Count on Adam Bond for Levity!

It's taken several days for many in Middleboro to recover from Adam Bond's statements.

This was the reaction to ALL who remember Mr. Bond's history......

Bellicose Bumpkin posted this in response to the article below:

Yes – let’s have a Middleboro casino

Middleboro: Selectmen reject casino proposal without public input; some cry foul

By

Alice Elwell

– June 21, 2013Posted in: Local News

MIDDLEBORO – Selectmen are dismissing an informal proposal for a commercial casino with little public input. The casino proposal comes from a developer who asked to remain unidentified until the deal is firmed up.

The developer floated his casino proposal to Middleboro Town Manager Charles J. Cristello but selectmen kyboshed the plan without public discussion. Former selectman Adam M. Bond questions selectmen’s decision and called for an open debate.

“The people in town have a right to know about it,” Bond said.

Chairman Stephen J. McKinnon is sticking to the board’s stance that the town already has a deal with the Mashpee Wampanoags, despite the tribe’s deal with the city of Taunton.

Bond, who was the chief negotiator between the town and tribe in 2007, says McKinnon’s logic is off base.

“What deal?” said Bond noting the tribe has signed a deal with Taunton.

Vice Chairman Allin Frawley rejected the proposal saying he wouldn’t put the town through the ordeal it faced in 2007 when the question for a tribal casino was put to a vote and garnered 2,387 in favor – 1,335 in opposition. The hullabaloo leading up to the historic town meeting pitted rivaling factions of anti and pro casino supporters against each other, which in many cases was neighbor against neighbor.

No matter how McKinnon and Frawley cut it, former selectman Adam M. Bond is calling foul.

“To have a potential business proposition of that size be offered in without even disclosing to the public that that offer was in doesn’t make sense,” Bond said.

Both McKinnon and Frawley lobbied for greater transparency after the 2007 negotiations and called the seated Board of Selectmen to task. Bond says the pair are guilty of their own accusations.

The dynamics have changed since 2007 when gambling was illegal in the state and the Mashpee purposed a casino under the federal Indian gaming laws. Gambling is legal, the new proposal is for a different location and comes from a different entity, and Bond says he is certain the tribe would not get support if they returned to Middleboro.

http://959watd.com/blog/2013/06/middleboro-selectmen-reject-casino-proposal-without-public-input-some-cry-foul/


Far too many remember the temper tantrums thrown by Mr. Bond while he was secretly meeting with his coven to fan the flames of animosity during this pathetic saga....

Was there a name he neglected to call the casino opposition?

Mr. Bond likened those who opposed the Mashpee Wampanoag Folly to Braying Donkeys, compared them to Nazis, called us racists.....

Below, are Mr. Bond's ignorant comments likening opponents to Nazis:

That being said, I was speechless, a truly rare event, when I discovered Mr. Bond's comments, as follows (emphasis mine, misspellings his):

What concerns me, and makes me comment in the way I do, is that the theory that is being presented--unwittingly by most--is the nation within a nation theory. This is a theory that was used by Hitler to irradicate [sic] millions of jews in Europe, including many of my ancestors. So when you start talking about how dangerous it is to have a sovereign nation in the midst of the Town, because they will be self serving and mistreat anyone who is not a part of their group, you begin to highlight for me a theory which has little merit--since they have already received sovereign status and that is not the fight in front of us.

From: Random Thoughts From A Shikseh

Mr. Bond didn't stop there, but accused me of calling him an anti-semite [which never occurred to me], as well as reporting him to a non-existent organization.



Snookered!
Middleboro BOS: Misplaced Indignation #4
Mitigation or What? #2
Middleboro Chairman of BOS Resigns
Middleboro BOS: Misplaced Indignation #1
WXBR 1460 AM
Adam Bond

From:
The Book of Adam




Adam's New Tool

The Blogfathers

Goodbye Mr. Chips

Votestock

The Blog is a Harsh Mistress

If You Want a Friend, Get a Dog

Tank Man

The Goons on the Ice

Pulp Fiction






Adam Bond Deflowers Middleboro


There's far more to Mr. Bond's opportunism that a google search will reveal.

As far as his opinion?

Middleboro: Always Good For Comic Relief!

Middleboro officials claim agreement with Mashpee Wampanoag tribe still valid

By Jennifer Bray

Enterprise Staff Writer

Posted Jun 09, 2013

MIDDLEBORO —

It’s been a while since visions of crowded casino tables, a five-star hotel and endless buffets danced in the heads of Middleboro residents.

Meanwhile, in nearby Taunton, casino plans by the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe – which had courted Middleboro in 2007 – are moving forward.

At a recent meeting in Taunton, architectural plans were rolled out. Presenters showed off renderings of a 200-seat entertainment lounge, 400-seat buffet, two fine-dining restaurants and retail shops. Plus, a water park would be built as construction progresses.

According to officials, a casino in Taunton would support an estimated 2,560 permanent jobs and an $80 million annual payroll.

But at one time, Middleboro was in line to be the site for a Wampanoag tribe resort casino.

At one time, Middleboro hoped to put its townspeople to work building and staffing a casino. The town hoped it would garner the tax revenue flowing into local coffers from hosting a destination gaming resort.

That was six years ago.

Today, Middleboro has been left in the dust in the casino game, but insists it still has a pact with the tribe.

“We feel our agreement is still valid,” Town Manager Charlie Cristello said last week. “The terms under which they would build a casino we feel were never settled.”

In July 2007, a massive event was staged for Middleboro voters to weigh in on an $11 million-a-year host agreement that would have provided $250 million in infrastructure improvements for a tribal casino.

The town meeting took place on a scorching hot Saturday and brought 3,722 people out to cast votes under four huge tents set up on a 25-acre field behind the high school on Route 28.

The town provided bus service to shuttle voters in from satellite parking sites. Some 1,500 bottles of water were brought in to quench the thirst of townspeople.

It was the largest town meeting the state had ever seen. And when the votes were tallied, 2,387 voted in favor of the casino and 1,335 against. [In a non-binding question, when asked if townspeople wanted a casino, the response was overwhelmingly "NO!"]

Then, plans took a turn for the worse.

Glenn Marshall, council chairman for the Mashpee Wampanoag, came under fire for reports of a past rape conviction and misstatements about his military service. He stepped down in August 2007.

Cedric Cromwell took over for the tribe [After Shawn Hendricks] and initially the pact with Middleboro was honored.

But in 2010, the tribe announced it intended to open a casino in Fall River. That plan later fell through and the tribe turned to Taunton as a site.

Middleboro was left behind – but town leaders say they believe the pact with the tribe still stands.
According to town manager Cristello, the town has sent the tribe bills for $750,000, which he says haven’t been paid yet. The charges are for pre-planning involved in the casino resort plan.

The tribe disagrees, and in a March 2012 letter to selectmen, criticized the town for what it called “irresponsible, false and improper efforts to promote via the media a merit-less claim that the town somehow possesses legal rights against the tribe concerning the tribe’s pursuit of a destination resort and casino in Taunton.”

The town’s efforts “are also a transparent effort to try, improperly, to leverage financial concessions to which the town is not entitled,” said the tribe.


Read more: http://www.enterprisenews.com/news/x779478004/Middleboro-clings-to-casino-pact#ixzz2VoWNNzlX
Follow us: @enterprisenews on Twitter | EnterpriseBrockton on Facebook

Mashpee Wampanoag/Genting Tribe Faces Changes

Tribe faces change at top

By George Brennan

February 17, 2013

 

MASHPEE — Votes cast in next Sunday's Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe election could send one of two messages — tribe members want to blaze the same trail for the next four years or shake things up dramatically.

All four top officers on the 11-member tribal council, including the chairman and the vice chairman, are on Sunday's ballot, and there are contested races for all five seats. In all, 17 tribe members are running for chairman, vice chairman, treasurer, secretary and an at-large tribal council post.

CHAIRMAN CANDIDATES

Cedric Cromwell

Age: 47

Lives in Attleboro

Employment: Worked for Fidelity Investments before becoming tribe chairman

Education: Bachelor's degree, University of Massachusetts, Boston

Previous tribal council experience: Served on council for six years before being elected chairman

David Pocknett

Age: 59

Lives in Mashpee

Employment: Maintenance worker for town of Mashpee

Education: Attended University of Southern Colorado; bachelor's degree, University of Massachusetts, Boston

Previous tribal council experience: Served as vice chairman from 2007-09

Richard Oakley

Age: 60

Lives in Wareham

Employment: Retired DPW worker for town of Mashpee

Education: Barnstable High School

Previous tribal council experience: Served for 13 years ending in 2009

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Read more about the tribe's quest to build a casino at www.capecodonline.com/casino.

 

The election at Mashpee High School starts at 1 p.m. with elders only for the first hour. From 2 to 4 p.m., polls open at the high school for the rest of the tribe's eligible voters.

 

It was delayed for two weeks by a February nor'easter that shut down much of the Cape for several days.

 

Several tribe members reached by the Times declined to comment on the record, though one said this is a "tough election" and has caused divisiveness among members that makes it hard to declare allegiances publicly.

 

Tribe member Paula Peters, whose husband Mark Harding is running for re-election as treasurer, disabled her Facebook page in recent days because she is tired of the "scrapping" between tribe members, many of them family. "No one has said anything personally about me or my husband, but it's the way the community is acting right now that's put me off," said Peters, who is a former columnist for the Times.

 

Still, Peters said she's proud and impressed by the sheer number of people willing to run in the election. Having been kept out of a race for chairman against Glenn Marshall in 2005 because she couldn't show she had attended the minimum number of tribal council meetings in a year (records were unavailable for some of those meetings), Peters said the number of candidates this year is a sign that the tribe has come a long way.

 

"People are jumping up and saying, 'I want to serve my tribe.' I'm proud of all of them," Peters said.

 

"The idea that 17 people got up on stage and talked from the heart about why they want to run for office for the tribe is impressive. It's a really challenging time. That's a huge commitment."

 

Cedric Cromwell, who has led the tribe since 2009, faces challenges from David Pocknett and Richard Oakley for tribal council chairman.

 

Cromwell, 47, has campaigned on a platform of continuing to move the tribe forward. He took over amid a leadership scandal and switched gears from the tribe's $1 billion casino in Middleboro. After starts and stops in Fall River, Cromwell has an approved deal to build a $500 million casino in Taunton.

 

Cromwell, a former employee of Fidelity Investments who lives in Attleboro, is currently in talks with Gov. Deval Patrick to renegotiate a tribal-state compact after the initial deal was rejected by the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs. He is also attempting to guide the tribe's application to have land taken into federal trust for an initial reservation through the federal process.

 

"It's been a renaissance time for our tribe," Cromwell said, noting strides made in grant funding, as well as health and human services. "The word I'm hearing from tribe members is we can't have change at this time, especially with so many positive things happening. Any change would be a negative to our tribe."

 

A leadership change would affect the tribe's relationship with the governor's office, the BIA, Taunton and other leaders at a critical time for the casino project, he said. "Why mess with success?" he said. "Our tribe is very successful right now."

 

Incumbents always believe that it's never a good time to change leaders, Pocknett said.

 

Pocknett, 59, served as vice chairman leading up to the 2009 election, having defeated Cromwell and two other candidates in a 2007 special election. He was not part of Marshall's administration, but was elected after Marshall's right-hand man Shawn Hendricks moved up to the top job.

Hendricks and Pocknett did not seek re-election in 2009.

 

Pocknett, a maintenance worker for the town of Mashpee who lives in the town, said while he is supportive of the Middleboro casino, he's not running to stop the process that's in place for a Taunton casino. "My message is that we can't keep jumping around. We have to stay the course but try to right the ship," Pocknett said.

 

Pocknett said it's a hugely important election. "Every (election) is an important one," he said. "This one, because it happens every four years, is the most important because it's the top brass."

 

Oakley, 60, a retired employee of the Mashpee Department of Public Works and a resident of Wareham, has been more vocal about the decision of the Cromwell administration to abandon Middleboro and its initial investors. "We had a good relationship with the people we were negotiating with in Middleboro," he said last month. "Financially, and everything else, Middleboro was the best option for the tribe to have a casino."

 

Oakley did not return calls for this story, but in a previous interview said he is hoping to bring unity to the tribe. "I don't want to be a disruptive force," he said. "Win, lose or draw, I'm hoping whoever is in office can bring our tribe together and help us become a self-sufficient tribe."

 

Cromwell said the number of candidates running for office should not be seen as a sign of unrest throughout the 2,600 members of the tribe. "Anyone has a right to run for office. I understand that, I get that, and I support that," he said. "I think it's special that everyone gets their opinions, ideas, thoughts and rights"» We're moving forward together."

 

Vice Chairman Aaron Tobey, a former employee of the U.S. Postal Service, faces a challenge by Jessie "Little Doe" Baird, who is director of a program aimed at reclaiming the tribe's native language.

 

Both have worked on the tribe's casino plans — Tobey as a chief negotiator of the tribal-state compact and Baird in helping to tell the history of the tribe's ties to Taunton in a key document under consideration by the BIA.

 

Meanwhile, Harding faces three challengers for treasurer — Robert Hendricks, Diane Johnson and Angela Shwom.

 

Marie Stone, the tribal council secretary, is running against Nellie Ramos, Michelle Hughes-Fernandes, Suzette Spinola, and Michelle "Shellie" Tobey.

Council member Selena Jonas is being challenged by two candidates, Charles Foster III and Joanne Peters.

 

Jim Peters, a Mashpee Wampanoag member and chairman of the state's Commission on Indian Affairs, said next Sunday's vote is critical.

 

"I do get concerned that elections are sometimes based on popularity rather than looking at the bigger picture," he said. "Significant changes in makeup would have a real impact on where we are trying to go."

 

http://www.capecodonline.com/

Mashpee Wampanoag/Genting: Middleboro or Taunton?

 Or maybe both?

Nemo may have changed the Wampanoag Tribe's casino location

Storm postpones yesterday's Wampanoag election

Article | February 11, 2013 - 7:15am | By Walter Brooks

 

Sunday's postponed tribal election could have changed the casino's

location from Taunton back to Middleboro.

 

The outcome could change the casino location from Taunton to Middleboro
On Friday, the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe announced the postponement of their tribal election due to the at-that-time impending snowstorm and the decision by the Town of Mashpee to close all public buildings over the weekend, therefore eliminating the tribe's polling place.

The Taunton Gazette reports that not only could the vote install a new chairman, it could also change the location of the Tribe's proposed casino resort from Taunton to Middleboro. The tribe currently has 146-acres of land under a purchase agreement in Taunton.

Tribal Chairman Cedric Cromwell supports the Taunton location. He is being opposed by two other candidates, David Pocknett and Richard Oakley. Oakley has said he supports locating the casino resort in Middleboro, according to the Gazette.

The tribe originally reached an agreement with Middleboro in 2007 and two years later, moved its focus to Taunton following Cromwell's election.

The tribe is still waiting approval of the Taunton site by the Bureau of Indian Affair. The BIA also threw out their last agreement with the state because it did not sufficiently give a large enough percentage of the revenue to the Wampanoags.

Read the story in the Taunton Gazette here.

Read our recent coverage of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe here.

 

Related Content:

Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Council okays compact with state

Abramoff scandal may derail Wampanoag casino

Fraud claimed in Wampanoag 2009 election

Wampanoag Tribe defends their right to Mashpee land during federal public hearing

It's a yes from Taunton for the proposed Mashpee Wampanoag casino

Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe doubles footprint in Taunton

 

 

http://www.capecodtoday.com/article/2013/02/11/17064-nemo-may-have-changed-wampanoag-tribes-casino-location

Massachusetts: 'subplots are spinning like a roulette wheel'

In order to get Expanded Gambling legislation passed, lawmakers select targeted issues to make the deal more palatable. In New Jersey, it was Seniors.

Elsewhere, it's education.

In Massachusetts, it's a laundry list of business sectors that will be adversely affected.

This legislation, if passed will destroy struggling performing arts center that have been a major local draw.

Since Slot Barns are wildly profitable, they subsidize their entertainment venues to get you there, offer premiums to performers and include non-compete clauses that prevent performers from performing regionally.

Now, the Cape is concerned about TOURISM. Kiss that puppy Good-bye!

Solid data show that when casinos come to heritage tourism towns, visitation to the historic resource plummets as it did in Vicksburg, Miss., where 40 percent of the historic downtown is now shuttered.

Tourists don't vacation with their families in places that include gambling with the accompanying increased crime.

Families like wholesome places like Faneuil Hall and the Freedom Trail that are safe and historic.

Cape seeks payout from casino profits
By GEORGE BRENNAN


The Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce, worried a casino will pilfer local visitors and workers, wants casino profits to go toward promotion and job training if expanded gambling legislation is approved.

Meanwhile, Middleboro officials say they will take legal action if the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe locates an Indian casino in another town.

As the House gets ready to debate an expanded gambling bill Wednesday, subplots are spinning like a roulette wheel.

The gambling bill calls for a slot parlor at one of the state's racetracks and three resort-style casinos, including one in Southeastern Massachusetts for which the tribe would have a 10-month window to negotiate with the governor. If the tribe can't settle its land issues by Aug. 1, 2012, the gaming commission could put the region's license out to competitive bid.

Regardless of who opens a casino, the chamber fears a potential loss in tourism and a drain on workers, Wendy Northcross, the chamber's chief executive officer, said.

"We have had a long-standing opposition to the casino law because we don't think it would benefit the state the way some legislators do," Northcross said. "It will reduce our already shrinking labor pool and will have some effect on where visitors will go."

Should the legislation pass, the chamber wants to make sure the Cape is protected, she said.

There are already earmarks for casino revenue in the legislation, including 0.5 percent for tourist promotion agencies and 2 percent for performing arts centers that might be affected by casino venues. Tourism funding will also receive 1.5 percent of licensing fees paid by developers.

State Rep. Sarah Peake, D-Provincetown, co-chairwoman of the joint tourism committee, said 0.5 percent is not enough. A previous bill included 2 percent and a Springfield legislator is proposing an amendment to make sure this year's bill includes at least 1 percent, she said.

"It's important for us to get as much money as we can to market Massachusetts as a tourist destination and more than just a casino destination," Peake said.

In a statement, Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Council Chairman Cedric Cromwell said the tribe will use its rich history on the Cape and in Southeastern Massachusetts to promote tourism.

"We are not some developer from Las Vegas who will build a casino without regard for the character of this area and leave with all the profits," he said. [No, you're just funded by Malaysian Investors who have no ties to the country.]

The tribe will make an effort to work with tourism councils and others to attract more tourists to the region, Cromwell said.

"This project will attract new visitors to Massachusetts, enhancing and expanding tourism to the area, and we look forward to working with our neighbors cooperatively to benefit the whole region," he said.

An amendment filed Friday by state Rep. Demetrius Atsalis, D-Barnstable, seeks an unspecified amount of money for job retraining on the Cape and other areas affected by proposed casinos.

"I'm supportive of the casinos and at the same time I want to keep the jobs here," Atsalis said. [Cognitive Dissonance?]

Just where a tribe-owned casino might land in Southeastern Massachusetts remains unclear. In 2007, after gaining federal rights to open a casino, Mashpee leaders reached an agreement to build a $1 billion casino on 539 acres in Middleboro.

But a leadership scandal, failed casino legislation and growing displeasure with the tribe by Middleboro activists** led the Mashpee Wampanoag to begin seeking land in other locations. Last year, the tribe announced it was ending its commitment to Middleboro and had reached an agreement with Fall River. The Fall River agreement has since fallen through.

**This is pretty impressive to suggest that Middleboro's Opposition was that effective. The Grossly Flawed Middleboro IGA [inter-governmental agreement] required that the "Tribe" [meaning investors since the Tribe has no $$$] spend a few hundred million dollars paying for necessary infrastructure improvements - you know? That foolish rotary and lane drop that backs traffic up for miles?

Middleboro's position, Town Manager Charles Cristello said, is that the town still has a valid intergovernmental agreement with the Mashpee Wampanoag.

"It's fair to say that we feel we would have a cause of action if they were to go anywhere else with an Indian casino other than Middleboro," Cristello said. "We have an agreement, it's enforceable and we're going to make sure they follow it. That's our position."

Through a spokeswoman, Cromwell declined to comment on the Middleboro agreement.

The two sides sat down at the negotiating table in an attempt to sever the deal, but have not reached an agreement, said Cristello and Dennis Whittlesey, the attorney hired by the town to craft a settlement.

"We never resolved anything," Cristello said

In recent months, the two sides have sparred in letters over mitigation money agreed to in the 2007 deal. The tribe has paid Middleboro $750,000 so far, but balked when the town demanded more in July.

Cromwell, in an Aug. 22 reply to Middleboro, wrote that no further payments would be made and urged the town to stop spending money previously collected.

Middleboro's threat of legal action may be a negotiating ploy, knowing they are a potential obstacle for the tribe's casino plans.

Cristello and Whittlesey refused to comment Friday on the last time the two sides met or if a future meeting is scheduled.

SHNS Misinformation and Myth and Cedric's Hallucinations

It would be a pleasant surprise if someone conducted their research and offered the facts.

As a consequence of Carcieri v Salazar, Mr. Cromwell's comments are untrue.

In addition, posted here:
http://middlebororemembers.blogspot.com/search/label/Hawaii

..."Within weeks of the 8-1 Carcieri v Salazar.
decision, a second strike on.
fee to trust was issued. This time it came from a case.
originating in the state of Hawaii.
In the 9-0 decision on Hawaii v. the Office of.
Hawaiian Affairs. Justice Alito wrote, "It would.
raise grave constitutional concerns" Congress sought.
to "cloud Hawaii's title to its.
sovereign lands" after it had joined the.
Union.
"We have emphasized that Congress cannot,
after statehood reserve or convey....lands that.
have already been bestowed upon a state".
How many readers of this paper.
could be effected by issues concerning.
land that has been "bestowed upon.
a state"; as an original colony, through.
disestablished territory or.
when the territory entered into.
statehood?"

How much simpler could this be? The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe does NOT have land in trust, nor does it have any legal authority to conduct Gambling. The Tribe owns land in Mashpee. It does not own the land in Middleboro or Fall River.


Wampanoag chairman: tribe could skirt gambling law
Boston Business Journal - by Galen Moore

The Mashpee Wampanoag tribe plans to move ahead with a Massachusetts gambling operation, State House News Service reported today - even if state legislators don't act to expand gambling in the Bay State.

The chairman of the Mashpee Wampanoags, Cedric Cromwell, said the tribe already has legal authority to operate video lottery terminals like the ones in use at Twin River in Rhode Island, State House News reported. According to the report, Cromwell told the news service he hopes to avoid taking that step by negotiating an agreement with Governor Deval Patrick

Left at the altar

Vermin and bad ideas scurry when exposed to daylight, which may explain why the Mashpee Wampanoag Monster was crammed through, surrounded by hysteria, zealots who stood to gain, promises made behind closed doors, carefully protected by tyrants like our very own Gavel Queen, Marsha Brunelle or Wayne Perkins' misinformation. Strong armed tactics and threats were generously applied.

Many simply wanted to believe the rapist and convicted felon's pearls of wisdom that turned to manure on closer inspection, even as he accused honest questioners of racism.

The Middleboro proponents remain bitter, quickly blaming others for their failure to recognize folly and lies. It is, after all, just simpler to blame than to reflect - the reflection was pretty ugly.

They surrendered common sense for that phony Holy Grail, abandoning sensible scrutiny and rational discussion.

And even 4 years later, fail to recognize that their willingness to believe false prophets caused their abandonment.

It was with some measure of amusement, to find Milford selectmen support plan to speed up industrial park development in which the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe now seem expert in all things "Indian," regardless of how remote. [The Tribe included only the Town of Mashpee in their application for recognition. Maybe that leaves the entire Commonwealth fair game for their Slot Barns.]

A dubious rumor circulating indicates that Mashpee Wampanoag Big Cheeses were huddled for a Hot Business deal at some tacky, local mall restaurant. Maybe some of the Tribal Members should be following them to watch how they fritter away money the Tribe will have to repay.

Middleboro: Are you watching?

The Town of Middleboro has an Agreement with the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe. Wealthy investors own the property on which the IGA (InterGovernmental Agreement) is based and no funds have been paid. It's time for the Town of Middleboro to take action to foreclose on the property.

Although the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe has Pipe Dreams of Slot Barns in Mashpee, Middleboro and Fall River, the Hawaii decision preempts it.

What could be more simple? :

Within weeks of the 8-1 Carcieri v Salazar
decision, a second strike on fee to trust was
issued. This time it came from a case
originating in the state of
Hawaii.
In the 9-0 decision on Hawaii v. the Office of
Hawaiian Affairs. Justice Alito wrote, "It would
raise grave
constitutional concerns"
Congress sought to "cloud Hawaii's title to its
sovereign lands" after it had joined the
Union.
"We have emphasized that Congress cannot,
after statehood reserve or convey....lands that
have already been bestowed upon a state".
How many readers of this paper could
be effected by issues concerning
land that has been "bestowed upon a state";
as an original colony, through disestablished
territory or when the territory entered into
statehood?

The Oneida Tribe knew they were going to lose with SCOTUS because they had previously lost and took the actions they did.

It's also time for Beacon Hill leaders to take note.



Impact of Oneidas case stretches beyond region
Other tribes, states monitoring issue as it moves back to lower court

State governments and Indian tribes across the country were watching this week when the U.S. Supreme Court tossed a case about foreclosure on Oneida Indian Nation land back down to a lower court.

Over the past six years, as the case wended its way through the court system, Indian tribes feared if the Oneidas lost, it could diminish all their standings under the law.

And governments of at least 12 states that have tribes within their borders worried that if the Oneidas won, Indian nations could evade property tax collection.

Now that the Supreme Court has booted the case back to the 2nd U.S. District Court of Appeals, the states will have to wait for resolution, but Indian tribes have been granted a reprieve, a Washington D.C.-based advocate for Indian tribes said.

“You never know what the Supreme Court is going to do,” said John Dossett, general council for the National Congress of American Indians. “It could have really hurt them.”

The suit was initiated soon after the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2005 ruling that the Nation had to pay property tax on its non-reservation land.

After that decision, Oneida and Madison counties immediately moved to foreclose on the Oneida’s non-reservation land, since property taxes had not been paid on it in years. The Nation refused, and the issue has been under litigation ever since.

At the heart of the case — Madison County and Oneida County vs. Oneida Indian Nation of New York — is the issue of sovereign immunity for Indian tribes.

Among the Oneidas’ arguments was that the Nation was exempt from foreclosure because of its sovereign immunity.

Dossett said if the Supreme Court had ruled against the Oneidas, it could have further chipped away at the standing of tribes as independent governmental entities.

“It’s like a death by a thousand cuts,” Dossett said. “Over long spans of time, the Supreme Court just seems to find against tribes on a regular basis.”

One expert on Indian issues, Robert Batson of Albany Law School, said if the court had ruled against the Oneidas and had expressed its decision in broad terms, it could have caused “quite a change.”

“They would basically be like a corporation, not a government, subject to any suit in court,” he said of the Indian nations.

Other Indian nations contacted by the Observer-Dispatch did not return calls Tuesday.

Pressure?

Asked if the National Congress of American Indians had put pressure on the Oneidas to back away from the immunity argument, Dossett demurred.

“It wasn’t really pressure,” he said. “We talked about it quite a bit. I don’t know that tribes have the tools to put pressure on one another.”

Dossett said that in his view, recent Supreme Court rulings on Indian issues had not been favorable to the tribes.

Pressure or no, the Oneida Nation issued a declaration in late November “irrevocably and perpetually” waiving its immunity from foreclosures by state, local and county governments.

The Oneidas’ attorney, Washington D.C.-based Seth Waxman, said removing the foreclosure issue from the case eliminated the possibility that the court could alter sovereign immunity laws, but that wasn’t the reason for the declaration.

“If the issue of sovereign immunity were litigated, we think we would win,” he said.

But, he added, the case could be argued on other grounds that had not reached the Supreme Court and could now be litigated in lower court.

Broader impact

Several states will be watching to see how the case proceeds.

New York and 11 other states have filed a brief with the courts contending that blocking the counties from foreclosing on the property “imperils real property tax collection throughout the United States because it permits Indian tribes nationwide to escape enforcement of lawfully imposed real property taxes.”

David Schraver, the attorney representing Oneida and Madison counties, said the Supreme Court’s decision not to hear the case would delay resolution of that issue.

“There won’t be a decision in the short term by the Supreme Court,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Nation has been attempting to have its non-reservation property put into federal trust, free of state and local taxation and regulation.

The state and counties are fighting that plan in the courts as well, but they have yet to reach the level of the Supreme Court.

Massachusetts Implications

Bay Mills, seemingly far from the Massachusetts quagmire, clearly defines "Reservation Shopping."

In their application for recognition, the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe included solely the Town of Mashpee.

The Tribe lacks historical ties (as defined by statute) to either Middleboro or Fall River, yet blinded by the Casino Glitter of 3 Slot Barns, many ignore history, facts and statutes.

Little Traverse, Michigan state lawsuits seek Bay Mills casino shut down
Bay Mills ‘off reservation’ casino draws legal heat
By Gale Courey Toensing, Today staff

VANDERBILT, Mich. – When the Bay Mills Indian Community opened a new casino on off reservation land without state or federal approvals in early November, five Indian nations in Michigan issued a statement condemning the action. Now one of the five tribes – the Little Traverse Bay Band of Odawa Indians – has filed a federal lawsuit, asking the court to shut down the Bay Mills casino immediately.

“The lawsuit seeks to uphold the integrity and viability of Indian gaming on a national level,” Little Traverse Bay Chairman Ken Harrington said. “If the Vanderbilt casino is allowed to remain open, it will set a dangerous precedent that would allow Indian tribes to unilaterally establish off-reservation casinos without the input or approval of surrounding tribal, local, state or federal governments. There are huge implications riding on the outcome of this lawsuit.”

Little Traverse’s lawsuit is bolstered by support from members of Congress and the federal government who have both weighed in with opposition to the Vanderbilt Casino. Additionally, the State of Michigan filed a similar lawsuit against Bay Mills.

Little Traverse filed its lawsuit Dec. 22 in the U.S. District court for the Western district of Michigan. The complaint asserts that Bay Mills has violated various provisions of the tribal-state compact and the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, including requirements that gaming is to be conducted on Indian land acquired before October 1988; land that is held in trust by the federal government or approved under a regulatory exception; that the land is restricted from alienation and that an Indian tribe exercises governmental power over the land.

The State of Michigan filed a similar lawsuit a day earlier, charging Bay Mills with two counts of violations of the tribal-state gaming compact, which was signed Aug. 20, 1993 by former Gov. John Engler, and one count of violation of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act by conducting Class III gaming on property that is not “Indian lands.” The state suit asks the court to shut down the casino permanently.

Bay Mills opened the Vanderbilt Casino, the tribe’s third gaming facility, Nov. 3. The casino is located on 47 acres of land the tribe purchased in fee simple in August. The new casino has around 40 slot machines. Days after Bay Mills announced its opening, the tribe announced plans to expand the facility.

The tribe operates two casinos in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula on reservation land and has a state compact relating to gaming on that land, but the casino in Vanderbilt is located in a more densely populated and, therefore, more lucrative area.

The Vanderbilt Casino is in the northern part of the Lower Peninsula, about 170 miles north of Lansing. The casino was opened without state or federal approvals on non-trust land. Bay Mills Chairman Jeff Parker presented a unique argument for why the casino was “legal.” Parker said on the tribe’s website that the casino is located on “qualified Indian lands,” because the land was purchased with money received under the Michigan Indian Land Claims Settlement Act.

Parker could not be reached for comment.

Little Traverse and its coalition partners, the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, Gun Lake Tribe of Pottawatomi Indians, Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi, and Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe called on the National Indian Gaming Commission, [www.nigc.gov] the Justice and Interior departments to work quickly with state officials to close the new casino.

Michigan congressional representatives and the federal agencies responded within weeks.

On Dec. 17, U.S. representatives Mike Rodgers, R-Mich., and Carolyn Kilpatrick, D-Mich., wrote to Attorney General Eric Holder, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, and NIGC Chairwoman Tracie Stevens expressing their “deep concern with the continued operation of an off reservation casino.”

The legislators asked the agency heads to act quickly to determine whether or not the Vanderbilt land is eligible for gaming and, if not, to shut down the casino.

The answers came a few days later.

On Dec. 21, Interior Solicitor Hilary Tompkins issued a legal opinion detailing the reasons why the Vanderbilt Casino is not operating on “Indian lands” as defined by the Michigan Indian Land Claims Settlement Act or IGRA.

“I do not believe that even a liberal construction of the Michigan Indian Lands Claims Settlement Act can support the tribe’s position that its land trust purchases in fee simple automatically become restricted fee lands under the definition of Indian lands set forth in the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act,” Tompkins wrote, concluding that the land is not eligible for gaming.

The NIGC responded to the Interior with a memorandum saying the Vanderbilt Casino is not operating on Indian land that is eligible for gaming and, therefore, does not come under NIGC jurisdiction.

“Further, when the commission obtains information that may indicate a violation of federal, state or tribal statutes, it is obligated to turn that information over to the appropriate law enforcement officials,” NIGC’s Associate General Counsel Michael Gross wrote.

Harrington was elated by the federal opinions.

“The federal and state legal opinions shred to pieces the bogus legal arguments put forth by Bay Mills. Therefore, the only acceptable action is for the Michigan State Police to move in, shut down the illegal casino, and confiscate the illegal gambling devices,” he said.

If allowed to continue to operate, the Vanderbilt Casino located 37 miles from the Little Traverse Odawa Casino would have a “devastating impact” on the Little Traverse government to provide services for its citizens, Harrington said. Furthermore, Harrington said, Bay Mills has said it plans to open more casinos on off-reservation lands near population centers.

“It’s a perversion of federal law to try and identify Indian gaming sites based solely on market location,” Harrington said. “We are tribal governments, not corporations. Reservation shopping threatens the integrity of Indian gaming here in Michigan and around the country.”

SCOTUS, as it pertains to Middleboro and Mashpee

The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, dazzled by visions of 3 Slot Barns in Mashpee, Middleboro and Fall River failed to pay the Town of Middleboro the monies agreed to when their first investors disappeared.

Although the Town of Mashpee has an 'agreement' with the Tribe, approved by Town Meeting voters, that 'agreement' was never approved by Congress and, it is my understanding, it is unenforceable. At some future point, the Mashpee Wampanoags will pursue their land claims.

The SCOTUS decision in the Oneida case has the potential of impacting all 3 communities, potentially more in the future.

Beacon Hull, lulled by their misunderstanding of case law and lured by Casino KoolAid might take heed.

Stayed tuned for the outcome. Excerpt below, worth reading in its entirety.

Supreme Court to review Oneida reservation's existence

The U.S. Supreme Court has set a date to hear from attorneys for Madison and Oneida counties and the Oneida Indian Nation on whether the counties can foreclose on nation land.

Oral arguments have been scheduled for Feb. 23 in Washington, D.C. The two questions before the court will be:

• Does the tribe’s sovereign immunity prevent the counties from seizing the Oneidas’ land when they don’t pay property taxes?

• Does the Oneida Indian reservation still exist, or was it disbanded in an 1838 treaty?

Dumber than dirt

When Glenn Marshall raised the specter of Middleboro's Mega Monster and promised to pave the streets with gold, create financial prosperity for all and many other things never committed to writing or enforcement, residents who asked questions were graveled to silence, deals made behind closed doors, and Glenn Marshall landed in federal prison.

Did I mention that the unions genuflected and grovelled at Glenn's promises even though there is no assurance of union hiring included in the IGA?

The flawed and inadequate IGA (InterGovernmental Agreement) the Town of Middleboro presented to town meeting voters, for most, was handed to them on the hot summer's day that they were to vote on it.

It was negotiated AFTER the poorly advertised land sale - kinda like negotiating the sales price of your house AFTER conveying the title, conducted by now retired Town Manager, Jack Healey.

Jack had been negotiating with Stephen Graham, Abramoff sidekick and Mashpee Wampanoag mouthpiece prior to the fateful 'auction' that cheated taxpayers out of a reasonable sales price at the height of the real estate bubble. Jack pretended he was 'saving the town the expense of an auctioneer' who would have widely advertised the auction and the Board of Selectmen blindly believed.

And then, there was Chairman of the Board of Selectmen at the time, Wayne Perkins who had convinced himself that 'towns with casinos don't pay property taxes.' (Mr. Perkins patted himself on the back in 'tough contract' negotiations for garnering pay raises of 36%, 3%, 3%, all while telling town residents he negotiated 3%, 3%, 3%.)

That might have convinced some that the Middleboro Board of Selectmen were without competition for the Darwin Awards.

Not so!

The Town of Mashpee sits smug, convinced of their wisdom of 'PROTECTION.'

The Town of Mashpee negotiated an 'Agreement" with the Tribe that, initially, the Town wouldn't oppose federal recognition if the Tribe agreed not to pursue the land claims that had tied up Cape land for years and, more importantly, that the Tribe wouldn't construct a gambling facility in Mashpee.

Once the Tribe gained recognition, the not-so-bright tribal leaders said "Pound Sand! We're Sovereign!" until a wiser person informed the Tribe they needed the Town of Mashpee to support or at least not oppose their land-into-trust application.

The Town of Mashpee again negotiated an "Agreement" with the Tribe duplicating the first "Agreement" that was approved by Town Meeting Voters.

Now the Town of Mashpee believes they have a valid, binding "Agreement" with a Tribe that has proven less than honorable....except the "Agreement" was never ratified by Congress!

Amelia Bingham's words were telling after her failed land challenge:

...she isn't likely to appeal the ruling. She said it's time for the tribe to assert its rights.

"We've opened the door part way. We have all the documents necessary," she said. "It's time for the so-called leaders of our tribe to take some action."

Once the land the Mashpee Wampanoags own in Mashpee is placed in 'trust,' it's time for the Town of Mashpee to once again 'pound sand' because they have no valid agreement with a "Sovereign Nation." (Incidentally, the land is Mashpee is the only land the Tribe owns.)

Watching this parade of not-very-bright, might lead you to believe it couldn't be 'bested.'

Not so!

Fall River has exceeded all expectations!

The City, lacking adequate funding because of many flawed decisions and some really poor management faces a major financial crunch that the juvenile Mayor Flanagan hasn't yet noticed.

The Mayor, more focused on photo ops and preening before cameras has frittered away limited funds in a quest to give away land to wealthy investors, repeating fanciful promises and hasn't noticed that there is NO AGREEMENT WITH THE TRIBE FOR FUNDING!

There is NO indication that any of the attorneys the City has retained have any expertise in IGRA, LIT, or Tribal Casinos.

To all of the wonderful people I have met since Malaysian Investors began foaming at the mouth for cheap land and tax free profits to ship overseas, I am truly sorry!

Until proven otherwise, Fall River's Mayor and the RDA have topped the Darwin list! Maybe some day this not very bright Mayor will even figure out that the City would get a Destination Resort Slot Barn and nothing more!

And maybe someday, the Fall River Herald News might actually raise pertinent factual issues.

Kudos to Appeals Court Judge Kafker and to Attorney Lesley Rich of Somerset!

Appeals Court judge upholds injunction against Fall River casino land deal

Fall River has many gifted, smart and dedicated individuals who would proudly serve the City and work in its best interests. There's always the next election and an opportunity to make better choices.

Yes, casinos hurt local businesses

Yes, casinos hurt local businesses

The Boston Globe’s Jenifer McKim today reports that Robert Goodman, an expert on casino gambling, believes a proposed casino and slot-machine emporium at Suffolk Downs would harm local businesses.

“No serious economic impact analysis has been done in Massachusetts,” Goodman tells McKim. “More money is going to be sucked out of the local economy.”

But aren’t casinos supposed to be good for the economy?

In fact, the negative effect described by Goodman is so well-known that Glenn Marshall, the disgraced former chairman of the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe, reportedly promised business owners in Middleborough that he would give them money to offset the harm that would be done by the casino the tribe had proposed for that town. (The tribe recently dropped the long-dormant Middleborough scheme in favor of a site in Fall River.)

According to a story by Alice Elwell in the Enterprise of Brockton in September 2007, Marshall had promised local business leaders that he would “help” if the casino harmed restaurants in town. Selectman Wayne Perkins was quoted as saying this would have taken the form of “comp points” — scrip given to casino visitors that could be used at Middleborough businesses, which in turn could trade them in for cash. (The original link seems to be broken, but I wrote about it at the time.)

A casino is a self-contained economic machine that sucks money out of customers who might otherwise spread it around at local businesses, a fact Marshall backhandedly acknowledged in promising “comp points.” It then funnels the cash to high-rolling investors — and, of course, to the state, which is why Beacon Hill is now on the verge of approving this monstrosity.

The Globe’s corporate cousin, the New York Times, editorialized on Monday:

Casinos are a magnet for tainted money and promote addiction,
crime and other ills….

The state’s politicians should also stop chasing gamblers. At a time
when casino revenue is slumping across the country, it doesn’t even
make economic sense. They need to make hard decisions on taxes
and spending, and focus on developing stable industries, improving
education and working their way to growth. If they keep holding
out for a false jackpot, everyone will lose.

The Globe editorial page, by contrast, has been consistently if cautiously pro-casino. Too bad. As the region’s dominant media player, the Globe could exercise some real leadership on this issue.

Maine: Reminders of Middleboro and Fall River

Watch closely!

Wherever the Casino Vultures salivate to suck discretionary income from the local economy, the scenario remains the same:

Secret Meetings

Executive Sessions

Public Excluded

Rushed deals

Inadequate details

Questionable [overstated] claims of jobs and revenues

Phony promises


Wayne Perkins, the Chairman of the Middleboro Board of Selectmen claimed that towns with casinos don't pay property taxes.

The Tyrannical Marsha Brunelle, subsequent Chairman of the Middleboro Board of Selectmen gaveled residents to silence so she didn't have to answer questions.

It's always the same.

In the case of Maine, it's just another SLOT BARN, much like Fall River.

Biddeford voters clash over racino proposal

BIDDEFORD — Tensions ran high on Tuesday, when a standing room only crowd packed City Hall to discuss the proposal to bring harness racing and an accompanying slot machine facility to Biddeford. Discussion by proponents and opponents of the measure at times elicited applause, booing and shouting.

The issue became public on Aug. 17 when, after holding an executive session, the City Council voted to place a referendum question on the Nov. 2 ballot asking residents whether or not they want a racino in Biddeford.

The proposed $125 million development, dubbed Biddeford Downs, would include a harness racing track, a facility with 1,000 or more slot machines, and a hotel and entertainment complex. It is proposed to be built on a 70-acre city-owned parcel of undeveloped land along the Andrews Road.

Investors in the project include Scarborough Downs owner Sharon Terry, who would move the track to Biddeford, and hotel developer Ocean Properties LTD.

Supporters, including city officials, claim the proposed racino would bring 500 jobs – paying on average $30,000 per year, according to the developers – as well as much needed tax revenue to the city.

Opponents object to the lack of specific information about the deal, the fast-tracking of the proposal, the location, a possible increase in crime and other issues.

Many of those opposing the racino sported stickers supporting Citizens Against a Bad Deal, a group that has formed in opposition to the racino.

A petition by the group, calling for a public meeting on the issue, was presented to the City Council Tuesday.

Although a public forum on the issue was held on Oct. 4 at the City Theater, those against the racino complained that it was one-sided since only the investors and the Mayor Joanne Twomey, who supports the racino, were allowed to make a presentation.

A public hearing on the racino referendum will be held Monday, at 6 p.m., in City Council Chambers, at City Hall.

In addition to what they say is the one-sided promotion of the proposal by the city, opponents also object to the process used to get the referendum question on the local ballot.

The executive session during which the issue was discussed prior to the council’s vote on the question was illegal, said Portland attorney Timothy Shannon.

The 30-day time limit for someone to object to the legality of the executive session has expired, said City Attorney Keith Jacques, and therefore it is legal.

Lack of public discussion and public notice prior to the council’s decision, as well as using city resources to promote the project were also concerns, said Shannon.

“What’s the hurry?” asked resident and small business owner Holly Culloton, whose opinion was echoed by many of those who said they planned to vote “no” next month.

Even those who said they might support the racino said they didn’t have enough information to make an informed opinion.

“A ‘no’ vote would be a better vote until all your questions are answered,” said resident Dana Johnson.

Some objected to the potential increase in crime from a racino.

Resident Joshua Bodwell said despite what the Bangor police chief has said in the press, there has been a 40 percent increase in crime in that city since Hollywood Slots opened in 2005.

Bangor is the only city in Maine with a racino.

Conservation Commission Chairman Denis Rioux said the proposed location of the racino was his concern. He said the parcel proposed for the development, between the Andrews Road and South Street, is a significant wildlife habitat that would be threatened by a project of such magnitude.

City Councilor Patricia Boston, who voted to place the referendum question on the ballot, said she wished she could take her vote back.

“I drank the Kool-Aid,” said Boston.

She said she expected there to be more public information about the proposal, but she said that hasn’t been forthcoming.

In addition, while the mayor has said a “yes” vote in November is needed to begin negotiations and the process could be stopped, Boston said, according to the City Charter, a “yes” vote would be binding.

After the meeting, City Manager John Bubier said a “yes” vote would not be binding because the language of the question notes that needed approvals must be received and the city must negotiate a deal to its liking for the project to go forward.


A number of racino opponents alluded to the proposed racino being as bad for the city’s economic prosperity as the Maine Energy Recovery Company’s downtown waste incinerator. Others claimed that the jobs that would arise from the development would be menial jobs like housekeeping.

After the public spoke about the issue, a motion to not use city, state or federal dollars on the racino project was tabled until after the election on Nov. 2.

Fall River: Don't gamble with community's future

Don't gamble with community's future

Mayor Flanagan, I appreciate your vision for a
well-employed, well-funded Fall River. But I believe
you have been ill-advised on certain matters regarding
the issue of placing land into trust on behalf of the
Mashpee Wampanoag tribe.

If I understand correctly, if Ken Salazar, of the
Department of the Interior, were to “expeditiously”
approve the Mashpees application for land into trust
in Fall River, it would be in violation of at least
two Supreme Court decisions: the Hawaiian decision
and the 2010 Oneida decision.

Also, although your desire to maintain the “no
landfill” mandate on the 300 acres is applaudable,
your threat to sue them if they violate this mandate
is laughable. Would you seriously attempt to take on
a sovereign tribe over a land use dispute? Let’s think
of sovereign land like a foreign embassy — what they do
is not governed by the rules and regulations of the host
country, but by what their own homeland ordains, with
few exceptions. You willprobably find that that pretty
much means they can do what they want with it, landfill
and all, if they wanted to. EPA regulations and
protections? Out the window. They only apply to federal
soil, not sovereign.

I beg you to research how the Senaca Nation has treated
Niagra Falls, N.Y. Please do not allow this to happen here.

You will need more than a mere reverter clause to protect
Fall River. You need to simply not do business with so-called
investors who have lied in the quite recent past. I am
speaking of the agreement between the Mashpee Wampanoags
and the town of Middleboro. (And even that land was too far
away to meet the land-into-trust requirements.) What I say
is a lie is their signed agreement to establish a casino
in Middleboro and bring in the money. They have proved
themselves indecisive and untrustworthy because they
obviously backed out and have failed to uphold their
end of the deal.

These investors do not care one cent about our city,
their potential host. They didn’t (and don’t) care about
Middleboro. We cannot afford to ignore that.

So I am asking you to immediately re-offer the land to the
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth for the BioPark.
We cannot have both and we may find ourselves with neither.
It is political suicide to pursue a venture with untrustworthy
investors. Don’t gamble with our future. It is not right.

Rebecca S. O’Neill
Fall River

The Echoes Inside Their Heads

Concealing ignorance in Executive Sessions may be a violation of Open Meeting Laws, but the Middleboro Board of Selectmen has never allowed that to stop them.

The Chairwoman, not the brightest bulb in the circuit and mostly content to wallow in her own ignorance, never one to question, has her own agenda that doesn't include accurate information or public discussion.

Does anyone remember when Selectwoman Marsha Brunelle wanted Town Counsel to negotiate the agreement with the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe to save money? Surely town counsel has negotiated many Tribal Agreements and is fully familiar with IGRA, IRA, pertinent landmark court decisions and such! [insert sarcasm emoticon]

Does anyone remember when Marsha Brunelle and Wayne Perkins refused to allow a public discussion of Jack Healey's land auction that was advertised ONLY in Middleboro's weekly newspaper that cheated taxpayers out of a fair and reasonable price for the proposed 'casino property' ? Remember, those were the parcels Jack Healey, former Town Manager was seen poring over Assessors' Maps with Stephen Graham selecting? Sorry, Jack! Remember that day when I forgot my coffee mug and the doors to the Selectmen's Meeting Room were closed? And there were other times, as well.

There's much else in the convoluted history of the secret deals and misinformation of the BOS that seems unending.

Fortunately, their current ignorance seems harmless, but provides fodder for amusement and helps define their willingness to pursue Mushroom Farming, a thriving industry in Middleboro's Town Hall. (You know? Kept in the dark and fed a diet of manure?)

It was embarrassing that the Middleboro BOS sent a letter to the BIA, mostly staffed with Native Americans and known for its corruption, advising that the Tribe is not to be trusted. Chicanery? Paallleeeaze! Wasn't anyone in Town Hall paying attention to Abramoff?

I sure hope they sent that letter with Delivery Confirmation because the BIA has an obnoxious habit of losing things. Deliberate? One might wonder.

Now they believe Cedric Cromwell's Day Dream that he has magically submitted some kind of application to the BIA for LIT for their Fall River Fiasco.


Has anyone asked Cedric why the application has NOT appeared in the Federal Register? When was it submitted?

When the BIA officially accepts a trust land application, it's posted in the Federal Register.

No post in the Federal Register.

If they are adding the Fall River land, they have to post an intent to conduct an EIS at that site. Haven't seen that yet either.

It would appear there is no pending request for permission to game on that land with the only agency authorized to give Cedric permission to game.


This is classic Cedric --

In a prepared statement to The Enterprise, Cromwell, the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Council chairman, said the tribe “would like to work with (the town) to find a mutually beneficial use for the land.”


Oh? You mean the land the TRIBE does NOT own?

Thanks for your assistance, Cedric! [insert laughter track here]

I hate re-runs!

Email Web Sites
Being played for fools?
Marsha, Marsha, Marsha!

Abramoff

The Jilted Lover

Like the jilted bride left at the altar who simply refuses to accept reality, the poor Middleboro Board of Selectmen still want the $$ the Tribe committed to pay for "Casino Planning." Wonder what they're planning for?


Selectmen, still miffed that the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe has backed out of a casino deal in town, wants the tribe to continue honoring one of the provisions of the pact – namely, a $250,000 annual payment to the town.

Good luck, guys!

You might want to read this:

Tribe Renegs on $50 Million Bond

This is embarrassing

When leaders of the Mashpee Wampanoags met with Middleboro's CRAC (Casino Resort Advisory Committee), the leadership indicated that their Mega Monster would be downsized to a bingo hall.

Would someone please tell the Tribe about the SCOTUS Hawaii decision?

LIT? Think not!

Would someone please tell CRAC there are no investors?

Middleboro's CRAC should be re-named to something more appropriate. Jack Healey's Rabbit Hole comes to mind.

Tribe scales back Middleboro casino plans

By George Brennan
STAFF WRITER
October 20, 2009
Tribe leaders have dramatically scaled back plans for a proposed Indian casino in Middleboro.

At a meeting in Middleboro last night, tribe leaders told the Resort Advisory Committee that the casino will be about one-third the size of the $1 billion casino first proposed by the Mashpee Wampanoag and its investors.


The economy has forced the tribe to downsize its plans, tribal council Vice Chairman Aaron Tobey said today. That means starting out with a gambling hall in the first phase and adding a scaled back casino, about 300 rooms, in the second phase, he said.

Original plans had a resort that would rival the Indian mega casinos that rival Foxwoods or Mohegan Sun in Connecticut.

“Things change,” he said. “All indications are that a $1 billion-plus casino isn't possible. That's just common sense given the state of the economy.”

The tribe has an agreement with Middleboro to pay $7 million per year for hosting the casino and additional revenue from a hotel tax. It's a controversial deal that ripped apart the community with casino opponents saying the town isn't getting enough for hosting a casino.

Other hurdles remain in place for the tribe. They still need a way to put the 539 acres into federal trust and they reached an impasse with their investors that remains unresolved.

Middleboro CRAC Meeting with "Tribe"

Middleboro's CRAC (Casino Resort Advisory Committee), the one that's supposed to do whatever to plan for the doomed Mashpee Wampanoag Slot Parlor, will have as their guests this evening the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Leadership.

.

Since the leadership fantasizes that a "Carcieri Fix" will solve all problems, the meeting might be worth a few chuckles.

.

Note to some: The Hawaii SCOTUS decision ended LIT, the Tribe no longer have a federal bureaucracy foolish enough to invest the $400 million or thereabouts for infrastructure improvement and the Tribe is of no value to commercial investors to avoid state taxes and regulations. Ooops!

To Steve Grossman

Dear Steve:

Allow me to weigh in as "just your average voter."

When Middleboro was confronted with a Mega Slot Parlor in its
midst, questions and opposition were silenced, impacts never
considered and it was "inevitable" we were told.

Increased crime, public safety and school costs were NEVER
factored into the whopping $7 million offered, while supporters
raved "Wow!"

Some of us just knew intuitively it was wrong - not solely from
a moral perspective.

From examining other states that have allowed themselves to be
blinded by the Fool's Gold of Gambling, it becomes clear that,
since Predatory Gambling fails to cover its costs, continued
expansion is needed to cover revenue shortfalls in the false belief
that more gambling will somehow pay for the current mess.

Grandiose promises of job creation, economic development and
revenues are promised that never come to fruition because
they were flawed from the beginning, but no one questioned.

To meet those false promises, it is then argued that taxes are
too high, hours not long enough, additional slots must be
added, restrictions must be lifted.

Indiana is confronting tax bailouts.

Twin River is proposing in bankruptcy court 24 hours gaming
even though Lincoln, RI voters opposed it. Local control will
be disregarded. Greyhound racing will be eliminated even
though preservation of racing was the purpose of creating
a slot parlor.

Casinos around the country are filing bankruptcy or in the
case of the CT casinos, "restructuring their debt." And
this is the partner we propose getting in bed with?
Tribes have defaulted on their loan payments.
What type of fiscal review is being considered?

The Bay State will move from being a regulator to being a
stakeholder and promoter in the success of slots venues
because you too have become addicted to gambling and
fail to recognize the folly that it simply doesn't pay its
way and the costs are too high.

That anyone in a position of authority allows the conversation
to be monopolized with false promises is disappointing.

I would hope our legislative leaders would have the wisdom
to follow New Hampshire's lead and insist on an impartial
cost benefit analysis.

We simply can't afford the costs of predatory gambling.

Respectfully,

Jessie Powell
Middleboro, MA
No longer home to the Mashpee
Wampanoag Mega Monster thanks to
Hawaii

Cost - Benefit Analysis

Cape Cod Times --


In response to your Sept. 28 editorial, "A risky gamble?" the casinos currently proposed in Palmer by Mohegan Sun and in Middleboro by the Mashpee Wampanoag have been significantly downsized from their original proposals.

Palmer lacks water, and the estimated cost is $40 million. Who will pay that?

Middleboro lacks roads. Estimated cost: $400 million. Who will pay that? The bankrupt investors?

Will Massachusetts taxpayers be expected to absorb those costs? Big Dig, anyone?

And what of the concerns raised by the Western Massachusetts Casino Task Force that have been forwarded to legislators?

Before we allow ourselves to be blinded by casino gold, a cost-benefit analysis is needed, much as New Hampshire is doing.

Jessie Powell

Middleboro