The Town of Middleborough is to receive the following:
- $250,000 per year in pre-opening planning - which will allow the town to plan for a large development coming to town. It will allow for the town to hire the necessary consultants to review plans and watch out for the Town's best interests.
- Funds for police cruisers, ambulances and hiring of additional police, firefighters and Paramedics (not EMT's) - This is if the town wishes to start its own ambulance service or decides to hire additional police officers. It is a one time payment and not to be continued annually.
- Water, Sewer, Electric and gas infrastructure improvements to the tune of $75 million – Hooray Middleborough. There are major infrastructure improvements that the town can benefit from (along with providing service to the casino). Most commercial developer’s nickel and dime a community to death, not wanting to let the moths out of their wallet and pay for infrastructure improvements offsite. The casino developers opened their checkbook and asked how much. Don't hate Middleborough for getting the improvements.
- $7 million annually+ - That is a payment in lieu of taxes. If there was a $1 Billion dollar commercial development, it would generate about $10,000,000 in annual taxes for Middleborough. Middleborough better get something from the Commonwealth in the Governor’s compact.
- 4% lodging tax is collected in Middleborough now. We are lucky they are collecting it in the future. Oh yeah, don't forget the 2% meal tax in the future or any other consumer paid tax collected on the Town's behalf.
- $40k and $20k annually for compulsive gambling was a set aside for the Town of Middleborough. It is something that is there because the town cannot legally give any money over to a church or other faith based organization (if that is the location where the monies are given).
Whether or not Class III gaming is allowed in the Commonwealth. The Wampanoag Tribe of Mashpee will be required to enter into a Compact with the Governor of Massachusetts (Yes even for Class II which is currently legal in this state). The tribe has no obligation to negotiate directly with any community (including Middleborough) and to say that they must is an incorrect statement.
