Casino plan numbers batted about

By Lisa Vorderbrueggen
Contra Costa Times
Posted: 04/24/2010 05:00:00 PM PDT
Updated: 04/24/2010 05:16:12 PM PDT

The courting of public opinion in Richmond over the controversial Indian hotel-casino proposal for Point Molate continues unabated.
The card club cabal behind the Stop the Mega Casino coalition says its internal research shows opposition has grown nearly 10 percentage points between December and April.
Last year, 38 percent of the 400 likely voters surveyed strongly opposed it. By the end of March, 49 percent said they didn't like it. (The poll of 400 likely voters has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.9 points.)
The card clubs have sent out two anti-casino mailers, erected signs and published e-mail blasts in recent months.
The results of the other poll question released — the club is keeping most of the survey figures confidential — is clearly meant to send a message to would-be candidates in Richmond's mayoral and council elections.
It asked whether the respondent is more likely to vote for a candidate who supports or opposes the casino, and 55 percent say they prefer a candidate who says no.
The poll is neither meaningful nor accurate, counters casino spokesman Jim Levine.
He has done plenty of polling on the issue and says the wording of the questions, the way they are asked and the lead-in information all influence the results.
But Levine concedes that the card clubs' blitz is forcing his organization to defend itself.
Pro-casino signs — all properly permitted, he said — are popping up around town. And residents will see more of their campaign in coming weeks, he said.
We can hardly wait.