Aram Hodess and Jim McMillan have some very good points on job creation spurring Richmond's economy, but they glossed over the major negative point that gambling in any form is an evil that separates the poor and middle class from their money to finance this project and will continue to fleece all customers far in the future.

Slot machine casinos are the opium for the poor while the high rollers go to Las Vegas where "what happens in Las Vegas used to stay in Las Vegas!"

They compare the proposed casino gambling to the "state lotto" gambling whose reason for existence was to "support the schools." The support for our schools is a well-hidden secret because the money flowing to our local schools is minuscule compared to the cost of financing the schools. The chance of winning is 136,000,000 to 1 and, again, the 135,999,999 suckers (losers) are mainly poor and middle class.

Both modes of gambling create gambling addicts (compulsive gamblers) that wreak havoc on their family systems in the tragedies of divorce, depriving their families of basic living and keeping them in a cycle of poverty.

Casino gambling is a magnet for criminal activity, especially an urban area like Richmond, contrary to the assertion that casino jobs will help diminish the crime environment. Casino gamblers are also compulsive personalities who have problems with alcohol and tobacco.

How much money has been spread around by the Indian gambling lobby to change the vote from no to yes? Is there an environmental impact report that will demand an infrastructure plan that can handle 25,000 car trips a day on an already impacted Interstate 580, Richmond bridge system and Sir Francis Drake Blvd. Entrance/exit to Marin County?

California had a great school system and was the model freeway system that made our state earn the title — "Golden State."

Gambling was illegal during our "golden years: and is not the answer for our current state/local financial problems. We need to go back to our roots that produced our "golden years." Gambling and its social problems are "selling our souls to the devil!"

Kincaide is a resident of Dublin.