New York Sen. Joseph P. Addabbo Jr. wasn’t surprised that his constituents favored legalizing online casinos, poker, and iLottery. However, the Democrat from Woodhaven was a little astonished to see that his Queens constituents believed legalizing prostitution was the right thing to do. Addabbo revealed those thoughts to Bonus as he discussed the results of a survey he’d conducted on his New York State Senate site.
On June 5, he told Bonus that his office had begun tallying the more than 700 responses Addabbo had received from his May 13 to 31 poll. When the questionnaire closed, his personnel saw reactions from as far away as California. While he was happy to see interest in the four-question survey spread that far, he’s only counting answers from his district.
Addabbo said his office will conduct more constituent surveys:
I think it’s important to hear from our people.
The Queens office regularly receives calls and emails, and his constituents unabashedly tell him what they think when they see him. However, Addabbo thinks adding the online survey will provide another feedback channel for those who wouldn’t reach out otherwise.
Addabbo told Bonus he prefers to listen to his constituents because that’s his way of governing.
Listen and lead is what I do.
Meanwhile, Addabbo told Bonus he’d be in Senate sessions and meetings until the New York State Legislature adjourned in the early morning hours of June 7.
Still Counting Addabbo Survey Results
Addabbo’s survey results showed his constituents wanted to legalize New York online casinos, poker, and iLottery.
That topic was also the only bill among the four questions he presented to voters that Addabbo sponsored.
Addabbo introduced SB8185, which calls for iGaming and iLottery legalization. That measure is unlikely to be approved by the legislature before June 7.
The exact question he asked voters in the now-closed survey was:
With many New York residents participating in illegal, unregulated, and unsafe gaming operations over the Internet, I introduced legislation allowing licensed interactive gaming operators to offer online casino games to the public. Steps to protect consumers, combat compulsive gaming, and prevent minors from accessing online gaming sites are included. iGaming would create an estimated $1 billion in additional revenue annually and create jobs.
Do you support or oppose iGaming?
0 Support
0 Oppose
0 Unsure
‘Slightly in Favor’ of Legal Prostitution
The Addabbo survey results are still being counted for the “right to die” bill concerning terminally ill patients, as well as the hyper-local issue regarding QueensLink or QueensWay. (The quickest way to describe the latter issue is public transportation vs. green space.)
The survey told constituents:
The sex trade, particularly prostitution, preys on the most marginalized and vulnerable people in our communities. A Senate bill being discussed would seek to shrink the exploitative system, provide resources to those most impacted, and reduce sex trafficking.
On June 5, Addabbo told Bonus that the responses were “almost 50/50 … but slightly in favor of” legalizing prostitution.
As of the Bonus interview, Addabbo survey results were still being counted.
About the Author
