One thing I've learned working with CasinoFacts, is how many different ways there are to contribute to a cause. So much energy and so many ideas.
Continuing in that spirit, I'd like to start a conversation about Phase II.
Tell me what you think are the next steps by commenting or sending an e-mail to:
gladys@casinofacts.org
Posts
18 comments:
I'm in Kingston exactly twelve miles from the KOA Campground on 44. Like you, I feel strongly that residents of neighboring communities should have a say in whether or not a casino is built in Middleboro. I haven't found a single person OUTSIDE of Middleboro who thinks it is a good idea. Does beautiful Southeastern Massachusetts really need a casino? Please.
My sister's husband's folks live in Middleboro. Their grandchildren are my nieces. There happened to be birthday parties for my nieces the weekend before the vote as well as the day after.
They voted YES - and you're right that the reason they did so was because they had been CONVINCED that if the town didn't take the casino along with the agreement bearing gifts, that it would come in anyway with no cash gifts to the town.
This argument worked - legitimately, I think - in Kingston recently regarding a 40R vs. 40B project planned for the 100 acres of sandpit below the mall, surrounding the Kingston commuter rail station. The difference here, of course, is that the 40R/40B situation rests upon state law requiring towns to create/maintain a certain amount of affordable housing.
We're not talking about HOUSING in Middleboro - we're talking about a CASINO.
A friend in Plymouth who is strongly opposed to the casino has suggested that neighboring towns, and Plymouth especially, sue Middleboro for anticipated increase in service costs for the town. I'm not sure how this would work, but it is perhaps an idea worth exploring.
Can neighboring towns sue Middleboro NOW to stop the casino in anticipation of increases in municipal burdens due to traffic, crime, police, etc., etc.?
I'm curious what people here think Deval Patrick's position on the casino will be. Anyone?
I wrote to my rep Thomas Calter the week before the vote in Middleboro, expressing my concerns. I was disappointed with his ambiguous, non-committal response which I interpreted as support for the project. (He said that the people of Middleboro had an "important decision" to make and that he would "continue to advocate for our town and for all towns in my district." One encouraging phrase, however: "As you point out, there are many issues that need to be addressed. Please stay in touch." Do you think he can be turned?
Deval Patrick will sell the Commonwealth's soul for an agreement from the Wampanoag's for a $25M/yr. profit margin from the casino.
Our best bet is to flood our legislators with messages screaming, "NO! NO! NO! This casino is NOT in the best interest of Massachusetts." But, in order for them to listen to their constituents, it has to be a mighty ROAR........ a monumental letter, phone call, e-mail campaign. Perhaps, when this comes to the Ways and Means committees of both houses, a multitude of of meticulously informed volunteers could be raised to convince the legislature to give the casino the thumbs down.
One thing CFO can do, for those who have difficulty composing their words, is to write up a form letter emphasizing the most salient points that people can cut and paste, sign their name to, and send or email.
What about a series of peaceful demonstrations before the State House? That tactic got a lot of press coverage in abusive priests' scandal. The determination of the people gathering and holding signs every Sunday in front of the Cathedral eventually brought Cardinal Law to his knees and precipitated his resignation. There really is strength in numbers. I know. I took part in that effort.
Remember, it ain't over til the large, lovely lady sings.
I like what Sharon said,
"One thing CFO can do, for those who have difficulty composing their words, is to write up a form letter emphasizing the most salient points that people can cut and paste, sign their name to, and send or email."
I am a teacher and a member of the MTA, and one thing they do to get their word across to our statehouse is to create a website that goes directly to our reps and allows us type our feelings in a form letter and just press 'send'. I think that would make it easier and faster to get the word out to them.
Witnesses claim seeing cops stuffing handfuls of ballots into boxes. Witnesses saw people walking to the grounds from the woods beyond the track (to the east). Witnesses saw people in the “registered area” with no red hand stamps. One woman handing out anti-casino leaflets was threatened with arrest. Witnesses saw people in the registered area asking where they were supposed to register. No photo ID was required for registration or for a ballot...
If you have a personal account of wrongfulness at the STM, and would like to come forward, Jessie Powell (Middleboro Mismanagement) is compiling a written record. She will gladly come to your house if necessary. Call her at 508-946-9761. These accounts will be filed with the BOS, Sec. of State, and press.
Adam, I'm glad you brought up the 40b issue. I am not a lawyer, and while I will be the first to admit that there is much that I don't know, isn't the amount of required "40b" homes dependent on the population? If so, and we have a casino come in which causes our town's population to increase, wouldn't it be neccessary to also increase the number of 40B homes?
So, now Middleboro (and any other town affected by the casino) will not only get the casino, but more 40B as well..
I think we would have been better off voting NO and taking our chances!
i'D LIKE TO KNOW WHO STOLE THE 2 CASINOFACTS.ORG SIGNS FROM MY FRONT LAWN. iT IS PRIVATE PROPERTY AND THOSE SIGNS WERE THERE SINCE DAY ONE. aRE THE PRO CASINO PEOPLE STILL AFRAID OF US?
Song lyrics from 1987.
Clambering men in big bad boots
Dug up my den dug up my roots
Treated us like plasticine town
They built it up and knocked us down
From meccano to legoland
Here they come with a brick in hand
Men with heads filled up with sand
It's build.
Whisting men in yellow vans
They came and drew us diagrams
Showed us how it all worked out
And wrote it down in case of doubt
Slow,slow,quick,quick,quick
It's wall to wall and brick to brick
They work so fast it makes you sick
It's build.
Down with sticks and up with bricks
In with boots and up with roots
It's in with suits and new recruits
It's build.
I've been listening to this song for twenty years.Now I know why it was written.No casino.
Another comment about casinofacts signs. My sign was gone when I came home Monday night, as were all the pro casino signs on the street. Someone mentioned in these blog comments that people needed to remove their signs due to zoning laws - but I never got any notice of that. Does anyone know what the deal is with this - did someone from the town come around and collect them?
About the signs: Mr Mazzilli admited, at the BOS on Monday, to having his tenants go around and collect all signs due to the Enterprises misguided note that the signs needed to be down. I don't know where mr pro casino himself gets off on sending his lackeys to our properties to pick up our signs. He says he gave them to Rob Desrosiers...but I have been told there were alot at the landfill yesterday...things that make you go hummmm.
Funny story about that... I was watching the selectmen's meeting Monday night. When I heard there was no zoning law violation I called MPD to complain that someone had stolen my signs. As the recorded message picked up I watched Mr. Marzelli admit to taking them. At that point I thought, GREAT I EVEN KNOW WHO DID IT!. But then, he claimed to have given our signs to Rob. Since they
were supposedly returned to the group I decided not to further the issue. But I want to re-obtain a couple of signs if for nothing else to show defiance to what happened Saturday!
If anyone has any signs please let me know.
I would have been satisfied with the outcome of Saturday’s vote had we had more time to consider the details of the contract. One would never consider buying a car on impulse- a wise decision. Why would one decide their town’s future in only four days?
I have nothing against the Wampanoag tribe wanting to build a casino in Middleboro. Tribal Chairman Glenn Marshall is simply looking out for his tribe’s best interests. I would expect that his lawyers and financial backers did just that. However, I wonder if our elected officials did the same for us. What was the $ 100,000 rush? The vote at the town meeting appeared to be a mere formality and a media spectacle. It was not meant to be healthy review of the contract but a dramatic display of support for casino gambling in Massachusetts, a message no doubt directed at Governor Deval Patrick and the state legislature. Fine, I get it, but if the finance committee is right and the Board of Selectmen and the Casino Study Committee are wrong the residents of Middleboro will all pay indefinitely for their hasty vote.
Gladys asked for a discussion of how we might begin Phase II of our efforts to squash "Healey's Folly". It's important that our efforts remain forward thinking. Ruminating about what happened Saturday won't change a thing except waste precious time and further divide the town.
We have one month to try to persuade Deval Patrick to nix a casino in Massachusetts before he announces his decision around Labor Day. We have to look up and cry out with one mighty voice. This fight is NOT over until every possible avenue has been exhausted.
In addition to the strategies I previously mentioned, we have to seek an alliance with the other 27 towns who will be negatively impacted by this Casino Royale. There will be public hearings before the legislature before a debate on the issue comes to the floor. We have to be prepared to present a solid case with a lot of backing. And that takes a lot of leg work. C'mon people, if we hesitate, we're lost.
It's time to UNITE again and to seek reinforcements from our neighboring towns. I'M SHOUTING OUT WITH A LOUD, CLEAR VOICE! CAN YOU HEAR ME? I WILL BECOME LEGION!
Sharon I hear you loud and clear and am ready to join in. We need to keep up the fight. If we give them any time to spare they will take it and run. We have to speak with one voice "WE DO NOT WANT CASINOS IN MASSACHUSETTS". I can hear you now....
Before this all happened,I had been to Foxwoods twice all about ten years ago,I thought this place does nothing for me,I'll never return. I didn't. Now that this evil has come to my town I'm disgusted. Prior to my only two visits to a casino, I didn't think about them,now I think about them all the time.I think about them gone. We are all fighting together. WE ARE TRYING TO SAVE OUR TOWN,OUR CHILDREN, AND OUR PEACE.They can have all their money,they can't buy our will to fight!
I heard that Mohegan Sun is now talking about building a casino in Palmer (western MA) and from what I understand it would be a tax-paying operation, so if casino gambling is approved in the state they could start digging. I'm sure there are plenty of people in Palmer and the surrounding towns that aren't crazy about that idea - but they need to mobilize ASAP. I think we should try to make contact with them as well and get out the word that the casino vultures are circling!
From the Globe article:
'Frank Fitzgerald, a lawyer for Northeast Realty Associates, said the developers have been meeting with local elected and appointed officials “so they can ask questions and understand what is possible.”
“We don't want to foist the project on the town or region,” he said.'
Sound familiar?
'Mr Mazzilli admited, at the BOS on Monday, to having his tenants go around and collect all signs due to the Enterprises misguided note that the signs needed to be down.'
Isn't it wonderful to have a good citizen feel that it was appropriate to instruct others to trespass? With this Board of Clowns, perhaps they should give him 'Citzen of the Year' Award.
I want my two signs back!!
As I drove through town today, Mr. Marzelli's word rang in my ears. I noticed litter on the streets and yard sale signs on poles. Wouldn't you think that Mr. Clean community would send his wife and tenants out to pick up the litter? I'm confused!
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