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This is the OPINIONS section of the site. All opinions are welcome, but must be polite and not abusive or use objectionable language.
Right here in River City 7/21/2007 Tony Lawrence
Crime:
Middleboro's police chief talked to his counterparts in Montville (Mohegan Sun) and Ledyard (Foxwoods). They both say crime is NOT an issue.
Why should it be different in Middleboro?
Employment:
There are over 16,000 unemployed people living within 30 miles of Middleboro. The Wampanoags obviously aren't going to employ all of them, but this sure is not going to hurt!
As to the fear of outrageous costs for educating children of "foreign workers" who supposedly will be employed here (funny, according to the anti-casino folks, the casino will somehow both suck off all local jobs AND still require foreign implants!), both Ledyard and Montville again disagree. The following paragraphs are straight from our Casino Commission's report:
We interviewed the superintendents of three host community schools in Ledyard, CT (Foxwoods Casino), Montville, CT (Mohegan Sun Casino) and Mount Pleasant, MI (Soaring Eagle Casino). None of the superintendents interviewed felt their school districts had experienced an out of the ordinary enrollment increase due to the presence of the casinos. In fact, the Town of Ledyard's enrollment decreased 4.6% from 1997- 1998 to 2005-2006.
The Connecticut schools experienced an increase in ELL students. Montville had an increase from 5 ELL students in 1999 to 114 today (out of total of 3,000). This change resulted in the hiring of an ELL Coordinator at an approximate salary of $70,000. The Ledyard school district has hired several para-professionals to work with ELL students. The Mount Pleasant, MI school district has not seen an increase in ELL students.
The impact of new jobs on the school districts in the host communities was not significant. It was mentioned that the low availability of rental housing and relatively high rents in the host communities resulted in casino workers living in surrounding communities. A similar situation could develop in the communities surrounding Middleborough.
Ledyard schools host 40 students from reservation land. The district received about $4,000 from the Bureau of Indian Affairs for each of the 40 tribal children attending their schools, in addition to its state per child payment (similar to our Chapter 70 money).
Based on the information from these schools, it appears that the impact to Middleborough Schools would be minimal. While it does not appear that there is a high likelihood of a substantial increase in overall school enrollment, even a small increase in English Language Learners may require the Town to hire additional staff.
Again, why should it be different in Middleboro? "impact to Middleborough Schools would be minimal" Yes, we might have a few kids needing this. If we do, we'll get extra money for them: more than enough to pay for the extra cost.
We can get revenues somewhere else:
Adam Bond's oft repeated line: "Disney won't return my calls". Middleboro has little appeal to anything but warehouse type businesses, which don't pay much in taxes. This Resort however, could be the seed that will let us attract more lucrative businesses.
You just don't like the idea of a casino and will vote it down:
Folks, the anti-casino people are not talking FACTS. The reality is that the casino is coming. Middleboro cannot stop that. The State of Massachusetts cannot stop it - at best they can stop Class III gambling, but Class II can come without State approval (see this article for the difference. For Slots, it's a pretty minor difference).
Only the Bureau of Indian Affairs can stop this. So if you really are dead set against a casino, lobby your State legislators (to stop Class III gambling) and your Federal legislators (to kill the whole thing). I don't think you'll be successful at either of those, but those are your only choices.
Whatever you do, vote YES to allow Middleboro to have this $11 million (or more!) contract. If we don't vote that in, what do we have when the casino is built anyway? Answer: whatever pittance our State legislators decide to give us - good luck with that!
Don't jeopardize Middleboro's future: vote YES on the 28th!
Send comments and new posts to tony@aplawrence.com
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