|
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Comparatively speaking, casinos are the same as landfills
"The Fall River Redevelopment Authority is authorized to develop said land for commercial, industrial,
and other economic developmental purposes, but expressly excluding any use for landfill purposes or for casino/gaming related
purposes." - Land transfer agreement passed by the Fall River
City Council and the State Legislators in 2002
It appears that the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe can't get a good shake when it comes to the land they
pick to try and build their precious casino. The Middleborough land was never theirs to begin with and the Patrick administration
is dead set against it. Now, although the tribe has had converstions with Fall River Mayor William Flanagan, it seems
that the land in question, according to The Greater Southeastern Massachusetts Labor Council, is off limits and it would take both a 2/3rds vote of Fall River's city council and approval from the state legislature
to amend the act to include casinos. Like that will ever happen. The tribe can't even get the Midleborough or
Mashpee land into trust. They can't do it in Fall River either.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Not On My Quarter!
"I would rather throw these two quarters in the sewer of New Bedford than to give it to those
S.O.B.s" - New Bedford Mayor, Scott Lang
This comment came from Mayor Scott Lang during a meeting with members of CasinoFacts.org and USS-Mass.org late Friday afternoon. Thank you Mr. Lang for letting us seek your audience. He stated this as he described the
first time he went Foxwoods Casino & Resort while passing through CT. He thought that he should at least go in and
visit a casino, if he was ever going to mute critics of any decisions he made about having a casino in New Bedford.
He had two quarters in his pocket, so he thought he would play the slots. He walked in and observed the elderly with
their little red cups filled with coins sitting at the machines and putting them in one after another. The vision of
people who ought not be there throwing their money away repulsed him so much, he walked out after ten minutes, called a friend
and made the above quote.
This coming from a man, a mayor, who feels that the moral arguments against predatory gambling are
mute. We duly noted that and he agreed that the moral arguments have a fiscal cost. His belief that if or when
the MA state legislature passes some form of casino gambling that he has the will and power to "get it right" for New Bedford.
Somehow that all the communities that brought in gambling as some panacia of "jobs, jobs, jobs" and increased state revenues
could not do, but he can. Being a former hard nosed lawyer and sports negotiator certainly in his mind feels he can
do it. He did say that if he cannot get what he believes to be full mitigated costs paid for by the casino(s), he "will
not support it." His way or the highway. But, should he not know that the gambling industry has equally, if not
more tenacious lawyers than even himself?
"Casinoitis killed Revere Copper."
He definitely is confident in his leadership abilities and is determined to do his best
for New Bedford. That, I think is where his weakness lies. Although he has watched and disapproved of the tactics
used by the likes of Northeast Realty taking options on the Revere Copper property only to facilitate closing down the plant.
According to Mayor Lang it was not foreign competition brought about by some free trade agreement, but it was the owners
that could not pass up a sweetheart deal to win support for gambling interests. It hurt New Bedford the loss of jobs
and a one of a kind copper processing plant in the country. He thinks he can get it done and stick it to them.
His overconfidence may be New Bedford's complete destruction. New Bedford could become the Detroit of the Northeast,
another Niagra, Buffalo or Atlantic City. Casinos have done nothing to help urban areas. They have never helped
suburban nor rural areas.
"There are city councilors who are already fitting themselves for their tuxedos."
This is such a warning shot, I'm surprised he allows it to continue. Stephen Sears, of
USS-Mass and a member of the Palmer Casino Resort Study Committee noted that even in his own town that an elected official
has already started getting paid as a "consultant" for one of the suiters of a casino. This is outrageous. Time
to see the forest for the trees.
Mayor Lang, you stated that you feel you will actually do more good for New Bedford suing the pants
off of those you don't like once you get out of office and return to private practice. Well, it just may be the casino
industry if they are let to set one foot into New Bedford.
It was encouraging that Mayor Scott Lang agreed that 'Yes", there should be a fully independent cost/benefit
analysis of any and all gambling proposals brought to the state before any proposed legislation or vote on such is taken.
He agreed to let his state legislative delegation know to request one. There is hope, but we press forward.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Talk To The Hand
 “If the governor refuses to deal with us and distributes licenses to other casino operators, we won’t give the state a cent
when we build a gaming facility in Southeastern Massachusetts.” - Mashpee Wampanoag tribal chairman Cedric Cromwell
Take your toys and go home to Mashpee, but please, stop the whining. Are your new Malaysian
investors that hopeful that your threats can change any real minds about how to proceed?
Saturday, December 26, 2009
"I'm not trying to be a jerk here, I'm not trying to be obstreperous, it's just there is harm
that is associated with gambling that has to be dealt with, and that's the reason to go about this with extreme care, and
that's why I think the setting for this and the limited number of new settings matter." - MA Speaker of the House,
Robert DeLeo
Mr. Speaker, what are you trying to be or say then? On one hand you say
you want "to go about this with extreme care", yet on the other you are reluctant to have an independent cost/benefit analysis
of expanded gambling. You do admit there are "costs." What are your reasons for the delaying such much needed
decision making material and wanting to pass next year so quickly an expanded gambling bill.
It is nice to hear that Governor Patrick may be changing stance on gambling expansion, but how much influence will his increased knowledge brought about an hour plus meeting with members of USS-Mass.org have on the state legislators? It appears the governor had not known a lot about the whole gambling
issue here in MA than he did not know before. He didn't know that in July of 2007 there were two votes in Middleborough's
largest ever special town meeting. He knew of the vote to sign an agreement with the Mashpee Wampanoag under the false
pretense that they were coming anyway, whether the town signed the agreement or not. But, was unaware of the overwhelming
majority who voted that the people did not want a monster casino in the town. Amazing what a little more knowledge
can do to one's opinions. It is good to see that the hard work of information gathering and distribution is paying off.
All this begs to question, just what do the governor and the MA legislators really know about expanded gambling and its effects
on the economy, communities and on families?
Keep pressing forward in the New Year and the expansion of gambling in the state
will go the way of all prior attempts. They have been talking about it for almost 20 years and still no slots or casinos.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
A New Thanksgiving Tradition?
Not if I can help it. Besides, since both have leadership and money issues, this will never
happen.
Have a casino free Thanksgiving everyone.
7:32 pm est
MASC Update
After the word getting out concerning the proposed resolutions of the Massachusetts Association of School Committees contained previsions which included items to advocate a rise in the state income tax and promotion casino gambling in MA,
the MASC due to pressure from activists and members ammended their resolutions at their anual meeting last weekend and removed
such foolish advocacy. Another victory for the good guys.
And, Happy Thanksgiving!
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Follow The Leader
Following the lead of the Massachusetts Teachers Association (The MTA or the reverse
ATM, it takes money from you) the Massachusetts Association of School Committees at its MASC/MASS 45th Annual Joint Conference on November 18-21st, 2009 has its Report of the Resolutions Committee with the following item:
RESOLUTION 1 SCHOOL FUNDING
[Submitted by the
MASC Advocacy Committee]
WHEREAS in the current economic crisis, school finance has become a more critical component to ensure that students
receive a public education that helps them reach high levels of achievement and meet the state’s highest-in-the-nation standards,
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Massachusetts Association of School Committees reaffirms its advocacy positions
on funding of the public schools:...
• In order to generate additional funding necessary to finance the public
schools and the range of social services necessary to support children and their families, the legislature
take the following actions:
• Restore the state income tax to 5.9%.
• Explore the possibilities inherent in expanding casino-style gaming, including, but not limited to expansion of gaming devices at state
race tracks or other approved venues...
RATIONALE: This sets out MASC’s proposals for revenue, including
restoration of the sales tax and exploration of gaming...
The two big items
to generate funding for schools are to raise your taxes while you hurting financially and bring in more gambling to fatten
state coffers with money from the elderly, poor and addicted.
You need to find
out who your local school committee is sending to this conference and let them know that Resolution 1 is bad for
the state of Massachusetts and our children. You have seen the videos, Slots for Tots Part 1, Slots for Tots Part 2 & Slots for Tots 2009. Have them demand a vote to amend the resolution to take out such irresponsible fiscal policies. I
know mine is.
Contact the MASC Board of Directors and Division Officers today to have them remove such irresponsible resolutions from their statements of advocacy.
These are the people
instructing our school committees on what is supposed to be their priorities? Where did they go to school, The Carney/Wynn/Trump
School of Finance?
Thursday, October 22, 2009
The Trend Continues
Crime rate up 26% since the opening of Hollywood Slots
|
PORTLAND - For the third straight year, the crime rate
in Bangor increased last year while crimes in Maine's other large cities show a sharp decline, according to newly released
data by the Maine Department of Public Safety.
According to an analysis of data recently posted
on the Maine Department of Public Safety's website, Bangor's crime rate went from 63.15 offenses per 1,000 residents in 2007 to 65.07 offenses in 2008,
an increase of 3%. By comparison, the crime rate in Portland fell by nearly 8% in the same time period, and declined 3% in
Lewiston.
Since 2005 - the year that the state's only gambling
casino opened in Bangor - crime in that city has increased 26%, while it has fallen in Maine's other two large cities - down
4% in Portland and 11.5% in Lewiston. |
2:40 pm est
Sunday, October 18, 2009
To The Moon, Norton!
"I noticed the article by Kevin Thomas, several days ago that made a strong case against a casino resort for New Bedford. I have no problem
with anyone being opposed to gaming, whether on moral, religious or even economic reasons." - Steve
Norton, Norton Management LLC, ILL. former President/ COO at Argosy Casino; President, COO at Sands Hotel
Casino, Las Vegas.
Steve Norton seems to get a lot of print space in The Standard Times. Do a search
on the ST website and the articles and opinion pieces are numerous. I wonder if he has an honorary position on the editorial
board? In Steve Norton's recent commentary, Get facts straight on
casino gambling, he neglected to mention some other facts. The biggest of which is he represents Norton Management LLC
that is neck deep in the casino industry and prior employment. Steve forgot to mention that fact in his "view".
Steve has for years been trolling New Bedford advocating gambling in the Bay State for his own benefit and lobbies extensively
in this state. I find it disingenuous when
he considers other's "strong case against a casino resort," but not strong enough for him to sell his wares on the south coast.
Here are other facts:
The casinos in Atlantic City have turned the area continually down.
The casino in Niagra Canada has knocked off the local businesses surrounding it.
I've seen it. It used to be real nice.
There is no trickle down effect economically from casinos. No new businesses come
in (except maybe pawn shops). Empire Loan I'm sure will do a killing. They cannibalize other businesses.
That is why the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce is against bringing casinos to southeastern Mass.
"Entertainment" & tourism are built on discretionary spending. Money we don't need to live or pay bills. This makes the industry in of
itself susceptible to a souring economy when it depends on the
locals for its business. This past year is proof of the fact. Unless you are an addict, you are not going to spend
money you don't have at a casino.
No state that has introduced predatory gambling has ever solved its revenue problems or
given their citizens promised tax relief.
80% of casino revenue comes from 10% of the players. Not the Antoine Walkers of
the world, but senior citizens, the poor looking for the big hit and the gambling addicted. Any industry that takes
advantage of the poor and needy for profit is not one to be endorsed or encouraged in our state.
The gambling industry with all its experts cannot give an accounting of the costs associated.
If they did, would any on be supporting it?
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Dorgan/Franken Sausage
"There are two things you don’t want to see being made—sausage and legislation."
Attributed to Otto von Bismark (1815-1898)
Much has been said of the recent developments relating to a "Carcieri fix" to the recent US Supreme Court ruling that not only denied the Narragansett Indians in RI to have the Secretary of the Interior place
land into federal trust for them, but also has denied all tribes who were only federally recognized after 1934 the same.
Also, a reported decision by the Bureau of Indian Affairs to review the Bush era policy changes that made off reservation casinos more restricted and harder to attain. Pro-indian casino
types like those surrounding  Middleborough MA are as giddy as little school girls and anti-casino types of any kind (because we are not anti-Indian
as the pros would want you to think, but are just anti-casino not wanting a casino run by anyone, Indians,
their investors or the Steve Wynns of the world) are hitting the panic button.
These are all well understandable reactions to a very emotional issue for most. If you know how
sausage is made, you may become reluctant to ever wanting to eat it again. Some don't care how it's made and with what
and will still eat it. The same is for any legislation put before Congress. Once the process starts, the ingredients
can make your stomach churn.
The bill being introduced to a Senate committee is here. It is a very simple 2 page bill. Unlike the government health care bill (one really big
sausage) which is over 1,000 pages and is getting the once over by both side of the political spectrum. The problem
with the bill Senator Dorgen has introduced is that it is too simple. It basically takes out the word "now" and the
deadline for when a tribe was to have been a federally recognized Indian tribe of 1934. Here are some of the many reasons
why this hunk of legislation will go through the meat grinder and not come out and accomplish what it's sponsors intend, either
making it either useless or discarded as a bad sausage.
1) One of the co-sponsors is Sen Al Franken. It must
be just a bad joke. He just is not funny.
2) Although there are 8 signed on to it, there are many Senators
who are very leary of making "any federally recognized Indian Tribe" eligible for "land into trust". Senate President
Harry Reid is one of them.
“As you know, we strongly opposed taking off-reservation lands into trust for gaming
purposes,” writes Reid and four other senators.
From Gambling Compliance article 9/28/2009. You have to be registered to view.
3) The private gambling industry is not going
to sit back and let market share just walk away from them.
“The casino industry, many blue Democrats,
most Republicans and above all the unions are against expanded Native American gambling,” writes
Reverend Richard McGowan, an economist and gaming industry expert at Boston College.
4) Changing a few meaning full
phrases in the Indian Reorganization Act because of the Carcieri decision does not nullify Hawaii v Office of Hawaiian Affairs, which I explain here. In a nutshell states that the feds can not take land from one sovereign (the states) and give
it to another (an Indian tribe).
5) US Rep. Barney Frank says. “It’s virtually a zero chance,” Read it near the end of this article.
6) Massachusetts Attorney General and announced candidate for US Senate, Martha Coakley signed on to
the Amicus Brief of Carcieri v SOI along with more than half of the other states. These states and ours are not going
to just let this win for their sovereign state rights just go walking out the door either.
7) Other Gambling Casino Tribes are against any changes. Also from the Gambling Compliance
article:
The political leverage of the Indian gaming industry should not be discounted, argued William Thompson,
a professor and gaming industry expert at the University of Nevada Las Vegas.
Although from the writer's perspective, this is a statement favoring a "Fix", both he and Prof. Thompson
are neglecting the gambling tribes who don't want any competition from other tribes. Indian country is divided on this
issue. They have money and influence as well.
This is how I see it. It is no time to panic folks, but we should always be diligent. Write
your US Congressmen and Senators today. Let them know how and what you feel about the taste of Dorgan/Franken sausage.
___________________________________________________________
COMMENTS:
Gladys said:
Thank you Carl for that very thoughtful, well-detailed explanation about
this new bull bill. Just wanted you to know, however, that I for one have not been hitting the panic button.
Based on my understanding of the issue, and my contacts with those who understand it better than I do, I find
myself calmly serene that all is well and safe in Carcieri land. BTW, I am also a vegetarian
|
|
2010.02.01
2010.01.01
2009.12.01
2009.11.01
2009.10.01
2009.09.01
2009.08.01
2009.07.01
2009.06.01
2009.05.01
2009.04.01
2009.03.01
2009.02.01
2009.01.01
2008.12.01
2008.11.01
2008.10.01
2008.09.01
2008.08.01
2008.07.01
2008.06.01
2008.05.01
2008.04.01
2008.03.01
2008.02.01
2008.01.01
2007.12.01
2007.11.01
|
