Richmond mayor says casino vote will hurt city children and child care funding
Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney (D) said $26.5 million in funding for child care programs has been cut from the city’s future spending plans.
Stoney said the culprit was the 39,768 residents who voted against the city's casino referendum last week. Richmonders rejected the City Council-backed $562 million Richmond Grand Resort & Casino project by a margin of nearly 62-38 percent.
Ahead of Election Day on Nov. 7, Stoney and Richmond city councils promised residents that if the casino was approved, a large portion of tax revenue would go toward early childhood programs. At a campaign event in September, Stoney unveiled the Richmond Child Care and Education Trust Fund, a proposed government account that would be created only if voters support the casino plan.
Stoney said the casino's $26.5 million advance will initially be used to fund the account. About $14 million will also be used to build two new day care centers.
But with 15,003 more votes against than in favor of Richmond Grand, the $26.5 million payment will not be honored. Stoney said the city is "back to where we were" and has no shortage of money to better fund early childhood programs.
Last Thursday, Stoney announced he was seeking the governorship of Virginia in 2025.
Responsibility Assignment
Stoney expressed displeasure with the casino's second rejection in three years.
When Richmond voted against the casino, they also voted against an upfront $26.5 million to build two new day care centers and $19 million per year to establish the Richmond Child Care and Education Trust Fund. " said Richmond Mayor Stoney. Since 2017. "We're back to where we were before this opportunity. "
“When Richmonders voted against a casino, they voted against the strongest child care proposal in the area,” Stoney spokesperson Jenny Snyder added.
Stoney said the casino vote means city residents should prepare for higher taxes and less funding for other government programs. Political activist Paul Goodman, who is behind the No Means No Casino political action committee that won support from voters, criticized the mayor and his office for their comments.
You can’t tell me the only way to help kids is to cheat their parents,” Goodman said, referring to a casino that earns tax dollars from gambling losses.
"We don't lack the money in Richmond. We lack the vision and the will to do this," Goldman explained.
The Future of Casino
A gambling bill passed by the Virginia Legislature in 2020 qualified Richmond as a possible casino destination but did not limit the frequency of referendums. The Casino Act states that gambling establishments can only be licensed in five qualifying cities with the support of local voters.
The city’s preferred gaming developer, Urban One, may be giving up on its casino ambitions for good after Richmonders voted against it twice in three years. The black-centric media conglomerate spent millions on two casino referendums to no avail.
Many Richmonders question why Richmond elected officials chose Urban One, a television and radio station operator with no experience developing or operating casinos or resorts, instead of a more qualified company that expressed interest. Notable companies include Golden Nugget Casinos and The Cordish Companies, which launched Live! Casinos in Maryland and Pennsylvania and Bally’s Corporation.
Richmond officials said they wanted to promote social justice by choosing Urban One, but the company's campaign message failed to resonate across the city.
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Source: www.casino.org