Plainville: Ignoring Impacts

FROM OUR FRIENDS AT NO PLAINVILLE RACINO:

Below is a letter about what life is like in North Stonington, CT and Preston, CT since Foxwoods moved in. Considering that 1,250 slot machines might be the tip of the iceberg at Plainridge, Plainville and the surrounding towns should pay some attention to people who have already been through it:

Dear Holyoke City Councilors:

Below is a summary of two conversations my wife had with First Selectman Nick Mullane of North Stonington, CT, and First Selectman Bob Congdon of Preston, CT. Both towns border Foxwoods, and her conversations with them were very illuminating.

I am hopeful this information will encourage you to speak out publicly against having a casino in Springfield and West Springfield, and draft a resolution opposing both casinos.

Thank you for your time,

Ted Steger

Longmeadow, MA

P.S. I strongly encourage you to watch the video at http://www.nocasinospringfield.com

Casino Impacts

Traffic

-Traffic volume: In North Stonington, CT traffic on side roads through the town have tripled or quadrupled since the casino opened. This has lead to much wear and tear on the roads that must be more frequently repaired and maintained. Big expense to the town.

-In Preston, CT their roads went from accommodating 7,500 cars/day to 25,000 cars/day.

-North Stongington receives $880,000/year in mitigation aid from the state, and First Selectman Mullane says that it's not enough to cover the added expenses that have come to North Stonington since the casino opened. For anyone who perceives this to be "free" money, he added, "I'll give you all of it ($880,000/year) if you'll take Foxwoods."

-DUI: Both North Stonington and Preston have seen an increase in DUI accidents and other accidents since the opening of the casino. Roads in North Stonington are more windy, so there have been fewer fatalities, but in Preston they have seen more fatal accidents. The town of Ledyard, CT which hosts Foxwoods Casino has the highest rate of DUI accidents in the state of CT.

-Police/Fire/Ambulance: In Preston, CT they went from receiving 200 calls to the Fire Dept. per year to more than 1,000 calls per year. It has been very expensive to both communities to add police/fire/ambulance personnel to respond to increased need for services.

Declining Property Values

-Diminished Tax Base: The Town of North Stonington has seen a 10% decline in real estate value across the board. In Preston, CT any homes within .25 miles of traffic flow (not .25 miles from the actual casino, but the flow of traffic) to the casino saw a 25% decrease in home values.

-Mr. Mullane said it's important to consider this: "What's the cost of decreasing all of my town's real estate value by 10%?"

Municipal Resources

-Nick Mullane said, "Capacity demands on municipal functions are scary." He said everything from water pollution control to DPW is profoundly effected. Mr. Mullane said he would be happy to delve into greater detail if you decide to meet with him.

Schools

-Both First Selectmen said that Longmeadow will need increased security at all of our schools as the casino will bring people through our community who may/will pose a security risk.

-Selectmen Congdon and Mullane said that they have seen a shifting of demographics in their respective communities and warn that there is a good possibility that Longmeadow could see a shift in demographics as well, and that we will most likely be spending an increasing percentage of our school budget on ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) programs as "many languages will be spoken in your schools."

Housing

-Both North Stonington and Preston are like Longmeadow in that that they are made up of single-family homes. They note, though, that they have seen an increase in two families living in one home and others in their community putting ten beds (or more) in the basements of their homes and doing something called "hot bedding" which according to Dictionary.com is "having a bed shared by two or more persons in shifts, each sleeping in it at, or for, a designated time and then vacating it for the next occupant."

-Longmeadow needs to be very vigilant about making sure we have zoning laws to protect against this and make sure that these laws are vigorously enforced.

Effects on Retail Establishments

-Selectmen Congdon and Mullane said that they had many shops and restaurants within their communities and within their neighboring communities close within the first few years of the casino's opening. Selectman Mullane said the first thing that will happen to restaurants is that they will lose their waiters and waitresses to the casino restaurants because there will be more people at the casino restaurants which will mean more in tips for them. Next, the restaurant owners will close up and move somewhere else far away from the casino. Restaurants and shops within 30 miles of the casino will be adversely impacted. Over time, the shops and restaurants at the casino will be the only shops and restaurants around. "Merchants ought to be crying," said Mr. Mullane.

Hidden Costs to the Town

-First Selectman Mullane said that there will be many increased accounting costs to Longmeadow as well. He said that towns near the casino undergo much more scrutiny and that anyone in our town who handles money (tax collector, bookkeepers etc.) will have to be watched very closely. He said that they are on their third tax collector because the previous two embezzled hundreds of thousands of dollars. Mr. Mullane warns that the general increase in scrutiny and forensic audits that must take place when fraud occurs are quite expensive, and it's just one of the many hidden costs that a community must contend with when a casino is located near their town.

Impact on Quality of Life

-Other areas that have opened casinos (most recently Pennsylvania) have seen increases in theft, public drunkenness, and underage gambling. First Selectman Mullane echoed this, saying that his town has had problems with underage gambling, and studies show that young people are more prone to addiction. With the technological savvy of today's kids, it's very likely that "bored" Longmeadow youth will create fake IDs to get into casinos.

-The increased incidence of theft has led Mr. Mullane to feel that he's always looking over his shoulder. He reported that there have been big increases in time, place, and opportunity crimes and that you can never let your guard down. He said that every time he pumps gas, he's nervous and looking around to make sure he's safe, which is a big change from what his town was like pre-casino.

-Mr. Mullane added that the casinos are always touting the entertainment aspects of their operation, but "this is not entertainment. This is a gambling hall and a bar." And, per the MA gaming legislation, the casinos will be serving free liquor from 8:00am-2:00am everyday. He closed by saying, "Casino operators aren't the most charitable bunch."

PLAINVILLE PLANNING BOARD! Change of Use! Please Protect Your Community!

The Plainville Planning Board is considering a 'CHANGE OF USE' application for PLAINRIDGE, the defunct horse racing facility that has applied for a SLOT BARN license.

Recent revelations seem to indicate that Plainridge cannot be trusted to abide by the laws and fails to keep even reasonable promises.

Since emails and mail seem to get mysteriously lost or deliberately intercepted by Plainville's Town Manager, Joe Fernandes who has determined his blind support supersedes the concerns of others, pronouncing himself king,

here are methods of contact you might consider:


Plainville Planning Board FAX: 508 695-1857

Plainville Planning Board [you might consider sending your comment 'Delivery Confirmation']

Plainville Planning Board

142 South Street
Plainville, MA 02762


Home addresses:

Stanley Widak, Chairman
51 George St.
Plainville, MA 02762

James Throckmorton
6 Laurel Avenue
Plainville, MA 02762

John Mutascio
19 Horseshoe Drive
Plainville, MA 02762


Mailing addresses not yet available:

Robert Davis
Michael Czarnawski

Information here:
http://www.plainville.ma.us/Pages/PlainvilleMA_Planning/index

Below, is the letter of concern offered, both FAXed and Mailed. Please feel free to use any portion of the few issues included or question the information included:

It would seem that in order to responsibly serve the future of Plainville and its residents, critical consideration of all impacts is crucial.

1. During the Educational Forum offered by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission on June 14, 2012, the experts were unanimous in their agreement that the sole Slot Barn license issued would EXPAND. [Plainville Town Manager Joe Fernandes attended the forum.]

Each expert agreed that once table games were introduced in Rhode Island, the ability of compete would compel Massachusetts to add table games as well. The explanation would be 'in order to compete.'

Such is the business model for the Gambling Industry: EXPANSION. 

As you consider the 'change of use' for Plainridge, please bear in mind that without provisions in place to address the known future expansion, the Planning Board is the last protection abutters and the town possess.

It is my understanding that if a 'change of use' is approved without appropriate conditions, the town has surrendered any control, essentially writing a blank check for a future full-blown casino without considering additional impacts.  

2. In addition, water and waste water are expensive services that seem mostly ignored in Plainville and will heavily impact the future costs and livability of the community.

How can a community that recently was told it would be forced to purchase water from Rhode Island suddenly have adequate water in the face of new projects that will impact usage? Many of those proposals are heavy water users, including Plainridge. How does it make sense not to earmark additional expenses to upgrade water lines and water sources necessitated by Plainridge? Future expansion will necessitate increased consumption of water, as well as increased waste water treatment.

Caution would be urged to protect the future of residential taxpayers/ratepayers.

3. Housing. As you know, the Spectrum Report [prepared for the Connecticut Department of Special Revenue] addressed the practice of 'hot bunking' or 'hot bedding' in communities surrounding both tribal casinos. [The report is available in its entirety on the 'United to Stop Slots in Massachusetts' web site, along with numerous additional reports.]

The practice is explained as one in which beds are shared in shifts by low wage workers, unable to afford local housing.

In Massachusetts, we have witnessed the consequences of substandard and illegal housing in several horrific and fatal fires, frequently caused by shoddy construction, faulty electrical wiring, illegal apartments. 

Since property owners are frequently absent, properties become poorly maintained, neighborhoods become blighted, reducing property values, frequently creating a nuisance.

It is interesting to note that because both Connecticut casinos pay so poorly, they recruited non-English speaking workers, burdening the public schools with the additional cost of ESL teachers.

[As a footnote, the presence of increased numbers of foreign-speaking workers necessitated the availability of translators for public safety personnel, medical teams, court systems and much else. Both casinos have offered English-language proficiency courses to enable low wage workers to fulfill their job responsibilities.]

4. FREE ALCOHOL: With the best intentions, each community that has become host to a gambling facility offering FREE ALCOHOL has experienced an increase in DUIs, making innocents traveling their roads a target.

The increased DUIs was also addressed in the Spectrum Report.

At one time, both Tribes funded additional police patrols to reduce the incidents, but the funding is no longer available because of declining revenue. The Drunks are still on the roads, but no longer stopped.

This issue increases public safety costs, police, fire and ambulance, as well as insurance premiums based on accident experience.

5. TRAFFIC. Because Route 1 is heavily trafficked during certain periods [i.e. Stadium Games, Christmas, and so on], vehicles seek alternative 'back roads.'

With the advent of GPS, those back roads are more easily located.
 

An increase of Route 1 traffic will force travelers onto the back roads in increasing numbers.

Most of those roads are currently sub-standard, unable to tolerate any increased traffic safely. 
 

The additional traffic alone will increase accident rates, as well as public safety costs. Forcing increased traffic onto sub-standard 'back roads' increases those risks.

 

Can you imagine not being fully sober, unfamiliar with Mirimachi Street and attempting to navigate?
 

With the known future expansion of the Plainridge proposal, shouldn't that also be taken into consideration?

Will the 'rear entrance' to Plainridge [Harness Path] become an access road?
 

6. PROPERTY VALUES. Should Plainridge be awarded the Slot Barn license, it will become a 24/7/365 operation.

What measures will the Planning Board put in place to protect property owners from additional noise, pollution, light? Since Plainridge failed to erect a berm in the past, how will this be enforced in the future? 

Abutters currently endure nighttime illumination of their homes which Plainridge has refused to address/correct. Having a parking garage against your property line will only increase the horn-honking, vehicle lights, exhaust fumes and nighttime noise. [Nighttime illumination has far-reaching consequences. Studies have linked an elevated rate of breast cancer. Sleep disturbances reduce student learning, create a multitude of physical issues. The additional exhaust pollution so close to homes will increase childhood asthma rates. Those issues are easily discerned with a simple internet search.]

Home buyers don't purchase homes next to facilities that are noisy, polluting, operate around the clock or are gambling facilities. Since those property values will decline, are there measures in place to protect Plainville from the reduction in tax base? Some of the homes may become unmarketable. Will Plainridge purchase any of those homes?

While the decline in home values might seem a limited issue, effecting mostly abutters, it will reduce Plainville's tax base. 
 

7. BLASTING. How much additional blasting will be required? What provisions are in place to assure adequate notice and protection for residential property owners? It seemed from past experience that homeowners had little recourse from the noise, vibration and debris.

8. LOCAL PATRONS. Considering the example of Parx in Pennsyvania [the current partner in Raynham] and highly successful operator of a Slot Barn that caters to local patrons [low rollers] in Pennsylvania, what protections are in place for local businesses that will be harmed by discretionary income no longer being spent at local restaurants?

Posted in 'The McDonald's of Gambling' :

Parx president Dave Jonas says his revenue comes almost exclusively from local low rollers.

"We underestimated significantly how many trips our customers were going to make," Jonas said at last month's Pennsylvania Gaming Congress in Valley Forge.

"When I was in Atlantic City, to have 12 to 15 trips out of customers, they were VIPs," Jonas said. At Parx, "it's not uncommon for us to have 150 to 200 trips."

Moderator Michael Pollock, a well-regarded casino analyst, paused to digest the statistic.

"You said 150 to 200 times a year," he repeated. "That's three to four times a week, essentially."

"Yes," Jonas confirmed, most of his players fit that profile. In fact, because Parx players tend to live within 20 miles of Street Road, many go even more frequently.

"We have customers," Jonas boasted, "who give us $25, $30 five times a week."

As you know, the Gambling Industry destroyed most local businesses and restaurants in Atlantic City, invited crime, created slums.

Should Plainridge obtain the sole Slot Barn license in Massachusetts, knowing that patrons will come from ~ 20 miles, what provisions can the Planning Board implement to maintain that local tax base and employment?

9. CANNIBALIZATION. The Spectrum report determined that the majority of the 'new' jobs created by the Connecticut Tribal Casinos represented jobs that had existed in the local sector, but were replaced by the casinos.

10. The Flight. Property owners in Connecticut who could afford to flee, did so, diminishing the diversity of the surrounding communities, driving down local wages [a phenomena reported elsewhere].


Ball State University prepared a study that confirmed the impact of low wage racino jobs driving down wages in West Virginia. 

Should you have any questions or require documentation, please don't hesitate to contact me.

Raynham: Some things are beyond words!

Former local tribal planners advising Mass. town
By Brian HallenbeckPublication: The Day

Published 05/15/2013

 

Robert Birmingham witnessed Foxwoods Resort Casino's growth from a ringside seat as the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe's top planner until 2010.
Now, he's putting that experience to use in a consulting role, teaming with another former tribal planner, David Schweid, to help the town of Raynham, Mass., evaluate developers' plans to turn a former dog track into a slots parlor.
Birmingham began consulting for the Mashantuckets in the late 1980s when he was Stonington's town planner. At the end of his nearly 20-year career with the tribe, he was director of community development and property management. Schweid worked eight years as an assistant planner for the tribe in the 1990s and is the part-time planner in Exeter, R.I.
"We think we know some things," Birmingham said.
The consultants' backgrounds were key factors in the town's decision to hire them, according to Joseph Pacheco, chairman of the Raynham Board of Selectmen.
Birmingham and Schweid made a presentation in Raynham last month and expect to finish their report on the slots parlor proposal next week. Birmingham said they've been studying how the project, which calls for 1,250 slot machines and major renovations, would affect traffic, roads, police and fire protection and water and sewer service.
"We're looking at the marketplace, too," he said, "How much slot revenue can they expect, what the experience has been in Rhode Island and at the Indian casinos (in Connecticut)."
B&S Consulting's work will help frame a "host community agreement" the developers must reach with the town's Board of Selectmen. The plan would then have to be approved by residents in a referendum.
Proposed by the property's owner, George Carney, and Greenwood Racing, which owns Parx Casino in Bensalem, Pa., the Raynham Park plan is one of up to four vying for the single slots license the Massachusetts Gaming Commission expects to award by the end of the year. Plainridge Racecourse in Plainville is seeking the license, and projects have been proposed in Worcester and Boxborough, too.
"The Raynham plan is as good as anyone's," said Clyde Barrow, a gaming expert and director of the Center for Policy Analysis at UMass Dartmouth. "All of them are good locations for intercepting traffic to Rhode Island and Connecticut, though I think the commission's aiming primarily at Twin River (in Rhode Island) ... I don't see the slots parlor having a major impact on Foxwoods; it's really aimed at the convenience gambler."
Birmingham said he believes the Raynham Park proposal has broad public support in the town where the facility offered live greyhound racing for decades until the state banned the practice several years ago. Since then, it's continued to offer wagering on simulcast racing.
Would Ledyard residents have approved Foxwoods if a referendum been required at the time?
"That's an interesting question," Birmingham said. "If you think back to what was going on (when Foxwoods was built), with the cutbacks in defense spending, the casino was a savior. Over time, it's proved to be an economic engine ... Now that things are declining - the business is not so lucrative, there are layoffs at the casinos - not everybody likes it so much.”
As for Foxwoods' impact, he said, "It's totally a mixed bag."

http://www.theday.com/article/20130515/BIZ02/305159967/1044

 

 

Mohegan Sun: 55% of JOBS pay at or below $26,124

Mohegan Sun paid so poorly in Connecticut, they were forced to recruit overseas, forcing low wage workers to live in substandard housing known as 'hot bedding.'

The Palmer Citizens Casino Impact Study Committee determined the annual cost to host Mohegan Sun would be $18 MILLION to $39 MILLION, not including the $50 MILLION to bring water from the Quabbin.

The figures below are outdated because declining revenue caused by Gambling Market Saturation have caused layoffs, yet provide an itemized breakdown ---  

From: CT: Spectrum Gaming Report #11 Low Wage Jobs

Mohegan Sun employment by sectorMohegan Sun executives provided us with a breakdown of average annual salaries by employee sector for 2007.

• 52 senior management, $298,696
  108 directors, $104,502.
  535 managers $55,877
  741 supervisors, $42,745
  3,444 dealers and floor persons, $36,700
  593 games support, $26,124
  1,245 non-games floor support, $17,951
  2,114 non-gambling support, $22,189
  1,978 general support, $23,504

(note: this totals 10,810 jobs; 9374 (87%) of which pay at
or below $36,700; 5930 (55%) of which pay at or below $26,124)
– page
123 Spectrum Gaming Group (SGG) “Gambling in Connecticut” 2009

You're in Oz alright!

Sunday, April 14, 2013

Casino developers tout job creation

By Priyanka Dayal McCluskey, TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

WORCESTER — At Mohegan Sun, if you can smile, you're hired.

Skills and experience are important, too, of course, but more important is how employees present themselves, especially to customers.

"We need people that are smiling and happy," said Don Trella, director of employee and guest experience. "We want them to create a memorable experience for our guests."

The explanation of the company's no-frowners-need-apply policy came at the DCU Center during a recent information session about working at Mohegan Sun.

The operators of the Connecticut casino are seeking a license to build another in Palmer, and they were in Worcester last week to tell residents about job opportunities in Palmer — even though the project is far from a certainty. Mohegan Sun is competing with three other companies for the sole license to build a resort casino in Western Massachusetts. The winner of that license is expected to be named early next year.

Peter Schultz, project coordinator for the Palmer casino, said it made sense for Mohegan to start talking about jobs so early in the process because jobs are on people's minds.

"People ask about it," he said. "Jobs is the No. 1 priority, overwhelmingly."

The promise of jobs is also an important marketing tool used by casino developers seeking support in communities where some residents may have concerns about other potential side effects of casinos, like traffic, addiction and crime.

Resort casino jobs include more than dealers and slot machine operators. They encompass accounting, finance, security, surveillance, sales, marketing, engineering and hotel and restaurant jobs.

"It's a little city," Mr. Trella said. "It's all these industries wrapped into one."

Salaries for casino workers can range, based on the job, from around minimum wage to much higher.

Ninety percent of workers in the U.S. gaming industry have less than a college degree, according to a 2009 study by researchers at the University of Massachusetts at Boston. The median wage for resort casino workers is about $17 an hour, the study found.

A spokeswoman for Mohegan Sun said less than 1 percent of its 7,340 employees earn less than $8.93 per hour.

Casino developers are promoting jobs through their websites, social media and at public meetings. Mohegan Sun's Palmer casino would create an estimated 2,400 jobs, possibly more. Its competitors pledge to create a similar number of jobs — Hard Rock Cafe International, which wants to build a casino in West Springfield, said it will create 2,000 full-time equivalents, while Penn National Gaming Inc.'s Springfield casino would include about 2,400 jobs, and the MGM Springfield casino would employ 3,000.

If 'developers' were forced to hire those numbers, they'd be reduced quickly.

Developers of the Wynn casino proposed for Everett and the Suffolk Downs casino planned for Boston both say their projects would employ 4,000. Foxwoods, which is competing with those developers to build a casino in Milford, has not provided a jobs estimate for its project.

Worcester County residents theoretically could travel to work at casinos in either the eastern or western zone. There's also the potential for gambling jobs in Worcester. A subsidiary of Chicago-based Rush Street Gaming LLC is vying for a license to build a slots-only gambling parlor in Green Island. Without table games, it would be smaller than the resort casinos proposed for the Springfield and Boston areas. It would include up to 450 jobs.

"These jobs are very high-paying jobs with good benefits," Greg Carlin, chief executive officer of Rush Street Gaming, told the Telegram & Gazette last month. "At our casinos, if you add salary with benefits and tips, the average (pay) is between $50,000 and $60,000."

What other employer quotes salaries including BENEFITS?

The Worcester slots parlor, if approved, wouldn't have dealers, but it would include many of the other jobs found at resort casinos, including cashiers, food servers and slot technicians.

Elsewhere, there have been 1 employee for every +3 SLOT MACHINES - not accounting for shifts and weekends.

For Ti Ferrelli of Sutton, the fact that gambling companies are already looking to hire is welcome news. She was laid off a year ago from her job as an executive assistant and office manager, and has been working unsteady temp jobs since.

After listening to Mohegan Sun's presentation in Worcester, Ms. Ferrelli, who has a master's degree, was ready to apply.

"At this point, all I want is a job," she said.

Contact Priyanka Dayal McCluskey at pdayal@telegram.com. Follow her on Twitter @Priyanka_Dayal.

http://www.telegram.com/article/20130414/NEWS/304149978/1002/BUSINESS

Sub-Standard Housing

The Connecticut DOSR [Department of Special Revenue] retained Spectrum Gaming to study the impacts of the Tribal Casinos. Because of budgetary restraints, the report was limited in scope, yet included the issue of sub-standard housing.

Because most of the jobs created by Gambling facilities are Low Wage, workers are forced to seek sub-standard housing.

In Connecticut, the housing was called 'Hut Houses' and a practice called 'Hot Bedding' was common. That practice indicates that shift workers sleep in the same beds in shifts.  

Those communities currently targeted by the Gambling Industry need to recognize the problem and adopt practices that provide a safer community.

It is not only Low Wage workers and their families at risk, but Public Safety workers who risk entering engulfed building for rescue.

Taxpayers pick up the costs of additional congested housing.

The article below highlights part of the issue and provides part of the solution.
Creating jobs that provide living wages offers hope.


Penalty may get tougher for illegal apartments in Massachusetts

By Jack Encarnacao

The Patriot Ledger

Posted Mar 23, 2013

QUINCY —

Under current Massachusetts law, when inspectors find the kind of cramped living conditions that contributed to the death of two children and their father in a 2009 basement fire, there is little they can do beyond write the landlord a ticket.

Officials say landlords can too easily view the fines as simply the cost of doing business and continue catering to tenants willing to accept dangerous living conditions because they cannot afford market rent.

“If there were actually jail time involved, it would certainly make our job easier,” said Robert Conlon, an assistant building commissioner in Quincy. “You wouldn’t feel like you’re spending forever chasing these down just to impose a $100 fine.”

Incarceration would be added to inspectors’ toolboxes under a bill filed by an alliance of state legislators, the state fire marshal and the Norfolk County District Attorney.

The legislation would subject landlords who keep illegal apartments to up to 21/2 years in jail. Inspectors would be able to seek a criminal complaint in district court against these landlords, and also fine them $15,000.

The filing of the bill comes one year after two Quincy landlords were jailed on manslaughter convictions following the deaths of Oudah Frawi and his young sons, Ali and Hassan, who were trapped during a fire in a basement apartment on Robertson Street that had only one exit and other code violations. Andy Huang was sentenced to three years in prison, and his brother, Jason, was sentenced to two to three years after a trial last January.

“People obviously are making the conscious decision to break the law and add illegal apartments because it’s financially feasible to do so,” Norfolk County District Attorney Michael Morrissey said.

“Obviously, they weigh the risk of the violation and the fine. If those violations rise to the level where it puts someone’s life at stake, and the penalty now is it could affect the (property owner’s) liberty, I think people might think twice.”

The illegal apartment issue is particularly pronounced in Quincy and communities with a lot of dense, multifamily housing.

Chiefly sponsored by Sen. James Timilty of Walpole, the bill is also sponsored by Rep. John Rogers of Norwood; Rep. Bruce Ayers of Quincy; Rep. Louis Kakfa of Stoughton; Rep. Elizabeth Poirier of North Attleboro; Rep. Denise Provost of Somerville; Sen. John Keenan of Quincy; Rep. James Murphy of Weymouth; Rep. James Cantwell of Marshfield and Sen. Michael Knapik of Westfield.

For second offenses, the proposed law subjects landlords to five years in state prison and a $35,000 fine.

“In my mind, it sets very clear and significant penalties for those people who put profit over safety,” state fire marshal Stephen Coan said of the bill.

Using current law and city ordinances, Quincy has checked hundreds of illegal-apartment complaints since the 2009 fire on Robertson Street.

Inspectors can issue fines and order illegal units removed from buildings but can only pursue criminal charges if those fines are not paid or if the illegal unit is not removed in a timely manner.

READ MORE about this issue.



Read more: http://www.patriotledger.com/topstories/x694780821/Penalty-may-get-tougher-for-illegal-apartments-in-Massachusetts#ixzz2OMqXjbcW
Additional information:
Tax Collection Stations

As just one brief example, the report prepared for Governor Rell showed that 38.2% of Foxwoods employees earned less than $20,536 annually. That's over one-third. 86.99% of all Foxwoods employees earned less than $28,930 annually. That's nearly 9 in 10 employees earning what could, at best, be called a subsistence wage.

At Mohegan Sun, the numbers are almost as bad: 38% of all Mohegan Sun employees earned less than $22,189 annually and only 16.26% earned more than $36,700 annually.
From: Massachusetts Mayors Promote Low Wage Jobs

CT: Spectrum Gaming Report #11 Low Wage Jobs

The Spectrum Gaming Report prepared for the CT DOSR is availble on the United to Stop Slots in Massachusetts web site. It's worth reading.

From: CT: Spectrum Gaming Report #2
Substandard housing, illegal conversions –
casino workersWith many casino workers unable to afford housing in southeastern Connecticut, some landlords have converted single-family homes into boarding facilities. The practice is not only illegal, it is unsafe as well.
– page 14 Spectrum Gaming Group (SGG) “Gambling in Connecticut”
2009

From: CT: Spectrum Gaming Report #1
Norwich Public School administrators identified on a yearly basis nearly
$2 million in casino-related costs. In order to handle the influx of immigrant
workers attracted to casino jobs, the district had to create English for
Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) program because students speak nearly 30
different languages. They come from Haiti, Peru, the Dominican Republic and
Eastern Europe. In addition, thousands of Chinese-speaking workers were
recruited from New York City in late 2001 to work at the casinos.
– page 13
Spectrum Gaming Group (SGG) “Gambling in Connecticut” 2009

CT: Increased taxpayer costs
Spectrum Gaming: CT Report

Kraft/Wynn Slot Barn would be detrimental to area housing market

Bravo West Springfield! Bravo Brian J. Griffin!

West Springfield town councilors stick to stand on casino committee

Published: Saturday, October 13
Sandra Constantine, The Republican

Brian J. Griffin

WEST SPRINGFIELD – Despite criticism from the mayor, Town Councilor Brian J. Griffin said Friday he intends to remain “proactive” about the negative impacts a casino in Springfield could have on the community and continue his work with the newly formed Ad Hoc Casino Mitigation Committee.

Griffin was elected chairman of the committee Friday by its other two voting members, town councilors Angus M. Rushlow and John R. Sweeney. Town Council President Kathleen A. Bourque serves in an ex-officio capacity on the committee.

Earlier in the week, Mayor Gregory C. Neffinger issued a press release chastising councilors as being negative in their approach by using the word “mitigation.” The mayor also said instead of forming a committee, the councilors should go to seminars and other regional meetings about plans for a casino in Springfield as he has done.

“We’d be far ahead of the curve if we plan for it,” Griffin said of the possibility a casino will be built in neighboring Springfield. There are proposals on the table to have a casino on the south and north ends of Springfield as well as one off Page Boulevard.

The committee’s first order of business will be to invite Neffinger to a meeting, according to Griffin.

“We hope we have a good response from the mayor. We can work together to have a better West Springfield,” Griffin said.

Bourque had a similar take on the issue.

“We are just trying to be proactive. We’ve been proactive for 11 years,” she said. “We’d be happy to work with the mayor on this.”

Griffin and Bourque said a casino in Springfield would affect such areas in the city as public safety, housing and schools.

As for Neffinger’s contention that there is little to no money available for mitigation, Griffin said there is money available for neighboring communities to negotiate agreements with casinos from the $400,000 in nonrefundable money developers must put up to apply to build a casino. [Griffin has done his homework, unlike Mayor Neffinger!]

http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2012/10/west_springfield_councilors_st.html

Plainville: Lacking Expertise, But Moving Ahead Anyway!

The Plainville Pickles are at it again! 

Incapable of assessing COSTS, refusing to hire a Cost Analyst to assess those costs, the Pickles have begun meeting to discuss the proposed Slot Barn at Plainridge Race Track. 

Other towns have appointed citizens' committees that conducted public meetings to determine host community costs and solicited input from residents. 

Not so Plainville where leaders are still scratching their heads, waiting to be spoon-fed rather than accomplish the difficult process of THINKING and RESEARCHING. 

The small town of Palmer appointed a Citizens Casino Study Committee that determined the annual cost to host Mohegan Sun would be $18 MILLION to $39 MILLION per year, not including the $50 MILLION to bring water from the Quabbin Reservoir.

If Palmer and Middleboro could do it, it would seem to be only the obstinance of Plainville's leadership to short-change the future of the community.

What will they do when Predatory Gambling expands, as has already been discussed, and table games are added?  

Town begins gaming talks with Plainridge

Posted: Friday, October 12, 2012

BY JIM HAND SUN CHRONICLE STAFF

PLAINVILLE - Town officials have met with Plainridge Racecourse representatives four times to talk about allowing slot machines at the track, but insist they still intend to hire a consultant to help them negotiate a host agreement.

Selectmen had said at the start of the process of Plainridge applying for a slot machine license that the board lacked the expertise in gambling to negotiate a deal with the Route 1 track on their own.

They said they would hire a consultant, which will be paid for by the track, to help them through the steps required for reaching an agreement on how much the track would pay the town and other items to mitigate the impact of expanded gambling at the site.

The news that Selectman Rob Rose and Town Administrator Joseph Fernandes have met with track President Gary Piontkowski four times before hiring a consultant angered anti-gambling activist Mary-Ann Greanier.

"More than once we were told that the board of selectmen would never enter into negotiations without a consultant in place," she said in a letter to Fernandes.

"But somehow, at Mr. Piontkowski's behest, we have, in fact done just that."

Fernandes expressed frustration that some slot machine critics seem intent on discrediting town officials without knowing the facts.

He and Rose insisted a consultant will be hired soon.

A request for proposals seeking consultants to apply for the position should be done next month, Fernandes said.

The request, or RFP, has been delayed because selectmen thought the state Gaming Commission was going to issue a draft proposal for all towns to copy, he said.

He said the four meetings with Plainridge were preliminary, and no offers were made.

"We will not respond to them until we have a consultant on board," he said.

The first two meetings involved talking about setting a process for future talks, he said.

The third meeting involved Piontkowski outlining his estimates of how much revenue 1,250 slot machines could generate. The last meeting took place on Tuesday and centered on the planning board's role in considering altering its special permit rules to allow for slot machines, he said.

Fernandes said a consultant will be hired before any negotiations on the substance of a host community agreement begin.

Rose said the four meetings have been "nothing substantial ...We're trying to get the ball rolling."

He said the meetings have begun because selectmen are concerned that the gaming commission might issue a deadline for reaching an agreement and applying for a license that would catch the town unprepared. 

[The Gambling Commission has stated that the initial step of the process will require about 6 months. In addition, they have indicated that the first license will not be issued until 2014. Instead, it would seem Mr. Pointkowski is driving the train.]

http://www.thesunchronicle.com/news/local_news/town-begins-gaming-talks-with-plainridge/article_bc1599ae-aa95-5c13-bcc7-4e080549905b.html

Below is a copy of an email I just sent to Joe Fernandes and the Board of Selectmen. I also sent it to the press. 

I am really angry that the BoS continues to negotiate with Plainridge without a consultant in place and without a cost benefit analysis. I think they must be told to stop. 

Best,
Mary-Ann



Hello, Joe, 

Thank you for taking the time yesterday to explain your thoughts and process about the RFP and about negotiations with Plainridge. After digesting what you said, I have a couple of responses. 

First, I can't see any reason why the consultant we hire shouldn't also have expertise in traffic issues. In fact, I think it's imperative that her expertise in traffic analysis runs deep. 

Even though the Planning Board will have to look at traffic issues when considering an amendment to Plainridge's special permit, they must make their decision on a very narrow set of parameters; perforce, they will not have the same bargaining power that Plainville, as potential Host Community, will have. There are many and varied issues around the impact of traffic in and around the track about which the Planning Board will not be able to analyze, decide or mitigate. Those issues can and must be analyzed, decided, and mitigated in the Host Community Agreement. 

Any consultant hired to perform the CBA and to assist in negotiating a Host Community Agreement must be free to do her own traffic analysis and to make recommendations based on what she finds. It's far better to over-scrutinize the impact of 6,000+ vehicle trips/day, into and out of Plainridge, and the domino effect on the surrounding roads and residents, than it is to leave it to Planning Board. 

I cannot urge you strongly enough to include the requirement of significant traffic analysis experience in the RFP.  

On the matter of negotiating with Plainridge absent the CBA and absent a consultant: I listened to your explanation of why the Board of Selectmen has agreed to begin negotiations with Mr. Piontkowski. You said that there have already been four negotiating sessions without a consultant in place; I do not agree with the Board's decision to begin negotiating without the protections that citizens of Plainville were assured would be in place. 

You spoke of Mr. Piontkowski's "frustration" at wanting to be "First of Marketplace," and his desire to begin negotiations. As best as I can glean, he was upset that negotiations with Suffolk Downs, Springfield and Taunton were enjoying public support from elected officials like Mayor Menino, and wanted the Board of Selectmen in Plainville to start negotiations with him even though he knows full well that we have not even sent out an RFP to hire a consultant. 

More than once we were told that the Board of Selectmen would never enter into negotiations without a consultant in place. But somehow, at Mr. Piontkowski's behest, we have, in fact done just that. It doesn't matter to me that you have told Mr. Piontkowski that you "won't respond to anything that's offered." The fact of the matter is, the people of Plainville were assured that the Board of Selectmen would go into these negotiations fully armed with a consultant and information. Instead, three people who have all admitted they lack expertise have decided to enter into negotiations with a man who has a great deal of expertise, indeed. 

Please, stop negotiating.  Wait until we have a consultant and a CBA before listening to anything more that Plainridge might have to offer. The process is opaque to the citizens of Plainville; we are not allowed to see or hear what goes on in those meetings. We don't even know if a record is kept of the meetings, and if we will ever have access to those records. Therefore, I would feel much better about the whole affair if there were an expert or experts sitting on our side of the table for any and all negotiations. Let Mr. Piontkowski speak to you when our consultants (and perhaps our Town Counsel) are in the room. I believe this is the "deal" you struck with the people of Plainville. It's time to live up to it. 

Thank you again for your time. 

Regards,
Mary-Ann Greanier

Kraft/Wynn Slot Barn would be detrimental to area housing market

Casino would be detrimental to area housing market

To the editor: I'm a Foxboro resident and owner of a real estate brokerage for the last 23 years. I'm against the casino in Foxboro for several reasons.

* A casino is controversial.

* Anything controversial will cause some home buyers to exclude Foxboro and surrounding towns. This potential reduction in buyers will negatively affect the price and resale of homes here.

* There will most likely be an increase in crime, drunk driving and other problems that don't necessarily come from other types of commercial developments such as a malls, restaurants, etc.

* The majority of jobs created by a casino are not high paying. In contrast, jobs created through skilled manufacturing, high tech, research, medical, education and finance would be more beneficial to Foxboro and area communities. Whether the casino is built in Foxboro or Boston, those same jobs the casino lobby is promoting will be available for applicants.

* A casino will change the demographics and feel of the town. The casino developer is setting aside funds to deal with the increased need in law enforcement the casino will bring. Many families moved to Foxboro because of the community feel. Any significant change in crime, drug abuse, alcohol abuse and, domestic violence, or any other demographics will change the feel and fabric of Foxboro and surrounding towns.

Three casinos will be built in Massachusetts, all within a drive convenient to Foxboro residents who want to use it or work there; it doesn't need to be in Foxboro for this to happen.

With objection from of town officials and residents in significant numbers, Steve Wynn and Robert Kraft have resorted to employment of people from outside of town to try to sell the proposal to residents. They are funding promotions trying to make the casino just about jobs. This argument falls short because Foxboro has relatively high employment. All the casino jobs will be available to qualified candidates no matter where the casino is built. The "Jobs for Foxboro" argument just doesn't hold water.

Bob Simone, Foxboro