The following was submitted by Celeste Myers dated 6/25/2014:
"We, the people, are the winners and beneficiaries of yesterday's ruling by the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts that allows voters to decide in November whether or not to repeal the 2011 casino gambling law. Regardless of how you feel about casino gambling, this was an ill-conceived law from the start, a reality born out in a process marked with many missteps, a lack of transparency, and even the occasional end-run around the law.
The events in Eastern Massachusetts since last November's vote in East Boston and Revere should serve as exhibit A for the brokenness of this legislation. After being defeated at the polls in East Boston, the casino proposal for Suffolk Downs was given new life by the Gaming Commission to proceed as a "Revere-only" project. Even our local elected officials, and later our new mayor, wrote letters of objection to the commission's ruling vowing to defend Eastie residents' votes. The Mayor sought host community status for a "revised project" that has every bit as much of an impact on the the people of East Boston as the one we voted down in November. Last night, in Revere, residents and leaders of impacted areas had a final opportunity to speak out about this project before the commission decides between the two Eastern Massachusetts casino proposals.
Not a single local elected official (or any of their aides) representing Boston, let alone heavily impacted East Boston, showed up.
When I am your representative, I pledge to work tirelessly for you. When an opportunity arises to use my position to defend my neighbors or my neighborhood, I will not balk. My number one priority is the community, and I promise to show my dedication not only with words -- but action as well.
We can all celebrate that democracy will shine in November, when we have the opportunity to repeal a law that threatens both the Commonwealth and our neighborhood. While I do not know how residents of the Commonwealth will vote, I fully support their ability to do so. The stakes could not be higher."
Source: Celeste Myers
Showing posts with label Gambling. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gambling. Show all posts
Friday, June 27, 2014
Tuesday, May 6, 2014
Boston Clergy to Mayor Walsh: ‘Protect the Vote of the People’
(Boston, MA, May 6, 2014)
May 6, 2014
Dear Mayor Walsh,
Following weekend reports
that Mayor Marty Walsh may be in direct negotiations with Mohegan Sun regarding
a proposed casino at Suffolk Downs, more than forty Boston-area clergy are
urging Mayor Walsh to uphold the “no casino” vote that took place in East
Boston on Nov. 5, 2013.
In a joint letter signed by
Protestant, Catholic, Jewish and Muslim leaders and submitted to the mayor’s
office today, the clergy expressed alarm at the ongoing “affront to the
democratic process” amid efforts to approve up to one casino in Eastern
Massachusetts, and called on Mayor Walsh to “use the full resources of the city
of Boston to protect the vote of the people.”
The letter articulates the
legal terms of the Nov. 5 vote, which included the residents of East Boston
being legally entrusted with the city’s vote by the Boston City Council, as
well as being constantly assured that the Suffolk Downs casino proposal required
a “yes” vote in both Boston and
Revere to proceed.
“The people of East Boston
voted against that proposal,” the letter continues. “Despite this vote and in
direct opposition to the will of the people, the Massachusetts Gaming
Commission allowed a proposal to go forward at Suffolk Downs.”
While there has been
solidarity around this issue among East Boston ministers since November,
critical to the present initiative is the increasing involvement of clergy
throughout Boston as a whole. The additional support from ministers across
the city is directly attributable to the ignoring of East Boston’s vote by the
Massachusetts Gaming Commission, local elected officials, and now perhaps Mayor
Walsh, says Rev. Dr. David Searles of Central Assembly of God Church in
East Boston, who assisted in writing the letter.
“There were two significant questions on the November 5
ballot, the mayoral election question and the casino question,” Searles says. “If
the casino vote did not count, then why should the mayor’s vote count? There’s simply no logic to this.”
The clergy insist their
initiative is not simply about being against
a casino, adding that they “support business development and job creation that
produces long-term economic health.” Even
still, the letter states, “a casino’s long-term negative impacts would far
outweigh the promises.”
Reports that the city may be
open to negotiating with Mohegan Sun and Suffolk Downs have increased the
clergy’s resolve. “We’re not giving up and we’re not going away,” says Trent
Sheppard, Alpha New England’s Collegiate Chaplain and an East Boston resident. “East Boston’s future is bright, and that
future – according to the will of the people – is casino-free.”
The ministers’ letter can be
read in full at www.friendsofeastboston.com and clergy signature gathering will continue unabated
throughout the week.
*****
Dear Mayor Walsh,
We appreciate your vision to strengthen local neighborhoods and to work toward unity
that we may be One Boston. As clergy in Boston we share your commitment to the city
and the desire for all people to have an opportunity to live peaceful and fruitful lives.
In September 2013 the Boston City Council entrusted the residents of East Boston to represent the entire city of Boston in a vote on a casino proposal at Suffolk Downs. The Suffolk Downs property, located in two host communities (East Boston and Revere), required a “Yes” vote in both communities to proceed.
It was clear this was never about two different proposals in East Boston or Revere, but always about one proposal at Suffolk Downs.
On November 5, 2013, the people of East Boston voted against that proposal. Despite this vote and in direct opposition to the will of the people, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission allowed a proposal to go forward at Suffolk Downs in December 2013.
We are deeply concerned by this affront to the democratic process and we stand in solidarity with the East Boston vote. We appreciate your efforts to support the November 5 vote against a casino at Suffolk Downs and we call upon you to continue to use the full resources of the city of Boston to protect the vote of the people who clearly said "No" to a casino.
We support business development and job creation that produces long-term economic health in the city. While the possibility of new jobs from the Suffolk Downs proposal is alluring at first glance, a casino’s long-term negative impacts far outweigh the promises.
A significant increase in crime rates, the doubling of gambling addictions, and the transfer of revenue from the local economy into casino coffers would harm individuals and families, and would negatively impact local businesses by effectively eliminating 1-2 jobs for every slot machine – and there will be approximately 4,000 slot machines installed at the proposed casino. These impacts would not only be felt in East Boston, but in every neighborhood throughout the city.
We join together with you to support the vitality of our neighborhoods, the unity of Boston, and Boston’s vote for a casino free community.
Sincerely,
In September 2013 the Boston City Council entrusted the residents of East Boston to represent the entire city of Boston in a vote on a casino proposal at Suffolk Downs. The Suffolk Downs property, located in two host communities (East Boston and Revere), required a “Yes” vote in both communities to proceed.
It was clear this was never about two different proposals in East Boston or Revere, but always about one proposal at Suffolk Downs.
On November 5, 2013, the people of East Boston voted against that proposal. Despite this vote and in direct opposition to the will of the people, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission allowed a proposal to go forward at Suffolk Downs in December 2013.
We are deeply concerned by this affront to the democratic process and we stand in solidarity with the East Boston vote. We appreciate your efforts to support the November 5 vote against a casino at Suffolk Downs and we call upon you to continue to use the full resources of the city of Boston to protect the vote of the people who clearly said "No" to a casino.
We support business development and job creation that produces long-term economic health in the city. While the possibility of new jobs from the Suffolk Downs proposal is alluring at first glance, a casino’s long-term negative impacts far outweigh the promises.
A significant increase in crime rates, the doubling of gambling addictions, and the transfer of revenue from the local economy into casino coffers would harm individuals and families, and would negatively impact local businesses by effectively eliminating 1-2 jobs for every slot machine – and there will be approximately 4,000 slot machines installed at the proposed casino. These impacts would not only be felt in East Boston, but in every neighborhood throughout the city.
We join together with you to support the vitality of our neighborhoods, the unity of Boston, and Boston’s vote for a casino free community.
Sincerely,
Rev. Dr. David Searles, Central Assembly of God Church, East Boston
Rev. Gordon P. Hugenberger, PhD, Park Street Congregational Church, Boston
Rev. Roberto Miranda, PhD, Congregacion Leon de Juda, Boston
Fr. Felipe Gonzales, Cathedral of the Holy Cross, Boston
Rabbi Ronne Friedman, Temple Israel, Boston
Rev. Neal Armandt, South End Neighborhood Church, Boston
Rabbi Howard Berman, Central Reform Temple, Boston
Rabbi Joseph Berman, Revere
Rev. Mark Booker, Church of the Cross, Boston
Pastor Tim Bogertman, First Congregational Church, Revere
Rev. Lynn Breitenbach, Chi Alpha Campus Ministries, Boston
Rev. Terry Burke, First Church in Jamaica Plain, Unitarian Universalist, Boston
Pastora Alicia Climaco, Iglesia Profetica Internacional Ciudad de Sion, East Boston
Rev. Dr. Gregg Detwiler, Emmanuel Gospel Center, Boston
Rev. Thomas S. Domurat, Most Holy Redeemer Parish, East Boston
Rev. Michael D'Urso, Eagle Heights Church, Revere
Rev. Laura E. Everett, Executive Director, Massachusetts Council of Churches, Boston
Rev. Nick Fatato, Common Church, Boston
Imam Ismail Fenni, Yusuf Mosque, Brighton
Rev. Nicholas G. Granitsas, First Congregational Church, Revere
Dr. Douglas Hall, President, Emmanuel Gospel Center, Boston
Judy Hall, Assistant to the President, Emmanuel Gospel Center, Boston
Rabbi Sandi Intraub, Revere
Pastor Jowulu Jaidah, Central Assembly of God Church, East Boston
Rev. Christo A. Kamara, St. Paul's Victory Christian Assembly of God, Mattapan
Pastor Bernardo Leya, Central Assembly of God Church, East Boston
Deacon Frank McHugh, Most Holy Redeemer Parish, East Boston
Rev David C. McNeely, New England Leadership Institute, Dorchester
Rabbi Bernard H. Mehlman, Temple Israel, Boston
Rev. Dr. Roberto Miranda, Congregacion Leon de Juda, Boston
Rev. Don Nanstad, Our Saviour's Lutheran Church, East Boston
Rabbi Barbara Penzner, Temple Hillel B'nai Torah, West Roxbury
Kristopher Perkins, Associate Pastor, Park Street Church, Boston
Rev. Peter Raftery, Assembly of God, Boston
Rabbi Victor Reinstein, Nehar Shalom Community Synagogue, Boston
Rev. Israel J. Rodriguez, St. Joseph ́s Parish, Lynn
Trent Sheppard, Collegiate Chaplain, Alpha New England, East Boston
Rabbi Matthew Soffer, Temple Israel, Boston
Rev. George Szal, S.M., Immaculate Conception Parish, Revere
Rev. Wendy Vanderhart, United Church of Christ, Boston
Pastor David Michael Wenrich, Boston Harbor Community Church, Boston
Matthew Whelan, Freedom Mission International & Boston Hope, East Boston
Pastor Claudio Yeme, Iglesia Palabras de Vida, East Boston
Rev. Louis Zinnanti, Christ the Rock Church, Dorchester
Rev. Gordon P. Hugenberger, PhD, Park Street Congregational Church, Boston
Rev. Roberto Miranda, PhD, Congregacion Leon de Juda, Boston
Fr. Felipe Gonzales, Cathedral of the Holy Cross, Boston
Rabbi Ronne Friedman, Temple Israel, Boston
Rev. Neal Armandt, South End Neighborhood Church, Boston
Rabbi Howard Berman, Central Reform Temple, Boston
Rabbi Joseph Berman, Revere
Rev. Mark Booker, Church of the Cross, Boston
Pastor Tim Bogertman, First Congregational Church, Revere
Rev. Lynn Breitenbach, Chi Alpha Campus Ministries, Boston
Rev. Terry Burke, First Church in Jamaica Plain, Unitarian Universalist, Boston
Pastora Alicia Climaco, Iglesia Profetica Internacional Ciudad de Sion, East Boston
Rev. Dr. Gregg Detwiler, Emmanuel Gospel Center, Boston
Rev. Thomas S. Domurat, Most Holy Redeemer Parish, East Boston
Rev. Michael D'Urso, Eagle Heights Church, Revere
Rev. Laura E. Everett, Executive Director, Massachusetts Council of Churches, Boston
Rev. Nick Fatato, Common Church, Boston
Imam Ismail Fenni, Yusuf Mosque, Brighton
Rev. Nicholas G. Granitsas, First Congregational Church, Revere
Dr. Douglas Hall, President, Emmanuel Gospel Center, Boston
Judy Hall, Assistant to the President, Emmanuel Gospel Center, Boston
Rabbi Sandi Intraub, Revere
Pastor Jowulu Jaidah, Central Assembly of God Church, East Boston
Rev. Christo A. Kamara, St. Paul's Victory Christian Assembly of God, Mattapan
Pastor Bernardo Leya, Central Assembly of God Church, East Boston
Deacon Frank McHugh, Most Holy Redeemer Parish, East Boston
Rev David C. McNeely, New England Leadership Institute, Dorchester
Rabbi Bernard H. Mehlman, Temple Israel, Boston
Rev. Dr. Roberto Miranda, Congregacion Leon de Juda, Boston
Rev. Don Nanstad, Our Saviour's Lutheran Church, East Boston
Rabbi Barbara Penzner, Temple Hillel B'nai Torah, West Roxbury
Kristopher Perkins, Associate Pastor, Park Street Church, Boston
Rev. Peter Raftery, Assembly of God, Boston
Rabbi Victor Reinstein, Nehar Shalom Community Synagogue, Boston
Rev. Israel J. Rodriguez, St. Joseph ́s Parish, Lynn
Trent Sheppard, Collegiate Chaplain, Alpha New England, East Boston
Rabbi Matthew Soffer, Temple Israel, Boston
Rev. George Szal, S.M., Immaculate Conception Parish, Revere
Rev. Wendy Vanderhart, United Church of Christ, Boston
Pastor David Michael Wenrich, Boston Harbor Community Church, Boston
Matthew Whelan, Freedom Mission International & Boston Hope, East Boston
Pastor Claudio Yeme, Iglesia Palabras de Vida, East Boston
Rev. Louis Zinnanti, Christ the Rock Church, Dorchester
Monday, January 13, 2014
The Walsh Response to MGC: City will protect Eastie, C-Town residents
City of Boston Files Petitions with Mass. Gaming Commission, Preserves City’s Rights to Both Host and Surrounding Community Status, Compels Information Sharing with Communities
Action Required to Meet Tonight’s Gaming Commission Deadline; Mayor Walsh Reaffirms Commitment to Protect the Interests of the Residents of Charlestown, East Boston and the City of Boston
The City of Boston today petitioned the Massachusetts Gaming Commission in order to preserve the interests of the City, its residents, businesses and visitors, in the development of proposed Mohegan Sun and Wynn resort destination casinos. The petition preserves the City’s right to assert host community status for both proposals, without waiving its rights to surrounding community status. The petition also asks the Gaming Commission to compel both proponents to share information with the communities that would be most impacted by their proposals.
“We believe this unrestricted route is the best path forward to protect the residents of East Boston and Charlestown, and the City of Boston as a whole,” Mayor Walsh said. “These applicants must have a more open dialogue with the people of Boston, particularly those neighborhoods that will be most impacted. At any time, if the facts indicate that Boston is a host city, we preserve its right to withdraw from surrounding community negotiations.”
The City also petitioned the Gaming Commission, in part, to reconsider its previous denial of Boston’s request for an extension. On Thursday, January 9, the City requested an extension of 30 days from the Commission deadline, in order to review 43,000 pages of documents provided to the City with just five business days to review. The vast majority of the documents were provided to the City for the first time and warrant careful review and analysis. The City’s reasonable request for an extension was denied by the Gaming Commission on the afternoon of Friday, January 10. The City had requested the extension in order to review and assess the documents; request and obtain additional information, clarification and supplementation of the filings; and to receive detailed input from the proponents.
While preserving its rights to host status, the City’s Petition also asked the Gaming Commission to have both the Wynn and Mohegan Sun applicants supplement their filings with the Commission, and if they fail to do that, for the Commission to designate Boston a surrounding community.
The petition also asked the Gaming Commission to compel both Mohegan Sun and Wynn to cooperate fully with the City, providing any and all information requested by the City so that it may best evaluate its status as host or surrounding community and properly evaluate the two proposals in relation to the City.
-30-
Source: Mayor's Office
Action Required to Meet Tonight’s Gaming Commission Deadline; Mayor Walsh Reaffirms Commitment to Protect the Interests of the Residents of Charlestown, East Boston and the City of Boston
The City of Boston today petitioned the Massachusetts Gaming Commission in order to preserve the interests of the City, its residents, businesses and visitors, in the development of proposed Mohegan Sun and Wynn resort destination casinos. The petition preserves the City’s right to assert host community status for both proposals, without waiving its rights to surrounding community status. The petition also asks the Gaming Commission to compel both proponents to share information with the communities that would be most impacted by their proposals.
“We believe this unrestricted route is the best path forward to protect the residents of East Boston and Charlestown, and the City of Boston as a whole,” Mayor Walsh said. “These applicants must have a more open dialogue with the people of Boston, particularly those neighborhoods that will be most impacted. At any time, if the facts indicate that Boston is a host city, we preserve its right to withdraw from surrounding community negotiations.”
The City also petitioned the Gaming Commission, in part, to reconsider its previous denial of Boston’s request for an extension. On Thursday, January 9, the City requested an extension of 30 days from the Commission deadline, in order to review 43,000 pages of documents provided to the City with just five business days to review. The vast majority of the documents were provided to the City for the first time and warrant careful review and analysis. The City’s reasonable request for an extension was denied by the Gaming Commission on the afternoon of Friday, January 10. The City had requested the extension in order to review and assess the documents; request and obtain additional information, clarification and supplementation of the filings; and to receive detailed input from the proponents.
While preserving its rights to host status, the City’s Petition also asked the Gaming Commission to have both the Wynn and Mohegan Sun applicants supplement their filings with the Commission, and if they fail to do that, for the Commission to designate Boston a surrounding community.
The petition also asked the Gaming Commission to compel both Mohegan Sun and Wynn to cooperate fully with the City, providing any and all information requested by the City so that it may best evaluate its status as host or surrounding community and properly evaluate the two proposals in relation to the City.
-30-
Source: Mayor's Office
Monday, December 9, 2013
Latest: No Eastie Casino Calls on Massachusetts Gaming Commission To Uphold Expanded Gaming Act and Declare Revere-Only Casino Illegal
Download the full PDF version of No Eastie Casino's comments
In advance of the Commission's public meeting
BOSTON, Mass., Dec. 9, 2013 - Today, No Eastie Casino, a registered municipal ballot question committee organized to stop a casino at Suffolk Downs, again registered its disapproval with a plan to push forward with a Mohegan Sun casino on the Revere side of the track's property -- despite a clear "no" from 8,513 residents of Revere and East Boston in referendums on Nov. 5.
No Eastie Casino is joined by all of East Boston's elected officials and the editors of theBoston Globe in declaring the completely new plan for a Revere gaming license advanced by former applicant Suffolk Downs and the city of Revere as an affront to the letter, spirit, and clear intent of the 2011 Expanded Gaming Act. As stated in formal comments submitted to the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, No Eastie Casino demands that the City of Revere and the applicants follow the law as written. Full public confidence in the casino licensing process requires nothing less.
"We believe that public confidence stands in imminent jeopardy of irreparable harm for as long as this Commission continues to consider the gaming establishment presently proposed for development in Revere in the absence of a new host community agreement and referendum, both of which are required by law," writes Matt Cameron, No Eastie Casino's general counsel, in the group's comments to the Commission.
The comments go on to lay out a thorough case for why the Commission must deny Mohegan Sun's request to move forward with casino plans on the Suffolk Downs property in Revere without a new host community agreement and vote. Countering the narrative put forth by officials from Revere, Suffolk Downs and Mohegan Sun -- essentially that the affirmative vote on Nov. 5 was a blank check for casino anywhere in the city -- No Eastie Casino asserts that the revised casino proposal bears no resemblance to the deal Revere officials negotiated and that voters approved. Suffolk Downs is no longer an applicant for the casino
license on its property, nor is horse racing directly tied to casino operations -- two assumptions voters heard repeatedly throughout Suffolk Downs' campaign leading up to the Nov. 5 referendum.
"No one has voted on the plan that Mohegan Sun is presenting. The players, the project and the details have changed," said Celeste Myers, co-chair of No Eastie Casino. "We cannot assign votes to an entirely different project that the public has not considered."
Proof the Mohegan Sun Casino Proposal is Not What Revere Voters Approved on Nov. 5
As a supplement to its written comments, No Eastie Casino also submitted to the Commission a collection of video clips showing Revere and Suffolk Downs officials contradicting the narrative they've been telling of the casino proposal since the referendum. In one clip, dated Oct. 19, Revere Mayor Dan Rizzo is seen telling constituents that Suffolk Downs' plans called for "not one ounce" of construction within Revere city limits. Several video clips show Suffolk Downs Chief Operating Officer Chip Tuttle telling audiences prior to Nov. 5 that Suffolk Downs was the entity seeking a casino license, and "has been all along." And in another clip, Suffolk Downs co-owner Joseph O'Donnell, speaking the day the track signed its host community agreement with the City of Boston, appears to say the track would respect the decision East Boston voters make at the polls on Nov. 5.
"The community, East Boston, will make that decision," O'Donnell, the a co-owner at the track for more than 27 years, said at the City Hall press conference. "That's why they'll have an election, and that's a decision that's up to them. Far be it from me to tell them what they can do. We'll live with whatever that answer is."
Within minutes of word that East Boston had resoundingly voted down the Suffolk Downs casino plan, however, track officials were already talking to the press about plans to develop the casino on the Revere side of its property. But the law required that the proposal earn an affirmative vote in both communities to advance, and Myers said the democratic process may be at stake if the Commission chooses not to respect her neighborhood's vote.
In addition to its legal analysis of a revised Mohegan Sun casino, No Eastie Casino in its written comments to the Commission also called on Chairman Stephen Crosby to recuse himself from any further deliberations or decisions pertaining to a casino in Eastern Massachusetts. Last week, the Boston Globe reported that Crosby had waited more than 10 months to disclose a decades-long personal and business connection to the co-owner of the Everett parcel where Steve Wynn has proposed a casino. Crosby also has admitted to being a longtime acquaintance of Suffolk Downs' O'Donnell, with whom he played football at Harvard.
In calling for Crosby to recuse himself from Region A casino deliberations, the group refers to a statute in the Massachusetts General Law that prohibits even the appearance of impropriety or bias with regard to public officials.
"We believe it is imperative that Mr. Crosby comply with the terms of the conflicts law and make public a letter outlining in detail why no reasonable person can conclude that his participation meets the test of the law," No Eastie Casino's comment states. "That letter should be approved by his appointing authority, prior to his taking any further action on this matter."
The Gaming Commission will take up the issue of a Mohegan Sun casino in Revere at its meeting Tuesday, Dec. 10, at 1 p.m., in room 151 of the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. Casino opponents from Revere and East Boston will be present at the meeting, as will spokespeople from No Eastie Casino.
In advance of the Commission's public meeting
BOSTON, Mass., Dec. 9, 2013 - Today, No Eastie Casino, a registered municipal ballot question committee organized to stop a casino at Suffolk Downs, again registered its disapproval with a plan to push forward with a Mohegan Sun casino on the Revere side of the track's property -- despite a clear "no" from 8,513 residents of Revere and East Boston in referendums on Nov. 5.
No Eastie Casino is joined by all of East Boston's elected officials and the editors of theBoston Globe in declaring the completely new plan for a Revere gaming license advanced by former applicant Suffolk Downs and the city of Revere as an affront to the letter, spirit, and clear intent of the 2011 Expanded Gaming Act. As stated in formal comments submitted to the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, No Eastie Casino demands that the City of Revere and the applicants follow the law as written. Full public confidence in the casino licensing process requires nothing less.
"We believe that public confidence stands in imminent jeopardy of irreparable harm for as long as this Commission continues to consider the gaming establishment presently proposed for development in Revere in the absence of a new host community agreement and referendum, both of which are required by law," writes Matt Cameron, No Eastie Casino's general counsel, in the group's comments to the Commission.
The comments go on to lay out a thorough case for why the Commission must deny Mohegan Sun's request to move forward with casino plans on the Suffolk Downs property in Revere without a new host community agreement and vote. Countering the narrative put forth by officials from Revere, Suffolk Downs and Mohegan Sun -- essentially that the affirmative vote on Nov. 5 was a blank check for casino anywhere in the city -- No Eastie Casino asserts that the revised casino proposal bears no resemblance to the deal Revere officials negotiated and that voters approved. Suffolk Downs is no longer an applicant for the casino
license on its property, nor is horse racing directly tied to casino operations -- two assumptions voters heard repeatedly throughout Suffolk Downs' campaign leading up to the Nov. 5 referendum.
"No one has voted on the plan that Mohegan Sun is presenting. The players, the project and the details have changed," said Celeste Myers, co-chair of No Eastie Casino. "We cannot assign votes to an entirely different project that the public has not considered."
Proof the Mohegan Sun Casino Proposal is Not What Revere Voters Approved on Nov. 5
As a supplement to its written comments, No Eastie Casino also submitted to the Commission a collection of video clips showing Revere and Suffolk Downs officials contradicting the narrative they've been telling of the casino proposal since the referendum. In one clip, dated Oct. 19, Revere Mayor Dan Rizzo is seen telling constituents that Suffolk Downs' plans called for "not one ounce" of construction within Revere city limits. Several video clips show Suffolk Downs Chief Operating Officer Chip Tuttle telling audiences prior to Nov. 5 that Suffolk Downs was the entity seeking a casino license, and "has been all along." And in another clip, Suffolk Downs co-owner Joseph O'Donnell, speaking the day the track signed its host community agreement with the City of Boston, appears to say the track would respect the decision East Boston voters make at the polls on Nov. 5.
"The community, East Boston, will make that decision," O'Donnell, the a co-owner at the track for more than 27 years, said at the City Hall press conference. "That's why they'll have an election, and that's a decision that's up to them. Far be it from me to tell them what they can do. We'll live with whatever that answer is."
Within minutes of word that East Boston had resoundingly voted down the Suffolk Downs casino plan, however, track officials were already talking to the press about plans to develop the casino on the Revere side of its property. But the law required that the proposal earn an affirmative vote in both communities to advance, and Myers said the democratic process may be at stake if the Commission chooses not to respect her neighborhood's vote.
In addition to its legal analysis of a revised Mohegan Sun casino, No Eastie Casino in its written comments to the Commission also called on Chairman Stephen Crosby to recuse himself from any further deliberations or decisions pertaining to a casino in Eastern Massachusetts. Last week, the Boston Globe reported that Crosby had waited more than 10 months to disclose a decades-long personal and business connection to the co-owner of the Everett parcel where Steve Wynn has proposed a casino. Crosby also has admitted to being a longtime acquaintance of Suffolk Downs' O'Donnell, with whom he played football at Harvard.
In calling for Crosby to recuse himself from Region A casino deliberations, the group refers to a statute in the Massachusetts General Law that prohibits even the appearance of impropriety or bias with regard to public officials.
"We believe it is imperative that Mr. Crosby comply with the terms of the conflicts law and make public a letter outlining in detail why no reasonable person can conclude that his participation meets the test of the law," No Eastie Casino's comment states. "That letter should be approved by his appointing authority, prior to his taking any further action on this matter."
The Gaming Commission will take up the issue of a Mohegan Sun casino in Revere at its meeting Tuesday, Dec. 10, at 1 p.m., in room 151 of the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. Casino opponents from Revere and East Boston will be present at the meeting, as will spokespeople from No Eastie Casino.
Friday, November 8, 2013
No Eastie Casino: "An Open Letter To Our Elected Officials and The Massachusetts Gaming Commission"
From No Eastie Casino 11/8/2013:
An Open Letter To Our Elected Officials and The Massachusetts Gaming Commission:
We are writing on behalf of the 4,281 East Boston voters who soundly defeated the ill-conceived proposal for a casino at Suffolk Downs on November 5.
Suffolk Downs’ casino proposal failed. The developer was unable to choose or properly vet a casino operator. Unambiguously located in both East Boston and Revere, the developer failed to win the East Boston vote. Massachusetts law clearly states that if a proposed casino is located in more than one city or town, it must win a referendum vote in both communities, M.G.L. c. 23K, § 15(13). East Boston said NO; Suffolk Downs’ casino application is dead.
Suffolk Downs is now trying to circumvent the law by suggesting it can simply "move the goalposts" to the Revere side, but a Revere-only casino is not what residents of East Boston or Revere were called to vote for. East Boston voters said "no" to the impacts that a Suffolk Downs casino would bring, and a Revere-only casino will create the same impacts. Enough is enough - Suffolk Downs is no longer a legitimate contender. Any attempt to move forward with a Revere-only casino proposal is a deliberate effort to disenfranchise East Boston voters and circumvent the clear intent of the law. No Eastie Casino is outraged this idea could even be entertained.
East Boston residents expect and demand our elected officials to uphold and enforce the law, stand for the will of the people, and reject Suffolk Downs' last ditch effort to install a casino in our community.
No Eastie Casino calls on the Massachusetts Gaming Commission to adhere to the proper licensing procedures, M.G.L. c. 23K, 205 CMR, and application deadlines previously set forth. The law is clear and the voters have spoken. We insist that Suffolk Downs be immediately removed from consideration for a gaming license.
We will not tolerate any breach of the law or the public process. We will continue to fight to keep East Boston safe for families and small businesses. We will not stop until this threat to our community has been removed once and for all.
No Eastie Casino
An Open Letter To Our Elected Officials and The Massachusetts Gaming Commission:
We are writing on behalf of the 4,281 East Boston voters who soundly defeated the ill-conceived proposal for a casino at Suffolk Downs on November 5.
Suffolk Downs’ casino proposal failed. The developer was unable to choose or properly vet a casino operator. Unambiguously located in both East Boston and Revere, the developer failed to win the East Boston vote. Massachusetts law clearly states that if a proposed casino is located in more than one city or town, it must win a referendum vote in both communities, M.G.L. c. 23K, § 15(13). East Boston said NO; Suffolk Downs’ casino application is dead.
Suffolk Downs is now trying to circumvent the law by suggesting it can simply "move the goalposts" to the Revere side, but a Revere-only casino is not what residents of East Boston or Revere were called to vote for. East Boston voters said "no" to the impacts that a Suffolk Downs casino would bring, and a Revere-only casino will create the same impacts. Enough is enough - Suffolk Downs is no longer a legitimate contender. Any attempt to move forward with a Revere-only casino proposal is a deliberate effort to disenfranchise East Boston voters and circumvent the clear intent of the law. No Eastie Casino is outraged this idea could even be entertained.
East Boston residents expect and demand our elected officials to uphold and enforce the law, stand for the will of the people, and reject Suffolk Downs' last ditch effort to install a casino in our community.
No Eastie Casino calls on the Massachusetts Gaming Commission to adhere to the proper licensing procedures, M.G.L. c. 23K, 205 CMR, and application deadlines previously set forth. The law is clear and the voters have spoken. We insist that Suffolk Downs be immediately removed from consideration for a gaming license.
We will not tolerate any breach of the law or the public process. We will continue to fight to keep East Boston safe for families and small businesses. We will not stop until this threat to our community has been removed once and for all.
No Eastie Casino
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
No Eastie Casino issues a "Declaration of Independence"
This in from No Eastie Casino!
A Declaration of Independence
WE THE PEOPLE of East Boston -- representing neighbors who have lived here their whole lives and those who have only been here a few years; "old-timers," newborn babies, and everything in between; bankers and builders; lawyers and full-time moms; every shade of skin color and country of origin; diverse religious beliefs and none at all; wealthy, middle-class and struggling to get by; drinkers of Dunkin', Honey Dew, and Market Café; gamblers and non-gamblers; married and single; from the Heights to the Flats to Jeffries Point; Eagle Hill to Maverick -- declare, with one voice:
A Declaration of Independence
WE THE PEOPLE of East Boston -- representing neighbors who have lived here their whole lives and those who have only been here a few years; "old-timers," newborn babies, and everything in between; bankers and builders; lawyers and full-time moms; every shade of skin color and country of origin; diverse religious beliefs and none at all; wealthy, middle-class and struggling to get by; drinkers of Dunkin', Honey Dew, and Market Café; gamblers and non-gamblers; married and single; from the Heights to the Flats to Jeffries Point; Eagle Hill to Maverick -- declare, with one voice:
- independence from financially compromised, predatory corporations who want to take what we have;
- independence from additional burdens to the ones against which we already fight -- an airport, two tunnels, gas tanks, a highway, pollution;
- independence from political structures that seek corporate profits above community engagement;
- independence from flashy bribes and promises of affluence that would have us give up a lot in exchange for a little;
- independence to make our own way and choose our own destiny as a neighborhood -- a destiny fueled by hard work, small businesses, our immigrant spirit, and our shared commitment to each other;
- independence to raise our children in a safe neighborhood free from unnecessary obstacles, temptations, and false hopes;
- independence to continue building an environmentally and economically sustainable future for our children and grandchildren;
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Dorchester Reporter: Vote should be citywide
Bill Forry's signed editorial in The Dorchester Reporter:
Read the entire editorial from the Dorchester Reporter. What do you think?
One aspect of the House bill that absolutely needs to be changed is a provision that would limit the rights of citizens in larger municipalities— like Boston— to have a voice in whether or not a casino is sited in their community. As it stands now, the bill would permit only voters of the ward of a city in closest proximity to a proposed casino to go to the polls to approve or shoot down the idea. In the case of Boston, with all signs pointing towards a likely site in East Boston on the current Suffolk Downs property, that would mean that only East Boston voters would be asked to make the decision about siting a casino in the city.|
State Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz has filed an amendment to the Senate version of the casino bill that would require that all of the voters of a municipality will have a say. In the case of a Boston proposal, that would give us a chance to have a voice in whether our city welcomes a casino or not.
Chang-Diaz told the Reporter this week, “These consequences will affect all municipal residents, not just those within a few blocks’ radius of the casino. It’s only fair that all affected residents have an equal say in whether or not the positive impacts of a casino outweigh the economic and social costs to their cities.”
The senator has got it right. All Boston residents deserve a right to have a say in whether or not resort-style gambling sets up shop in our backyard.
Read the entire editorial from the Dorchester Reporter. What do you think?
Friday, June 24, 2011
An Open Letter
June 23, 2011
To The Residents of East Boston, Revere, Winthrop, and Chelsea:
Do you care that Governor Patrick, Senate President Therese Murray, and your own Speaker of the House Robert DeLeo are right now planning closed-door negotiations to finalize a bill to expand gambling in the Commonwealth – and more importantly, likely in your own neighborhoods – within the next several weeks?
Do you care to know the economic and social costs this new legislation would have on your neighborhood – on you, your family, your friends, and your small businesses?
Do you care that your community’s elected presence on Beacon Hill is not actively and wholeheartedly fighting for a current, comprehensive, and independent analysis of all potential costs and benefits related to such a bill?
Do you care that they are happy to rely on outdated and overly generous revenue and job-creation figures?
Do you care that over the last several years, they have been wooed over and over by casino owners, lobbyists, and other proponents, via political contributions and other means?
Do you care that your state elected officials may not have your best interests at heart, that they may rather follow blindly their Beacon Hill leadership than represent the interests of you, their constituents, who put them in office?
Do you care to believe they may stand more to gain than you will?
Do you care that if such a bill is agreed upon and signed into law in the next few weeks, that Suffolk Downs racecourse will surely secure a casino license and immediately start on a course of grand construction?
Do you care that you have heard very little or nothing from your elected officials, business organizations, and the casino owners themselves concerning how your communities’ small businesses will avoid being cannibalized by a massive casino complex in your neighborhoods?
Do you care that your elected officials and local newspapers have shared little to nothing with you concerning the increased levels of various crimes, insurance fraud, credit card abuse, bankruptcies, domestic abuse, child abuse, divorce, drug and alcohol abuse, and of course problem gambling, which you are sure to expect following a casino development?
Do you care that those you should be able to trust most are neglecting to share with you the complete picture?
Do you care that if you were shown the whole picture, expanded gambling in Massachusetts – especially in your neighborhood – would simply not make fiscal or socially-responsible sense?
If you DO CARE, now is the time to act. Unless you call, write, or email your state Senators and Representatives right now – and copy the Governor, Senate President, House Speaker, and Senator Karen Spilka on your sentiments – they will help set you, your family, friends, neighbors and small businesses on an irreversible crash-course with disaster.
If you DO CARE, visit United to Stop Slots in Mass. at www.uss-mass.org to find sample letters, elected officials’ contact information, and thousands of actual, proven, and documented (Read: not just moral, but more importantly financial and social) reasons to oppose expanded gambling in Massachusetts. Also visit www.neighborsofsuffolkdowns.org. Share your opinion with elected officials, local news media, and your family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers. It is time to care and to act.
“Now, we must all fear evil men. But there is another kind of evil which we must fear most, and that is the indifference of good men.” Please, do not remain indifferent.
Anonymous
Editor's Note: This letter came from "Honest Truth" to eastboston.com on June 23, 2011.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
What the moonbats and Deval have wraught: The death of dog racing
The Massachusetts elite has always proven not to be a friend of the working man and woman in Massachusetts. Sure the Governor is always about bring jobs to the elite like those subsidies for biotech that are dubious to begin with. He and the moonbats who abolished dog racing could care less about the livelihood of hundreds of working class folks in East Boston and Revere who showed up to toil at Wonderland. Gambling is fool's gold as its the pursuit of family style resort oriented casinos but House Speaker DeLeo had a point about saving the tracks in his backyard. It was he who was willing to compromise. Only the deluded can call Patrick's stand principled. Wonderland is now legend. It was here now it's not.
he track posted signs on its front doors this morning announcing the track has closed and that tickets and couchers may be redeemed starting next Monday.
Leslie DeLand, a track worker of 15 years, peered through the windows of the track's main building at 9:50 a.m.
"I just want to thank the governor for helping us lose our jobs," she said, placing blame on the failure to pass an expended gambling bill on Governor Deval Patrick.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Wonderland faces no future
When the Governor and the legislature talk beyond each other nothing that matters to working people really matter.
Like the state’s three other tracks, Wonderland Park, the former greyhound racing facility, is facing an uphill climb in the weeks after expanded gambling talks faltered on Beacon Hill.
The Revere track, a simulcast wagering parlor since a voter-approved dog racing ban took effect Jan. 1, 2010, was a loser in last month’s gambling bill drama, missing out on a chance to bid for a slot machine license or a chance to partner with nearby Suffolk Downs in an effort to launch a casino.
Gov. Deval Patrick has blamed lawmakers for sending him a gambling bill he had indicated he would not support and urged the Legislature to reconvene and pass casino-only legislation. Rep. Kathi-Anne Reinstein (D-Revere), a former Wonderland employee, said that in Revere, residents are still shocked that Patrick didn’t go along with legislation allowing two of the four racetracks to add slot machines.
“Around here, people here they just can’t believe that the governor did it,” she said. “He’s playing a game with all these peoples’ lives. It’s very sad. It’s disappointing. These are real people.”
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