Jobs for Foxboro Announces Steering Committee

(A Press Release From Jobs for Foxboro)

Dozens of Foxboro residents have volunteered to serve as the Jobs For Foxboro Steering Committee. The steering committee represents hundreds of Foxboro residents who support the proposed Wynn Foxborough resort destination casino and demand that every Foxboro resident have their say on the proposal at a binding, town-wide referendum.

The Steering Committee includes:

• Paul Bartorelli, contractor
• Stan Bykowski, retired public employee
• Millie Cetrone, realtor
• Jen DeAngelis, professional and mother of two
• Robert and Becky Flaherty, business owners
• Dan and Nancy Flynn, union carpenter and spouse
• Robert Gaulin, retired Foxboro Fire Chief
• Joanne Hensas, business owner
• Aulus Maloof, contractor
• Bea Maloof, U.S. service veteran
• Roz and Charles Liftman, senior citizens
• Glenn Motts, retired U.S. Army
• Margie Oakes, senior citizen
• Effie Orfanides, freelance writer
• Steve Sloan, community activist and former candidate for Selectman

Jobs for Foxboro residents urges the Foxborough Board of Selectmen to let all voices be heard by entering into negotiations with Wynn Resorts.

Once the selectmen agree to negotiate exactly what Foxborough wants in return for welcoming Wynn Resorts to the community, the entire community can consider the proposed benefits – at no cost to taxpayers – because costs related to negotiations, including legal fees and consultants, must be covered by Wynn Resorts.

The potential benefits of a Wynn Foxborough resort include $10 to $15 million in new annual tax revenue, up to 4,000 new permanent jobs, additional mitigation fees that would provide millions in funding for all identified public safety (police/fire) requirements, all required utility upgrades (water/sewer, electricity), and necessary traffic improvements on Route 1.

In light of the Town of Foxboro’s financial standing, Jobs for Foxboro has called for a townwide referendum on the proposed Wynn Resorts.

Foxboro’s presently faces more than $100 million in long-term debt and has endurfed “level funding” (flat budgets combined with service reductions.)  At the same time, residential property taxes have been increased to the maximum allowable level for 14 consecutive years and will increase again in the coming fiscal year.

Over the past two years, the town also has increased commercial taxes (hotel tax and meals taxes) to compensate for lower levels of state and federal aid. On an inflation adjusted basis, the town has endured a net loss of over $15 million in state revenue since 2001, making it increasingly difficult for the town to sustain and fund services.

Wynn Resorts has asked Foxboro officials to consider its proposal, which has the potential to provide a sustainable, secure financial future for the Town of Foxboro and would deliver amenities such as a luxury hotel and a convention center.

About Jobs for Foxboro

Jobs for Foxboro supports the Wynn Foxborough resort destination casino and urges that every Foxboro resident be allowed the right to vote on the proposal. Our organization is comprised of Foxboro residents and is committed to engaging the town about the potential benefits and issues associated with a mixed-use destination convention hotel and casino.  As a best-in-class operator of resort destinations, Wynn Resorts is capable of delivering thousands of sustainable jobs to the region and creating a lasting revenue stream for the town that provides a secure financial future for Foxboro.  By engaging in positive dialogue about the potential benefits and issues associated with the proposed development and gathering credible, verifiable third-party research regarding the impacts of destination resort casinos (such as the United States National Gambling Impact Study conducted by a panel of leading academics and experts under the direction on the President, the Speaker of the House and the Senate Majority Leader), town residents will be best able to make an informed decision at a town-wide referendum.