The Palm Beach County Commission plans to take a final vote whether to hold a referendum on November 2012, asking voters to allow slots machines at the county’s parimutuel facility, the Palm Beach Kennel Club in West Palm Beach and the old jai-alai fronton in Mangolia Park.  Allowing slot machines would also open the door to more of the casino-style gambling long advocated by the kennel club owners, the influential Rooney family.
 
 “This referendum will be a waste of taxpayers money, and their proposal will bring higher crime rates, and violence to  a neighborhood already in need,” said Pastor Mark D. Boykin.  “I believe that everything that happens in Vegas, must stay in Vegas, and we do not need the kind of crime, prostitution, and others evils associated with gambling to expand in Florida,” continued Pastor Mark D. Boykin.

“PASTOR MARK D. BOYKIN AND THE ASSOCIATION OF HISPANIC PASTORS OF PALM BEACH COUNTY WILL SPEAK AGAINST THE PROPOSED GAMBLING REFERENDUM BY THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS”
 
Contact:  Martin Camacho (561) 329-7896
 
West Palm Beach, Florida (December 19, 2011).   Pastor Mark D. Boykin, Senior Pastor of Church of All Nations in Boca Raton and the Association of Hispanic Pastors of Palm Beach County will be speaking against the proposed gambling referendum by the Palm Beach County Commission on:
 
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2011
9:30 AM
Palm Beach County Commission Chambers, 6th Floor
301 Oliver Road
West Palm Beach, Florida
 
The Palm Beach County Commission plans to take a final vote whether to hold a referendum on November 2012, asking voters to allow slots machines at the county’s parimutuel facility, the Palm Beach Kennel Club in West Palm Beach and the old jai-alai fronton in Mangolia Park.  Allowing slot machines would also open the door to more of the casino-style gambling long advocated by the kennel club owners, the influential Rooney family.
 
 “This referendum will be a waste of taxpayers money, and their proposal will bring higher crime rates, and violence to  a neighborhood already in need,” said Pastor Mark D. Boykin.  “I believe that everything that happens in Vegas, must stay in Vegas, and we do not need the kind of crime, prostitution, and others evils associated with gambling to expand in Florida,” continued Pastor Mark D. Boykin.
 
“For decades we have cultivated a family-friendly vacation postcard image here in Florida and this proposed referendum is a waste of taxpayers money and will destroy our image,” said Pastor Valentin Fontanes, President of the Association of Hispanic Pastors of Palm Beach County.
 
According to NeighborhoodScout.com and based on FBI data from all 17,000 local law enforcement agencies across the United States, the City of Las Vegas, Nevada has 3 of the top 20 most dangerous neighborhoods with the highest predicted rates of violent crime in America.  (#3 Balzar Avenue; #4 N. 28th Street; and #8 D Street; all neighborhoods in the City of Las Vegas).
 
“There have been a numbers of studies that show that gambling does not bring any economic advantages and more importantly it brings a higher rate of crime,” ended Pastor Mark D. Boykin.
 
Pastor Mark D. Boykin, Pastor Valentin Fontanes and others members of the Association of Hispanic Pastors of Palm Beach County will be speaking at the Palm Beach County Commission Meeting. For more information on C.A.G.E (citizens Against Gambling click here