Sun Chronicle Genuflects to "Trust Me" Wynn

Phew! The Sun Chronicle took my breath away with the article below.

An off the cuff, vague estimate is offered of about $10 million and the Love Affair begins!

If Foxborough requires an agreement with the Kraft/Wynn Follies, is anyone asking about SLOTS PARTICIPATION? You know? Is the Town going to insist on a share of the Slots Revenue?

No one knows the COSTS and the Sun Chronicle isn't asking -- you know those dastardly costs the taxpayers will be stuck with - just for starters: additional police officers and cruisers, additional firefighters and ambulances .... where will the services come from? Water, sewer, electric? What is the cost of the loss of quality of life issues? And what of lost property values? including to abutting towns? someone mentioned a new police station within closer proximity. The cost? How about schools and their costs? If there are apartments constructed on the property for low wage workers, where will their children attend public school?

In 2010, Foxborough spent $12,125 per pupil.


Found here:
http://profiles.doe.mass.edu/state_report/ppx.aspx

If those workers' children don't speak English, what will the additional ESL costs be?

What of the small, local businesses that are lost as a consequence?

Since Gambling Addiction escalates within a 50 mile radius, crime will also increase within that radius. Who will pick up those costs? Local communities?

And what of the additional drunks on the roads who will make each of us innocent targets 24/7/365?

How come the Foxborough Selectmen aren't calling for a Slot Barn Cost Study Committee to determine those costs? Does anyone know what the current Kraft organization costs the Town?

Is anyone asking about the low wage jobs?

From: Racinos Create Low Paying Jobs

Study: Racinos create mostly low-paying jobs while depressing area incomes


This reminded me of another Love Story:


What the historic Carcieri v. Salazar means to all the folks across the country who never got a say in whether or not a casino could be built in their backyard.



Did you see?: Steve Wynn is big a phony [sic]

Advocates: It pays to have a casino
BY RICK FOSTER SUN CHRONICLE STAFF

Kraft Group estimate: 'Minimum of $10M' in annual tax revenues
FOXBORO - An estimate that a proposed billion-dollar resort casino complex could generate $10 million in annual tax revenues is fetching mixed reactions amid calls for a non-binding referendum on the casino question.

Dan Krantz, the Kraft Group director of site development, said in a statement that the project proposed by Las Vegas casino and hotel titan Steve Wynn has the potential to generate "a minimum of $10 million annually" in tax revenue that could be used toward schools and services or to lower property taxes. [You can't LOWER property values according to Prop. 2 1/2.]

The resort would be built on land currently owned by Kraft.

Krantz said the estimate is part of the response to requests for more details regarding the casino proposal.

"We have been consistently asked by town officials to bring specific - not abstract - proposals forward so that the town can exercise its traditional process for vetting them," he said. "That is precisely what we are trying to do with this opportunity." The $10 million figure does not include other potential streams of revenue such as personal property and meals taxes.

The Wynn proposal, which would also include hotels, restaurants and entertainment facilities, has ignited a storm of controversy and comments both for and against.

Selectman Chairman Lawrence Harrington said that based on information that has been presented so far the $10 million estimate appears to be "in the ballpark." [How does he know? Based on what?]

However he said he feels that is a conservative figure and that the town's share of additional meals tax revenues and property taxes on equipment could add significantly to that amount.

However Michael Widmer, president of the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, said it would be hard to verify the project's tax benefits without more specific information about the proposal.

Casino opponents say money that would come from property development related to the casino is only one aspect of the proposal and that the project would bring about radical changes in the town. Fears raised by some critical of the project include the prospect of additional crime, traffic and town increased town expenditures needed for public safety protection. "It all sounds wonderful when you listen to these dazzling promises," said Stephanie Crimmins, a casino opposition leader. "But if this goes through what is really left of the character of the town? It would cause fundamental changes to what we love about Foxboro."

Selectman James DeVellis said any estimates of potential benefits are "speculative" so soon after the passage of state legislation last month authorizing casino gambling.

"The ink on the legislation is still wet and nobody should be offering or accepting any figures as fact in good conscience," he said.

The town's tax rate is currently $13.73 per $1,000 of assessed valuation for residences and $14.86 per $1,000 for commercial. At the higher commercial rate the annual tax on $1 billion worth of real estate would be $14.86 million.

But experts note that the construction cost of commercial property is not necessarily the same as its assessed value used to calculate tax bills.

Additional details about the casino are expected at a Jan. 10 meeting where selectmen will allow Wynn to lay out a more detailed plan. However some residents and town officials want to hold a plebiscite before any presentation to gauge support or opposition.

The Advisory Committee voted 11-0 Wednesday to ask selectmen to reconsider the date for the presentation in order to schedule a non-binding referendum.

Selectman Mark Sullivan says he supports the idea of a vote.

"I'm more concerned with what the town wants than any revenue stream," said Sullivan.

Harrington said he's not opposed to a referendum but that Wynn's presentation should come first to allow additional information to come forward.

"Within a short time after the presentation I'd be in favor of a ballot question," he said. [Mr. Harrington is surely a nice person, but why isn't he asked what the costs will be? Why isn't the Sun Chronicle?]