A Message
from Terry Lanni 4/23/08
I believe
every Nevadan should express an
opinion in the political
process. However, I also
strongly believe that we should
each express an informed
opinion.
I’m writing to
you today to warn you that a
group is currently in your
neighborhoods seeking signatures
on petitions for a deceptive
ballot measure. These people are
counting on you signing their
petition before you learn the
facts about how damaging it
could be to our state and our
industry.
The success of
our state’s education system is
a top priority for our company,
the same as I’m sure it is for
each of you. But the fact of the
matter is gaming companies
already pay taxes that make up
50% of Nevada’s budget. Much of
this money goes toward paying
for children’s educations.
Some time ago,
the leadership of the teachers’
union decided to try and make
the biggest tax grab in Nevada
history. Their plan: Change our
state Constitution and raise the
gaming tax by 44%. In the eyes
of the teachers’ union
leadership, this money would be
used to give huge raises to
every one of their members, with
no direct tie to performance
evaluations or accountability
measures.
Teachers’
union leaders would have us give
them hundreds of millions of
dollars in new taxes for teacher
pay raises, but would have no
limits on how raises are
assigned, no teacher performance
standards, and no accountability
controls to prove these millions
of new tax dollars actually
improve our education system at
all. This tax would pay for no
new books for our students, no
new equipment for our
classrooms, no improvements for
our campuses.
The teachers’
union wants the promise of
higher pay with no promise that
Nevada’s children would receive
a better education.
While the
teachers’ union proposal is full
of uncertainties, one thing is
certain; a 44% increase in the
state gaming tax would have a
terrible impact on our company.
Money that
could build new developments to
attract tourists to Las Vegas
would be lost.
Money that
could create jobs and
opportunities for our family of
employees would be lost.
Money that
could provide the best possible
health care to our employees and
their families would be lost.
Let me be
clear - We are not against
improving education in Nevada.
Far from it, but if we are going
to provide more money for
education, we all deserve to
know that money is going to be
spent wisely, that there will be
accountability for every dollar
spent, and that our children
will actually benefit through a
better education.
This teachers’
union tax grab gives us none of
those assurances, and will have
a devastating impact on our
company and our state. None of
us should support that; and none
of us should sign this deceptive
petition.
If you oppose
this misleading tax grab
amendment, the most important
thing you can do is ask the hard
questions and not sign their
petition.
J Terrence
Lanni
Chairman and
CEO
Response
from the Webmaster
We want to thank you Mr. Lanni for your riveting opinion
concerning our under funded school system and our under paid school
teachers.
All these pre-shift
meetings have an ULTERIOR
MOTIVE, and it's to brainwash us
slowly since MGM/Mirage took over, and the penalty is job loss. On 4-26-2008 we
had a pre-shift meeting where a pit manager addressed us concerning the
teachers petition, that is currently going around home to home, requesting
we sign, so they can get 44% raise in addition to what they receive from the
taxes that gaming pays. As he stated this to us he threaten that there
would be job cuts if we decided to voted yes (in so many words). We are in
AMERICA and should be able to vote and
make our own individual choices towards our political views without having
to worry about losing our jobs, which is exactly what they
directly/indirectly told us. They are imposing their political views
forcefully (if I may add) on us, to sway us in their direction, with
threats of job loss or lay offs if we don't conform. Again this is all
about Profits and Gains for the Corporation. We have the right to vote
as we please and believe. Right now teachers
average $33,000 per year, which if they are a family of 4 it places them at
the poverty line! Our children are our future and I
believe that this 44% is not going to break a Corporation such as
MGM/Mirage, when all of our
taxes thru gaming go to our parks, recreation and roads. Think about it,
aren't our schools and our children of the future as important
if not more important? What's next? Who we are going to have to vote for president?
being a democrat or a republican at their choice. Under our United States
Constitution this should never, ever affect our job security. So guys
wise up, listen up, step back and take a look at what's going on!
This is an interview with Terry Lanni
(Click below)
Face to Face: Chilling Effect?-Las Vegas Sun
Think about this, Terry Lanni makes at least
$2 million dollars a year in salary, and another 7-12 Million dollars a year
in annual bonuses! Poor Guy! Do you think he really cares about us the
little people? As he proudly affirms earning that sum . He sends his
"go-fers" to send his message to us, then because he wasn't at
the pre-shift meeting he can always say "I didn't say that" or "that was not
the intended message!" Well Dealers you are slowly being put to sleep and controlled,
we are only
numbers at the Mandalay Bay. I hate to inform you but you are not as special as they
would have you
believe, as they string you along maybe with a promise of a new job-or a promotion or just to keep
your present position. Remember you have:
CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS! And nobody can take that away from you,
Green
card or not!!
So when it
comes to signing a petition or an TWU Confidential Authorization Card these
are your choices, not theirs!!!!!
