Port Huron delays vote on casino

Source: Times Herald
City voters may know by April 19 if they will be asked to voice their opinion at the ballot box on a casino in Port Huron.

A state elections official, however, said any advisory vote would be illegal.

The City Council on Monday agreed to have a work session on April 19 to decide on ballot language and sort out details regarding a casino proposed on the Thomas Edison Inn property.

The council may decide at that session to put the issue to the people in an advisory vote -- a vote to gauge what the public wants, Mayor Laurie Sample-Wynn said.

"I believe we should allow the city to vote," she said.

"We had one (advisory vote) in '96," Mayor Sample-Wynn said. "The law must say we can do it."

Mike Ryder of the state's election bureau said advisory votes are not allowed. "They have never have been allowed under state law," he said Monday afternoon.

Even if developers offer to pay the election expenses, which they did in this case, it's still illegal, Mr. Ryder said. "There is one caveat -- if the (city) charter says you do have the authority."

He said Detroit was able to have advisory votes regarding casinos prior to their construction because it is in the city charter.

"Detroit is one of the few cities who have the authority to do it."

John Livesay, Port Huron's city attorney, said there is no reference to advisory votes in Port Huron's charter.

"There isn't anything that says it's legal and there isn't anything saying it's not legal," he said.

Corporation counsel Tim Lozen said the council could go ahead with the vote.

"It's unlikely someone would attempt to stop you," he told the council.

Inn owner Donald Reynolds wants to pair up with an Indian tribe to build the casino. State officials, including Gov. John Engler's office, have said building a casino in Port Huron would require a court battle that developers likely will not win.

Dick Cummings, a member of the casino committee and president of the St. Clair County AFL-CIO, unveiled a color rendition of the proposed three-story building and told the council the casino would be a bounty to the local economy.

He said it would employ 1,000 people who would be paid an average of $10 an hour. Estimated revenue would reach $100 million in the first year and 5% of that would go to help pay the city's costly sewer separation project and relieve taxpayers of the burden.

He said 3% of the revenues would go to charities. A portion of the casino would be an Indian museum.

"The money is going to Canada," Mr. Cummings said referring to the casino in Port Edward across the St. Clair River from the inn.

He said the timing is right but if the voters said no, "everybody can cut their losses and go home."
Source: Times Herald