Fall River Herald News: No Free Pass!

In response to the comment posted that speculated the Casino Shills protested my FACTUAL comments, I am a firm believer that vermin exposed to the light scatter and run for the darkness they seek.

Image:Pest Control Smyrna

To the poster --
Your speculation is certainly a possibility, however, the FRHN Censor Gremlin has a responsibility to review posts prior to deletion.

My posts may be rather dull and boring simply because I stick to the FACTS of Slot Parlors around the country, but nothing posted constituted a violation of policy.

There are several significant issues regarding this matter.

If you want to maintain a discussion forum that permits opinions to be posted and you have a public policy, you need to adhere to that policy, that regrettably includes posts that you might not agree with.

Those of us who endure the Middleboro Follies, would point out similarities in the Casino Playbook --

1. Grab the DEAL before they run away!

If this is such a GREAT deal, we can discuss it and study it.

Can't we? Why the rush? Is it simply to prevent you from asking questions?

2. The DEAL is shrouded in secrecy.

If your DEAL is so great, can't it withstand scrutiny?

Any great business deal for Fall River can withstand TRANSPARENCY and public discussion. Can't it?

.

You're smart folks who know the difference between low wage dead end jobs Slot Parlors offer and a Bio-Tech Park that requires and encourages higher education, provides jobs to aspire to, encourages schools to provide excellence, draws well-educated people into your beautiful community, and doesn't bring crime with it.

3. The Tribe, ANY Tribe CANNOT get LIT (Land into Trust) because of TWO - not one but TWO SCOTUS decisions (Carcieri v Salazar and the Hawaii decision).

Senator Joan "Airhead" Menard seems incapable of reading some pretty clear SCOTUS decisions - my condolences for inept elected officials!

4. We have a newspaper industry in 'flux' - trying to figure out how to compete, cutting costs, cutting staff and doing a shoddy job of presenting real journalism in most cases.

5. As others pointed out at the meeting, how can the City sell property without competitive bids? Is that its value?

6. Let's suggest that the City of Fall River accepts this slip shod agreement that hasn't been made public, is there a deadline?

Middleboro signed a deal 3 years ago that had no expiration date.

Is the City of Fall River willing to sign an Agreement to sell land with no expiration date?

What if the wealthy Malaysian Investors don't employ the vast numbers of people promised? Are they willing to invest those wages for the City to employ people elsewhere?

What if they promise 1,000 construction jobs and only provide 300?

If their estimates are accurate, shouldn't they fund 700 jobs elsewhere?

What if they promise 1825 permanent jobs and only deliver 780 as Sheldon Adelson did - shouldn't they escrow funds to create those jobs?

Check out Sheldon Adelson - why the poor old man is simply drooling to construct Glorified Slot Parlors that cover the state - anywhere and everywhere - but fell woefully short.

And while we're at it - promises of UNION JOBS ????

Where are the assurances that these jobs will be UNION ???

Slot Parlors are notoriously ANTI - UNION.

Glenn Marshall ran all over Middleboro promising all kinds of things -- Streets paved with gold, Manna falling from Heaven, "I'll buy your property..." "You can have any job you want..." "I'll pay for any business loss because of the casino ..." "These will be union jobs..."

It's not in writing.

It's not in the Agreement.

Glenn Marshall is a guest in a federal prison because he paid for Tribal Recognition with political contributions a la Jack Abramoff.

There are additional issues that require public discussion - for instance, most slot parlor jobs are less than full time. Are Massachusetts taxpayers supposed to pick up the cost of healthcare for the wealthy investors?

Where are the provisions that give Massachusetts residents priority for employment?

Where are the provisions that give Massachusetts labor unions preference in construction?

Where are the provisions that slot parlor jobs will be union? (They won't.)

Each of you can add your personal preferences to the list and start asking questions.

The media and the Fall River Herald News need to begin to fulfill their responsibility and they need to ask those questions as well.

The press gets No Free Pass.