Candidates For Selectmen Debate Casino at Candidate's Night

As it has been for months, the issue of a potential casino on Route 1 was the main topic during the selectmen debate at the Foxboro Jaycees debate at Foxborough High Friday night.

The debate which featured school committee member Martha Slattery and former State Representative Virginia Copolla challenging incumbents Larry Harrington and Lorraine Brue, mostly featured questions that were at least related to the proposed development of a casino.

Harrington painted a positive picture when asked what Foxborough would be like in 2022 with a casino but noted that Foxborugh’s situation is different to that of a town with an Indian gaming casino and would be more regulation by the state.

“If it's 10 years forward we’ve been able to reduce property taxes by 20-25-percent, because when they came in we were earning almost $15 million a year and the board of selectmen were smart enough to pass that back to the tax payers,” Harrington said.

Also in his scenario was a host agreement that would pay for the fire and police detail required by the site and the 4,000 jobs that the Wynn Group has claimed would be created by the project.

While admitting that the town would not see a cosmetic change or see a population increase, Slattery preferred to see a more concrete proposal before saying what would happen in the next 10 years.

Both Copolla and Brue were adamant in their stance against a casino development. Copolla was confident that the board of selectmen would not approve it, pointing to the board’s 3-2 vote in December to not negotiate over a casino with the Wynn Group.

Copolla specifically relied on her experience at the State House and as a member of the Race Track Citizens’ Advisory Committee to help make the case against the casino. Her argument was simple: The law says that there is no gaming allowed in town.

“We have zoning bylaws that do not allow gaming in the town of Foxborough," Copalla said. "That is very clear to anyone who proposes that.” 

When asked what should be developed instead of a casino, Brue pointed towards the town’s new Master Plan for suggestions.

“The Master Plan program is the ideal approach to be taken to identify what would be the smart type of commercial growth that we should be looking forward to in that area or in any area of the town,” Brue said.

While Harrington noted that the Kraft Group failed in their attempt to bring businesses in to fill a potential business park, Slattery was skeptical in the town’s ability to decide what should be developed.

“We don’t own the land on Route 1 so to try and tell them (Kraft Group) exactly what they need to do with their land is a little bit one-sided,” Slattery said.

In one of the few moments not discussing the casino, all four candidates supported not adding more alcohol licenses to the current 43 while admitting the need for the 12 given to Patriot Place thought special legislation.

The candidates also expressed the need to address the issues concerning drinking at the shopping center’s restaurants. Harrington went as far as to a propose a forum between the selectmen, public safely officials, he town restaurant managers, and package store owners to discuss the issues of drinking and ways to cut down on excessive drinking.

Coppola was confident that there would be no more given, noting that Foxborough can only obtain more licenses though special legislation and that the town would need “a really good reason” to be granted more licenses. 

With the debate coming to a close, the candidates were asked to assess the relationship between the town and the Kraft Group. 

“At this point, I personally would feel as though its a totally shattered relationship,” Slattery said. “If we don’t learn to work together, if we don’t learn to respect one another, we have nothing.”

Copolla described the relationship as dicey and would stride to iron out any problems if a member of the board of selectmen admitting the importance of the Kraft Group.

Not going as far to say its damage, but rather changing, Brue expressed the importance of making sure that both sides are on good working terms with each other.

“It's important that our relationship with our No. 1 tax payer should be a good working relationship,” Brue said.

Praising the Kraft Group’s role in helping the town during the storms that in occured in August and October, Harrington highlighted the good that the relationship has brought while admitting the damage that has recently happened.

“Where this gets broken is when you have people who think power is everything and they try to brow beat them and that’s what town hall leadership has been trying to do,”  Harrington said. “Going to the paper and making fun of them and accusing them of things has hurt the relationship.”

Voting for the selectmen and other town offices takes place on May 7 at the Ahern Middle School from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. 

To view the debate, click here.