Column: New York gaming referendum written for a yes vote

Voters often ask why they’ve never been given a chance to express their opinion on legalizing casino gambling.

The reason: State lawmakers who debated the issue for decades — the delay due in large part to the upstate vs. downstate bickering — failed to pass the measure twice as required under the State Constitution.

Now a referendum is finally in place for the November election. In fact, the item will be No. 1 on the short list that appears above the candidate lines. The problem is, critics contend, the ballot’s couched in language that puts a positive spin on the overall issue.