In case you missed the reader board at the Point Defiance Cafe and Casino today, house-banked casino operations closed as of yesterday. The reader board says the closure is due to the tax increase imposed by the council last month. Poker will continue, as presumably will the cafe operations.
Jim Wingard has a first hand account of what happened at the hearing on Friday morning on this issue. Read more here...
I am waiting for more details from the casino owner... ~ Karen
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24 comments:
We'll have to raise taxes on food items and poker games.But only at that address.Then we can keep up with our revenue stream.
That Dan.He has proved us right again.
This is good news. Should reduce the number of drunks who yell in the parking lot at 3 a.m. and set off their car alarms.
Revenue stream? That's a myth. Casino hasn't paid much in taxes to the town for over 2 years.
They, the Tacoma cabal, play fast and loose with the Town's $4.2 million gain from the sale of the Commencement land. $70,000 lost on the Ballet Lawsuit and at least six more lawsuits in the pipeline vs. the Town of Ruston courtesy of the Cabal.
Get used to Ruston district.
Your favorite ex-mayor spent close to a million dollars of it before he skeeadled out of office.
And if anyone would know about getting used to Ruston distict, you would, since you don't even live or vote in Ruston, Mr. Wingard. You just express your opinions here.
Was everyone that lives around that establishment in a complete comatose condition, previous to Mr. Favre buying it? As the former Police Chief at the time and later as the Mayor, that was one of the worst areas in the north-end as far as the use, sale and possession of narcotics. Is there no-one that remembers the psychedelic paint on the building and half paved parking lot with cars spinning their tires and spewing gravel everywhere !!! You have to be kidding yourselves to remotely believe we are better off without them there. Take the time to check the amount they have paid in taxes and the improvements to the building and property, then tell me we can afford to let those taxes go and put those people out of work and possibly on state assistance as they are people and actually have husbands, wife’s and children the same as the rest of us. This is a very sorry day and a more sorry action on the part of our Town Government. When will they start to legislate the colors on our homes or the hours we can come and go from our homes? This is Ridiculous.
Then to top that off they want to change our form of government so as to have absolute control of all we say and do much the same as they do in their "public" council meetings that we have no ability to voice an opinion in until after they have already decided and also so they can pay a personal pawn of their own choosing to do and act exactly as they direct him/her to do and at a cost of 200 times the cost of having an elected mayor
Aw, shucks, you're probably right. The casino probably is Ruston's savior - saving our right to get drunk and disorderly & to lose the family paycheck on gambling. Just think of all the money it has saved the residents by sueing our little town twice in a year. How about those lost jobs? How many of those employees you are talking about actually live in Ruston? Hail the casino, savior of Ruston.
The Casino sued the Chinese Church and the Ruston Connection. Very enlightening how anonymous considers the RC the Town of Ruston.
p.s. Bradley lives in Seattle and he's on the council.
Hey anon, when are you coming out of the closet.
Last I checked, The Ruston Inn, and Ruston Liquor store are also contributers of the drunks and the disorderly... better shut them down too. Oh, and better shut down all business that sell Washington State lottery tickets... you know, to protect other families paychecks. You gotta protect people from themselves! I mean, I'd hate to see anyone make a decision on their own as to how they should live their lives.
Oh, and last I checked $70,000 in taxes in the last 2 years is a lot more than nothing. Perhaps you wouldn't mind making such a "not much" of a contribution to the town to pick up the slack?
This is a very bitter and uninformed person. Sadley, this is the caliber of new residents amongst us that has no history or desire to care about anything other than themselves.
Please,anonymous bitter person, step back & take a deep breath. No one knows who you are so it is safe to regroup and actually research your concerns. Our dear Town needs your passion!
to james wingard: which anonamus blogger are you talking about? 99% of the bloggers here sign themself anonamus. do you mean anyone who doesnt think you are right? cause that's a whole lot of people.
signed, another anonamus blogger
its so sad to see such nice people bickering about this issue of being glad the casino is leaving or failing, but as previous Mayor Wheeler said these people regardless of where they live have families and the welfare roles are going to increase with them needing foodstamps, medical assistance and income until they get back on their feet if they dont get comfortable with welfare. Furthermore, this town obviously voted this town council in didnt it so vote them OUT!!! Every week the same anonymous posters and known people bitch about the council but I dont see a petition going around to remove them. I think the full-time town administrator that the Town of Ruston is trying to get is needed. There is so many lawsuits talked about on here that Ruston will have to go bankrupt. As much as we hate a lot of the decisions being made by the council there are innocent bystanders in all this like the casino employees who losted their jobs and will need public assistance. Although the owner Steve still makes some money to care for his family his laid off employees will have to figure out how to survive. We dont like casino? Understandable teach your children and grandchildren not to frequent them because the way casinos are set up now they are fun places with lots of video games for growns up to play and at times strike it rich. You hate the lotter? Tell that to ALL the people who have won for millions of dollars. We live in a country thank God all mighty where we have the option of not visting these places, but remember when you start shutting this places down that have benefitted the town in some way or another you are hurting the behind the scenes people who are just trying to survive and upping the welfare roles. Food for thought. If you own your own business how about you find out about the people who were laid off and see if they qualify for a position in your company to prevent them from having to survive on welfare and make it a retirement.
So....How do I get on this welfare?
Might take the pressure off.
The gaming industry as a whole is reeling. Whether it’s here or in Las Vegas people lack disposable income because their daily costs have increased (Food & Fuel). Subsequently the town's costs have steadily risen as well. When you have less gambling the tax volume goes down and - in order to off-set the towns fixed costs - taxes have to rise. Granted there is a point of over taxation however the casino's claim that the taxation is the single reason they are closing part of the operation is a fallacy. More to the point is that it’s a sign of the times.
Taxation is a fact of life and every business owner knows that. Many small business owners are S corp.’s and take a small salary. They then receive a dividend depending on how well the company does in any given year. Given that, if Obama gets elected he has stated he will increase the dividend tax rate. So do you think every small business that gets assessed the new dividend tax rate is going to close their doors? Do you think they will sue the government? For every tax increase that occurs across the US – do you think a lawsuit is spawn? Not even close and I think the judge hearing the casino’s case sees no merit to this frivolous lawsuit.
You have to ask yourself what kind of business man would spend his/her money suing versus employing his personnel. Money for a lawsuit has to come from somewhere and you’re kidding yourself if you think attorneys take these types of cases pro bono or on contingency - because they know they aren’t going to win. Lawsuits are not cheap and a good businessman better feel extremely confident before they go and spend their limited resources pursuing claims of this nature.
So, rather than pay his employees he would rather pay an attorney thousand of dollars – not a wise business move.
It’s really only a matter of time for the casino because the reality is - it just doesn't fit. If and when there is development across the street on Pearl - do you think a developer would want a casino across the street? Tacoma’s vote of banning them from their city probably reverberates within Ruston as well. I truly believe if you put the casino question to a vote that the Ruston residents would follow suit with Tacoma and opt not to have them in town limits.
I think you're missing the point here. The town claims they need more funds and so they tax a single entity that they already know is losing revenue. The casino could barely afford to run as it is, but they were sticking it out. However, they couldn't afford a 600% tax hike. The crazy thing here is that the council wants to increase revenue by taxing a single entity that can't afford it.
The town either suffers through with the "small" $33,000 a year tax revenue or they raise the tax, but in doing so lose all tax revenue.
Either way the town suffers.
Thats why theres a lawsuit. If the feds said they needed more money for the budget and single out one business - even one business type for that matter that is clearly struggling to the point where a tax increase forces a shut down then don't you think they would fight it? It doesn't accomplish the goal of increasing tax revenue.
If the town truly needs more funds, why not increase a general tax that affects everyone equally?
Here is former employee Kevin's comment reposted with some words taken out. This is an understandably emotional issue. Please speak to the issues and try to avoid name calling and personal attacks. Thanks.
This council has proven that america is going straight to hell,they did not allow due process to the owners of the casino.Have the _____ that run this town figured out what to do now that they dont have the tax revenue from the casino? Is'nt it OBVIOUS to the people of this town that ¬¬¬¬____ the council want to annex to tacoma.But tacoma probably wont want it now since the city will probably go bankrupt with all these lawsuits.This town really needs to have a petition to recall these _____ on the council.This action by these NAZI's(the tax increase) just goes to show that this town does not want independant buisnesses.This might be a good location for a Biker bar,or maybe a Rap nightclub.Since you have lost Tax revenue who are you going to tax now??? I am sure by the next council meeting they will figure out who they are going to screw next. Hey about a tax on all the bibles used by the church??
Maybe charging everyone that comes into town for the music festival? Better yet why would anyone want to come to this town now, when it is a PROVEN FACT THAT IT IS RUN BY _________.
RUSTON SAVE YOURSELVES AND GET RID OF THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
Funny you should bring up the church. They offer language classes and kung fu classes to the tune of 15 dollars an hour. They seem to be very nice people and I am sure that they are paying their taxes on the income producing part of their operation. It would, however be handy to see how much that business pays into the town's coffers. "Pay unto Caesar" and all that you know.
Craig
When every other argument posted here has been refuted by common sense responses, the last gasp has to be an attack on a church? In favor of a casino? Are you serious? Maybe this blog should be renamed the Titanic. Credibility is sinking by the minute.
So now the only gambling is between Point Ruston and the City Council. Gee, I wonder who has the higher chip count.
Bradley pays taxes to Ruston for his operations because his company is based here. I don't know how much that is but he says it ain't chicken feed.
Attack the Church? Put down the crack pipe and come out with your pants up Anon. The church has some businesses. That does not fall under a tax-free statute. Everything else they do, does qualify.
Is the infestation of lawyers practicing law out of their homes in Ruston paying their taxes to the town? How about any other businesses that are operating on a nod and a wink? I'm not talking about anyone trying to make a buck to scrape by either.
Craig
attack a church indeed...
BTW Anon, you have zero credibility because you have no name. You are just a tool and not very sharp either.
Craig
I agree Craig. Only the RC crew can screw things up and say what they do. You know anon, you talk about the minority? count them!
ah I see now so the town taxes only the casino? hmmm. What about that deli over on the four way street why were they not taxed? or how about the ruston inn or the antique shop or the other businesses here? why didnt the council just add up what they needed and split it among the businesses rather than hit one business and put all those unfortunate people out of jobs? Man the pressures the council must have on their back to carry with decision making. They are damned if they do and damned if they dont. Ruston needs to have a commercial to adverise the town so possible businesses and others will know Ruston is here. You would be surprised how many WA people dont even know there is a Ruston without driving through by being lost or sightseeing.
So here we are still waiting on the wonderful plan that the council, minus one, has. They won't share it because they don't have a plan. At least not one they want published.
You could at least staple the plan where all could see. Then the public, that you represent, could comment after you ram it through.
That would also expose the purloined stapler and close the case.
Craig
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