argues for equal treatment for privileges, but avoids all discussion of equal treatment when it comes to responsibilities to the community.

Every other business in the Valley pays license fees, sales taxes, occupancy taxes, property taxes and state income taxes. Among other things, these taxes pay for things like the public safety costs associated with serving alcohol.

The casino and hotel pay none of these taxes, while its Gaming Benefits Fund contributes a small fraction of what they would pay if they were being treated equally.

Second, the new serving privileges the tribe says it wants are actually fewer than it’s asking the ABC to approve. By defining the "premises" as the entire casino hotel complex, they are asking the ABC for permission to open up the entire facility to drinking. Consequently, under the terms of their new application, they will not be prohibited from selling alcohol at concerts, boxing matches or cage-fighting events."

Get the Story:
John K. Poitras: Tribal request lacks fairness (The Santa Ynez Valley News 7/15)

Related Stories:
Editorial: No reason to deny expanded liquor at Chumash casino (7/8)
Chumash Tribe upset by mayor's opposition to liquor at casino (6/30)
County opposes expanded liquor license for Chumash casino (6/23)
Chumash Tribe seeks expansion for liquor license at casino (6/14)