Support the Selectmen, but Vote Down the Slots

This is my first go at this blogging thing, so be patient...

I am a scientist by training, so I like to look at data, studies, etc. before forming my opinion.  However, I must admit, when I learned that the selectmen had approved the host agreement for Penn Gaming, I was less than pleased, and immediately questioned why they would ever consider doing that to Tewksbury.  I have voted for Mr. Wilson twice, and Mr. Wentworth this time, and have worked with our Town Manager several times.  I was disappointed that they would support this.  Having Mr. Wilson's email handy, I sent him an email to find out the details, because there had to be something I was missing.  As usual he was quick to respond, and quick to provide information.  We traded a handful of emails, I read several online studies, and came to a position against the Tewksbury Slots Parlor.

So let's look at the data...Mr. Wilson provided me some initial estimates of revenue that we have all seen on Patch and elsewhere that were pretty attractive. I served on the Budget Advisory Committee to the School Committee several years ago when we were trying to close a nearly $2 million dollar gap, and helped advise the School Committee on what programs and initiatives to cut or postpone to meet budget.  While things have improved some in that area, there are plenty of things that our town could find to spend $4 million on, whether it be improved roads, more teachers, or even simply paying down our debt.

So why would I personally turn away from this gift horse?  Well, when we just look at the proposed gross revenue, we are only looking at the front of that horse, forgetting the other end.

As many have discussed on these boards, there are a number of studies that have shown pretty conclusively that housing prices are diminished near a casino.  The data on crime is a little less clear, but generally crime is increased around a casino, and with our current problems at a few locations near 495, do we want to add another potential trouble spot? Problem gambling increases dramatically in the immediate area of a casino, as do bankruptcies.  How many vacant properties do we have now in town, and what will the cost be to our neighborhoods when members of our communities get in over their heads and lose their homes? We are just digging out of the financial collapse of 2008, do we want to risk taking a large step backwards again? Ask the proprietors of the many restaurants and bars in town what they think of a slots parlor in town that will draw business away from them as people find the allure of the one armed bandits a better place to deposit their disposable income.

Finally, and this is even harder to quantify, what is Tewksbury known for? Some might think of it as the former Carnation Capital of the World or the hometown of Anne Sullivan. To most of us it is a great place to raise our children. In 2000 when my wife and I were looking for a town to move to from Medford, we looked at school profiles, town profiles, and investigated what each town was about.  While we have come to know and love Tewksbury over the past 13 years, had there been a slot parlor in Tewksbury back then, we would have looked for a house in Billerica, Wilmington, or elsewhere. Why would a young couple looking to lay down roots choose the "slots town?"  Proponents of the Slot Parlor point out that it is in a secluded location, right off of 495, and it will never impact the vast majority of our residents.  Even if that were true (and I don't believe that it is as I discussed above), do we think that Penn is going to quietly operate their little slot parlor in the woods? No, they are doing this to make money, so understandably they will advertise.  Billboards, radio ads, TV ads, etc. all shouting out "Come to Tewksbury, MA, the home of Hollywood Slots!"

So let's look at the data again.  On the one hand we have a dependable stream of revenue in the $3-4 million range for the next 10-20 years and approximately 500 jobs (albeit, mostly low-wage).  Hard to pass up.  However, on the other side of the ledger we have:
-Decreased Home Values
-Increased Crime
-Increased Gambling Problems for some of our citizens
-Increased Bankruptcies
-Decreased revenue to our local businesses with likely lost jobs
-Defining Tewksbury as the Home of Hollywood Slots

To me, that is case closed. This proposal is bad for Tewksbury in so many ways.  However, while I will do everything I can to defeat this proposal, I want to thank our selectmen and our town manager for allowing us to make this decision.  I think they are wrong to support this, but I know they are trying to improve our community, and they deserve our respect for that.

Let's respectfully say no to a Slot Parlor on August 20th!