I’d like to pose a couple questions:
First: Why, instead of n American, do we have a Native-American casino and tax-free zone in the middle of Niagara Falls?
Second: Why does a Sovereign Nation make billions from gambling and tax-free businesses while we struggle to keep libraries open, roads paved and our children from leaving Western New York?
Albany, is the answer.
Albany created a monster known as “Niagara Falls, Seneca,” a 50-acre “country,” with a tax-free hotel, tax-free souvenir, gift and clothing stores, tax-free restaurants, taverns, conference center, and a monopoly on casinos.
It was created not on an Indian reservation, but, uniquely, on U.S. land smack in the middle of Niagara Falls, given away to a foreign nation to compete tax-free against tax-paying Americans.
It would be treason anywhere else.
Obviously good government secures the rights and preserves the prosperity of people they are elected to serve. But Albany, governing otherwise, ruled that for Americans in New York “gambling is illegal.”
But it’s OK for Seneca to profit.
Sure, 25 percent of what Albany gets goes to Niagara Falls. But it’s a pittance compared to what the casino makes. And realize please that Niagara Falls pays for “hosting,” paying for roads and infrastructure that lead to Seneca and increased criminal justice and social welfare costs associated with casino-fueled gambling addiction, while simultaneously bearing the loss of property, sales and bed tax revenues.
But that’s not all: Seneca businesses compete tax-free against tax-paying businesses in – according to CNNMoney.com – the second highest-taxed place in the U.S.
The result, Seneca is gleaming while dozens of American businesses collapse. Four hotels closed. The ice skating rink closed. Restaurants and taverns are closing. The area adjacent to Seneca plunged into desolation.
It gets worse, the insane Seneca/Albany compact provides for Seneca acquiring additional, adjacent land – to remove from the U.S. – for more tax-free businesses to compete against us.
The new, 26-story, 604-room, Seneca Niagara Hotel, the largest in the area, has deluxe rooms and pillow-top beds. Local hotels would have pillow-top beds, too, if they paid no property, sales, income or bed tax. Two more hotels, behemoths, by the way, are planned with a combined 1,250 rooms. Even the feeble-minded ought to comprehend that when you open brand new, glistening hotels and pay no taxes you have a distinct advantage over longtime, faithful, aging American hotels who are struggling under the weight of the state’s killingly high taxes.
Still, Albany wants us to believe Seneca is having a positive impact.
Slot revenue generates millions for Albany (to aid New York City) and $72 million was paid in payroll. Yet the latter was paid mainly in hourly divisions near minimum wage.
Meanwhile, studies suggest that for every job created by a casino, at least one regional job is lost. There aren’t more jobs, just more of us working under Seneca.
With Seneca’s continuing tax-free expansion, the economic balance will continue to shift until foreigners own the town.
“Foreigners?” my critics object, “Seneca is more American than you!”
But, Seneca, by their acclamation, is a sovereign nation. You can’t have it both ways: American when it suits you, a foreign nation when it helps you.
Still, some want Seneca to be legally superior.
Bewildered, hones Americans ask, “Why does a person, because of race – and tribe – have a legal advantage over other Americans?”
“Because of what Columbus, Custer and others did,” the apologists answer. Referring to people long-dead with similar skin hues, they add, “We savaged the Native Americans.”
But who is this, “we?” Was it my ancestors? They were in Italy at the time.
Logically, the argument that, because of race, or ethnicity, I, you, or “we” should be responsible for deeds done prior to our birth falls to pieces – unless, of course, they’re referring to reincarnation. I wasn’t in Niagara Falls in 1794.
Nevertheless, some feel they owe the debts of their ancestors who they think stole Niagara Falls from poor (now rich) Seneca. Actually, the Neutrals, a peace-loving Indian tribe occupied Niagara Falls until the mid-18th century, when Seneca wiped them out. Seneca “stole” Niagara Falls from the Neutrals and squatted  here only 50 years before the Europeans threw them off.
To those still guilt-ridden, I suggest it’s time you stopped feeling guilty for the manhood of your European-American ancestors. Seneca’s ancestors were warriors, too. If your ancestors conquered them, kindly remember they’d have conquered your ancestors, as they conquered the Neutrals, if they had had the strength.
The difference is, had Seneca won, it’s unlikely they’d feel guilty about it. Ask any one of them if they think they should share their gaming profits with the descendants of the Neutrals.
But all of this rather tepid brand of idiotic debate doesn’t change the torrid fact that one group  because of their ethnicity has as astounding legal preference over everyone else.
For those strong enough to understand it: It’s time to demand equality with Seneca now!

Frank Parlato is a Niagara Falls businessman.