Posted on Tue, Dec. 4, 2007
http://www.philly.com/philly/hp/news...or_casino.html


Court clears way for casino

By Larry King and Jeff Shields
Inquirer Staff Writers
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court went over Philadelphia's head yesterday and cleared the way for construction to begin on the $550 million SugarHouse casino in Fishtown and Northern Liberties.
Finding "deliberate inaction" in City Council's longstanding failure to vote on SugarHouse's zoning and land-use requests, the court took it upon itself to issue the go-ahead.
SugarHouse officials said after the ruling that they expected to start construction in weeks.
The 6-1 decision also is likely to hasten the groundbreaking for the Foxwoods casino in Pennsport. Like SugarHouse, Foxwoods has been pushing for Council approval.
The city "ultimately has no discretion to preclude gaming," the court's opinion stated. "We conclude that the undisputed documentation establishes the deliberate inaction by Council for the purposes of delay."
The court ordered that SugarHouse's site, approved last December by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, be granted the requisite zoning as a commercial entertainment district.
It also declared that SugarHouse's development plan, approved in May by the city Planning Commission, be given final approval with no further input from Council.






and then the crazy people start in..



"Daniel Hunter, coordinator of Casino Free Philadelphia, the city's chief anti-casino group, said his members would ask city officials to ignore the high court's ruling and refuse to issue building permits."



Yeah Danny... that'll work.




""This really does not deter us. This actually infuriates us," said Debbie King, vice president of the Northern Liberties Neighbors Association. "We are outraged by the courts and the city government officials that are trying to jam these casinos down our throats. Where are our rights?""



or


Wahhhahahaha... Things didn't go my way so they MUST BE ALL WRONG!!!



Right Debbie?









See you at the casinos!

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"

Money carries the day, and the casinos go forward once again.

Don't blame me, though, I voted against the casino referendum which allowed this steamroller law by the state legislature.

How about SugarHouse go ahead with digging right now and just ignore the City?

The City cannot do anything, even if it refuses to change the zoning.

What is the City going to do? They have no legal basis anymore.

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WHYY pays their CEO $750,000 a year. So WHYY should I renew my membership? Seems they have no problems finding money and spending it unwisely.


And this is why you should donate to PACCA, not PETA:

In September, PETA made headlines in Vermont and across the nation for asking Ben & Jerry's ice cream to use human breast milk in their ice cream, instead of cow milk

I was always against the casinos, but I realized there was nothing I could do to stop it.

This was one of Eddie's pet projects, and considering all he's done to help this city I say let him have it.

All these anti-casino groups have done is waste people's time and money, the result of which may be an inferior product as the casino companies may now cut corners on design and other public amenities in order to make up for lost money.

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My restlessness is my nemesis.

I really dont understant how a City can have no control over what gets built where.

The fact that Harrisburg can simply impose a Casino wherever they want with the city having no legs to stand on seems wrong.

How is this possible from a legal standpoint and how is it different in PA than it would be in other states. Does anyone have a good explination or a link to one?

The City was given a home rule charter from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on top of special sections in the state Constitution which give the City autonomy to simultaneously behave has as a county government.

That occurred when the City of Philadelphia was made co-terminus with the County of Philadelphia and all the towns within the county were subsumed at once.


The City isn't a nation-state, however. It is still supplicant to state law; including the gaming act and a special bill (Thanks to VINCENT FUMO) which expressly removed the right of the City to have any say-so in locating the special entertainment district zoning the casinos require.


The only way to fight this now is to ask for a writ of certiorari from the United States Supreme Court to appeal and hear the case and remand to the Commonwealth Supreme Court.

__________________
WHYY pays their CEO $750,000 a year. So WHYY should I renew my membership? Seems they have no problems finding money and spending it unwisely.


And this is why you should donate to PACCA, not PETA:

In September, PETA made headlines in Vermont and across the nation for asking Ben & Jerry's ice cream to use human breast milk in their ice cream, instead of cow milk

Or the city could do what the state has done with regard to another supreme court ruling.

The court ruled that the state had to pay for the court system. In 1987. By Jan 1998.

The state has yet to pay.

Apparently, you can simply ignore the supreme court.

So that is what I would do.

And then have the construction men arrested when they show up to do thier jobs. As they are likely to do soon.

edit: read the wrong article

The sooner the better!

I can totally see the anti-casinites doing this.

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My restlessness is my nemesis.

Great thanks! so Harrisburg basically made sure they cut off Philly's balls in the Casino issue before the game even started

clears alot up... .why was this even debated then.... Harrisburg basically could have said bend over and close your eyes Phlly we have a surpirse for you