Dear Editor
In the upcoming City Council election, one of the candidates, Mike Benham, has aligned himself with the anti-smoking advocacy group. A non-smoking agenda would impact our local casino industry which is Mesquite’s largest employer and the cornerstone of our tourism based economy. Other anti-smoking advocates have argued that a non-smoking environment would not affect employment, visitation, or revenue, but I disagree. No one knows their customers better than the entities that cultivate them and are dependent upon them for their continuing existence, and if there was a compelling economic case for these casino’s to be non-smoking, that policy would have already been implemented. I don’t believe that Mesquite can afford or deserves a Councilman that is taking an anti-business stance against our most important industry. There are better choices available.
Jimmy Wike
A non-smoker
Mesquite, NV
I voted for Mike Benham because of his stand on Clean Indoor Air for Mesquite. We need a council person who cares about the health of our local workers and visitors. I believe that making Mesquite the first smoke-free city in Nevada will IMPROVE our casino business. More people will make the trip to Mesquite to gamble in a smoke-free environment than the few people who will travel to Las Vegas.
Let’s do the right thing.
Mesquite may be in Clark County, but it is not Las Vegas. 40 years ago, farms and Western Village Truck Stop were it’s mainstays. Today, it’s government has become so hungry for revenue, we have come to infighting — ridiculous!
I’m sorry but as a non-smoker, you should know that the right of the individual patron/worker to breathe clean air overrules the casino’s right to make profit (especially off everyone’s vices). That said, they will still be profitable either way. When will we do the right thing?!? Why does vice always trump virtue?? I guess I will never understand. I do respect anyone’s right to smoke. I draw the line when it’s unwanted and affects everyone else around them. There is no debate here, the answer to this issue is obvious!
No, the individual does not trump the entity. Why would you think that? The Casinos have owners who are individuals, why do those individuals deserve less rights than everyone else? Nobody is forcing anyone to work, patronize or any thing else in the Casinos. Those who do so do it for the money they’re capable of making there. Those less paying jobs and the people who take them have the option to make minimum wage anywhere and those who want more than minimum wage can find those jobs also, yes, right here in Mesquite. With a little education or training, ANYONE is capable of working for a decent wage. There isn’t one individual who can honestly say they don’t have the choice not to work in a casino and please don’t tell me that those who patronize the casinos HAVE to be there….everyone who doesn’t like the smoke has options to work elsewhere. There is never a time when we have no choice to make, they may not be the most desirable choices but they’re choices. Those who have worked for the casino and haven’t like the smoke, have moved on to bigger and “better for their health jobs”. One in particular was allergic to the smoke so she went back to school, received training, and now works in the Lab at Mesa View hospital. Yes, school loans may not be the most desirable thing to take on but they will offer the opportunity for more choices and you can receive an education that will get you there without going into tremendous debt…many have tried, many have succeeded. Certificate courses are very affordable. Not one person in this world is without choice, we’ve just all become far too ‘choosy’ and, ironically, it’s the choosy ones that find themselves with the least amount of choices.
Income per capita is 13% below the national average with median income 16% below in Mesquite. Unemployment in Mesquite is 5% higher than the national average. Everyone in Mesquite knows who our major employers are – who have a captive work force of minimum wage workers. Yes, anyone can choose to uproot their family and move to another city to work and avoid the health risks. Why should that be their only option?
Lloyd, Where are you getting your figures? As of Sept. 2016 the unemployment rate in the US is 5.9%, in Mesquite it is 5.6% how does that calculate to 5% higher? The way I learned math unemployment in Mesquite .3% lower than the national average. Most of the western states have very low per capita income, Nevada is no exception to that but I can tell you that with one hundred percent certainty that all of the income people make here is not reported. Tipped employees must claim a percentage of their tips, not all of them and they make 8.25 per hour plus their tips which boils down to a yearly income of over 40,000 which is not reported so those numbers are completely skewed and not realistic at all. I used to supervise the VR restaurant and the wait staff made plenty.
Who said people have to uproot and move to a different city? I never said that and please don’t put words into my mouth. I said they’re welcome to change their situation but that doesn’t mean they have to move to do it. The only employees we are really talking about are the ones who work directly in the casino. The housekeeping staff is well away from smoke as the rooms are all smoke free and on different floors than the casino. I’m talking about those who have the lower paying jobs such as porters, they can work at McDonalds and earn the same amount if not more money than they do at the casino. And I’ve actually heard from someone’s mouth that they wouldn’t even think about working at McDonalds or any other fast food place, guess the smoke and cleaning casino toilets must not be that bad, comparatively speaking of course. Those who have lower level paying jobs can get those all around Mesquite any day of the week. Those who choose to stay in that environment are doing so for the money they make but again, it boils down to choice. Lose the smoke and the money or stay for the money. Nobody is faced without choice. There are restaurants all over Mesquite that don’t allow smoking that people can patronize, there are also gambling establishments where there is no smoking like in Smiths and most of the gas stations. Table games would be a different story but if their urge to gamble is stronger than their fear of second hand smoke then where does the problem lie there, I’m sure it’s not with the smokers. Choices, if you don’t like someone’s policy you absolutely have the choice not to go there.
NO indoor smoking
The non-smoking issue is what progressive socialism is all about. Force everyone to conform to your way of thinking. If you don’t smoke and don’t like smoke feel free to visit any other establishment in Mesquite. This is really not an issue for me about smoke vs. no smoke, it is about liberty for the individual and capitalism.
This is an issue that the non smoking lobby has been whining about for over a year, enough. We know what you want, we know how you think. I believe many American’s are sick and tired of having other peoples values forced down their throat. This is exactly why you are seeing the huge crowds at Trump rallies. We already know what is good for us and don’t need to be told by anyone else that they know better.
I suggested in a previous post that if you want a smoke free casino go out and find an investor and build one. That is how capitalism works.
Sorry I sound so annoyed but this issue needs to be put to rest and people need to move on.
To bad the employees will be put to rest first
WOW! IT IS HARD TO BELIEVE THE IDEA OF SOCIALISM HAS CAUSED THIS MUCH CONTROVERSY.IT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT THE REAL INPUT REGARDING THIS DECISION IS NOT ALLOWED TO BE MADE BY THE VERY PEOPLE THAT RELY UPON THE INCOME OF THEIR ESTABLISHMENTS………CHOICES ARE NOW MADE BY OTHERS THAN THE BUSINESS OWNER,A GOOD EXAMPLE WAS IN COLORADO WHERE A BAKERY OWNER WAS ORDERED BY THE SUPREME COURT TO MAKE A WEDDING CAKE FOR A GAY COUPLE AND WHEN HE REFUSED BASED UPON HIS RELIGION,ETC.WAS ORDERED BY THE GOVERNMENT TO COMPLY I HAVE NO BIAS,JUST THINK PERSONAL CHOICE IS NOW ORDERED BY THE COURTS…AS A NON SMOKER AND NOT CARING FOR THE CASINO SMOKE I CHOOSE OF MY OWN ACCORD TO ENTER THAT ESTABLISHMENT AND KNOW MY RISKS.IF I WANT TO GO IN,I KNOW THE RISKS LOGICALLY,IF I DONT WANT SMOKE ,I DONT GO IN…….I DONT LIKE PEOPLE THAT DRINK IN CASINOS EITHER,THEY CAN GET LOUD AND OBNOXIUS AT TIMES.I DONT LIKE KIDS IN CASINOS,EITHER.I HATE PEOPLE THAT CHEW GUM AND SNAP THEIR GUM WHEN I AM AT A MACHINE.THERE ARE HEALTH RISKS FROM ALL THE ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES PRODUCED BY THE MACHINES…..WE CAN GO ON AND ON.
I WOULD CERTAINLY COMPLY IF THE OWNERS STATED NO SMOKING,ETC,BUT I HATE IT WHEN THE LAWS ARE FORCED UPON THE VERY PEOPLE THAT PROVIDE YOU THE ESTABLISHMENT IN THE FIRST PLACE.I DO FEEL FOR THE EMPLOYEES THAT ALSO FEEL THIS WAY,BUT I AM SURE THEY WERE AWARE THAT PEOPLE SMOKE IN CASINOS WHEN THEY WERE HIRED
Very well said and thank you for being a non-smoker who still believes that the property/business owener should have the right to run their business thier way and for being fair in telling people that you CHOOSE. Having the choice is such a good thing, isn’t it? I feel the same way, I don’t like the noise but if I CHOOSE to enter, that’s just something I know I will have to be prepared to tolerate. If I feel that strongly about not wanting to hear it… I just won’t go! There are already enough restrictions placed on us and our God given rights. What kills me in this case is…It’s not their own rights they want to give up…they want to impose restrictions on the rights of the business owners, those are someone else’s rights.