The lovely rural town of Warren, MA recently held a forum on the potential impacts of a casino in their community or if one were sited in neighboring Palmer. Many people first heard of Warren following the tragic abduction and murder of Molly Bish from Cummings Pond in the small quiet community. It is a community that carries a heavy heart still for Molly and her beautiful family.
Resident Keith Nicholos is quoted in the article as somehow thinking that a commericial casino in Palmer would provide the town with more input in the licensing and regulations than if it were a native american operated casino. For over 2 1/2 years representatives from Warren, Palmer and the surrounding communities have met and studied the impacts on the region should the state legislature and governor be so foolish to legalize class III gambling....it ain't pretty and none of the western MA casino task force recommendations were included in the Speaker's Special Interest Gambling bill. Sorry, Keith - casinos cream small towns.
The politicians want to be able to say that they "created jobs" and get out of office with their pensions and/or cushy next "appointment" before the everlasting costs of this predatory industry surface and the taxpayer finds she is left holding the bill for the impacts/costs.
One could start longing for the days of honest crooks like Al Capone that did their dirty work in the light of day....not behind closed doors on Beacon Hill and Wall Street.
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