No Gambling in Fillmore

The proposed card casino for the city of Fillmore has been called a card hall, a card parlor, a card room, et cetera. But according to my Random House Dictionary, it is a casino, since gambling will be going on. The casino is to consist of 40 tables to start, and is expected to increase to 100 tables in the future. I am one of many opposed to such a card casino being erected in Fillmore. The Fillmore Investment Group, a limited partnership, is pushing to get the City Council of Fillmore to pass an ordinance allowing another gambling license in Fillmore. Only one partner lives in Fillmore--namely Bill De Zavala. The other four partners who live out of town are:

Arthur Lurie, of Las Vegas. He owns a restaurant in Las Vegas called Art’s Place. His son, Ron Lurie, is the mayor of Las Vegas at this time.

Haig Kelegian was or still is connected with the gambling casino in the City of Commerce. At one time he sat on the board of that casino.

Seymour Gordon, a druggist, and Mitchell Kahn, a CPA, both work in Oxnard.

The gambling card casino that they have presented to the City Council has the possibility of making big money. Where big money is involved, and especially in gambling, corruption is of common practice. Ask the citizens of the City of Commerce, Bell Gardens and Gardena. The people of the casinos try to run the communities they are in, and have succeeded in most.

Fillmore doesn’t need the kind of money or the negative impact that a gambling card casino will bring. Our City Council should draft an ordinance that allows the residents of Fillmore to vote either yes or no on this important gambling issue.

FRED A. KRONE

Fillmore