Click here to live chat with one of our writers between 9am-5pm CST.
San Jose Card Clubs Expansion, Measure K (June 2010)
From Ballotpedia
Contents |
Two card clubs, the Garden City Casino and Bay 101, were authorized to operate in San Jose. Since the ballot proposition was approved by voters, both card clubs would be allowed to add nine gambling tables to the 40 they each currently have, and increase their $200 wager cap and limit of 21 approved games.[2] The ballot proposition would also increase the city's tax rate on proceeds from the card tables from 13% to 15%. [3] The added tables, and the increased tax rate, were expected to increase tax revenues flowing into San Jose's general operations fund by an estimated $3.6 to $5.25 million per year. The two card clubs currently generate about $13 million in tax revenues for the city.[1]
6 of San Jose's 11 city council members voted to put the measure on the June ballot.
A San Jose city audit found that there were about 50 to 60 arrests a year at the two clubs, with charges including alcohol, drugs, theft and forgery. In 1987, Garden City's former owners were indicted on tax-fraud charges and in 2000, dozens of club employees were indicted on felony charges including loan sharking, drugs and extortion.[4] Throughout California, there are a total of 89 card clubs[5]
Councilwoman Nancy Pyle, who favored a "yes" vote, said that although the card clubs had been "a source of problems", at the same time, "they're 'a nice source of income.'"[4]
Election results
| Measure K | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
 a Yes
| 109,197 | 76.04% | ||
| No | 34,412 | 23.96% | ||
| Total votes | 143,609 | 100.00% | ||
| Voter turnout | % | |||
Election results via the Santa Clara County Website.
Text of measure
The question on the ballot:
| Shall an ordinance be adopted to increase the Cardroom Tax rate on gross revenues from 13% to 15%, increase the number of cardroom tables by 18, permit any card game authorized under State law consistent with City regulations and betting limits as authorized under State law, all subject to City audit and oversight? |
Supporters
Mayor Chuck Reed was one of six San Jose City Council members who voted to put the measure on the June ballot. He said, "If you compare the revenues coming out of the two card rooms - $13 million a year, plus or minus depending on the economy, that’s more than all of our auto dealers combined."
Cindy Chavez, who ran against Reed for mayor, also supported the ballot proposition. She now heads the South Bay AFL-CIO Labor Council.[3]
Bay 101, one of the two card clubs that would be impacted by Measure K, had organized a campaign committee that was expected to spend money on direct mail and television advertising in favor of a "yes" vote.[4]
Assistant Police Chief Fred Abram and San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce President Pat Dando supported Measure K.[4]
Opponents
San Jose Police Officers Association President George Beattie said that caution was in order because even if the city received more in tax revenue from the additional 18 gambling tables, crime in the city was also likely to increase at a time when the police force was already understaffed.[1] The police group voted to officially oppose Measure K in April, saying, "Expanding the operations of these card rooms could jeopardize the safety of our streets, neighborhoods and police officers. We believe that such a move has the potential to increase crime in our city at a time when our already understaffed police force may be reduced even further."[4]
San Jose City Council members who voted against putting the ballot measure on the June ballot were Sam Liccardo, Ash Kalra, Nora Campos, Kansen Chu and Madison Nguyen.[3]
Budget woes
The City of San Jose was facing a budget gap of $116 million, which a local newspaper characterized as "...a huge deficit that will require deep employee pay cuts or layoffs."[3] If the ballot proposition passed, the additional tax revenue realized from the increasing gambling would be slightly less than 5% of San Jose's budget deficit.
The Values Advocacy Council, a socially conservative organization in San Jose, was expected to recommend to its members that they vote against the proposal.[3]
A "taste of Vegas"
In May, the San Jose City Council approved the relocation of the Garden City Casino from Saratoga Avenue to North First Street's tech corridor, where it would be about a mile from Bay 101.
Eric Swallow, the co-owner of the Garden City Casino, said he wanted his casino to become an entertainment mecca: "Even traditional casinos are trying to become more multidimensional. It's more than just for people who want to gamble. They want to hang out, stay over night, have some good entertainment."[5]
External links
- Overview of local ballot measures on June 8 Santa Clara ballots
- Text of June 8, 2010 ballot questions in Santa Clara County
- Garden City Casino, one of two card clubs in San Jose
- Bay 101, one of two card clubs in San Jose
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 KCBS, "Gambling To Go Up For A Vote In San Jose", March 10, 2010
- ↑ New York Times "San Jose Voters to Decide on Expanded Gambling", March 10, 2010
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Mercury News, "Tough times lead to change of tune for card club critics in San Jose", March 12, 2010
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Mercury News, "San Jose police oppose card room expansion", April 21, 2010
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Mercury News, "A taste of Vegas in Silicon Valley?", May 26, 2010
