BLOG: Wynn Knows What He Needs To Do, Why Doesn't He Do It!

Now we get the TV advertising ... this is not a friendly effort, it is a paid effort!  And before it even opens, public safety is in peril all over town. 

Outside, out of town, groups continue to press us in open session to change our current posture on the Casino. These “jobs” proponents just tell us there will be many jobs ... just give us details, how many kitchen help and maids, how many busboys, how many valet parking; how many managers, dealers, etc. and where do they reside? 

As with Foxwoods in Norwich? Where here, and with what transportation, or 1 or 2 thousand 40B housing units to be built? And the new schools to go with these units?  And the water and sewage problems? This does not even talk about the complex itself with the public safety, traffic and fire support.

The problem we all have is very simple, ...

Per the statute, first an application must be submitted to a host community, including all building codes and local ordnance adherence. Second is followed by the ballot vote.  Third, with the two approvals the material goes to the State Commission. 

1. Do nothing until the application is submitted. The selectmen and the town still control (the Commission is yet to issue the requirements) what will be included prior to approval without interruption. If we become interested at this application point, we can assure that we control the system and its contents. We can send the applicant back for further mitigation, for the best deal WE can achieve. We still maintain a position where we need not change the present posture until it is to our advantage. It will be up to the applicant, with his interest in making money, at this point to get us interested in changing the current process. Let’s not forget that it was an obvious business decision to build the stadium here rather than Hartford, Conn. The deal was here.  Or;

2. Buy into Wynn’s propaganda. Make a move now, and assure that Wynn gives us the least he can. We can then try to push back, but he would say you already agreed to a casino, and this is what I propose! We have lost the advantage! 

There are many unknowns in the legislation, awaiting the regulations and the procedures.  Two issues emerge; the first is totally unclear ... mitigation ... there is to be mitigation committees established after acceptance of the proposals and after the revenue stream begins, and funded by 6.5% of the Gaming Revenue fund (Sec 59) established by the State, and distributed by the Commission (Sec 61), “to assist the host community ...” etc., for water and sewer, education, transportation, infrastructure, housing, public safety, etc.  Parties requesting appropriations from the fund must apply each and every year! And this becomes political at the state level, much as the surrounding community mitigation caps are controlled by the state. And let’s consider that the residences most affected by this casino are not in Foxboro, but across their property line in Walpole.

Other than taxes, or direct casino costs such as police, there is little I see in the legislation to interest anyone in town except the Kraft/Wynn businesses. What we need to do is to stand firm, until we see something meaningful, and then react.  What is in it for us?  JOBS?  These jobs are for eastern Mass.  How many trained casino persons live in Foxboro?  These are typically not prevailing wage (union) construction jobs!  We have a low unemployment number, we are apparently in good shape compared to our neighbors, some of whom are talking about charging for bussing, athletics or school parking.  And if we can prevail upon Wynn to take care of OPEB, future school building and housing impacts, and the sewage problem, in the initial proposal, while maintaining the character of the town in general, ONLY then should we consider the proposal.  Wynn needs to spend UP FRONT serious money for plans, professionals, planners, etc. ... and mitigationists, rather than the advertisers and the propagandists. We should also not wait for the State to insert its will on us.

The second issue is the liquor license, 7 day except between 2 a.m. and 8 a.m. each day. This includes the free booze, and all of this is controlled by the State. What happens on football or soccer day? Do we have anything to say on this? ... NO!