The Connecticut town of East Windsor, where the legislature voted last year to allow the Mohegan and Mashantucket Pequot tribes through their joint authority MMCT to build a $300 million satellite casino, is already divvying up the money the casino could generate.
The town of 11,400 residents is looking at an estimated $5.5 million annually in increased tax revenues. But the casino will also pay them $8.5 million a year for being the host town.
The police and fire departments have asked for staffing hikes of ten additional officers to a force of 26 as a police study projected twice as much traffic, and asks for a bomb/narcotics/canine program. The total both departments say they need is $4 million.
The largely volunteer fire department is different from the police in that it is operated by the Independent Warehouse Point Fire District, which has an annual budget of $600,000. The fire department seceded from the city government two years ago. It wants 12 additional firefighters, a full-time chief, a fire marshal and administrative assistant and $200,000 a year in building upgrades.
The city’s board of selectmen is in charge of deciding who is going to get what from the casino largesse. First Selectman Robert Maynard, who, as reported by Dan Haar of the Connecticut Post, wants an additional $100,000 for his own office, is leery of the fire department’s request.
Maynard commented recently “We doubt very much there will be a fire in the casino; it’s well sprinkled,” causing the chairman of the fire district to retort that it won’t increase taxes on its people to add needed staffing to service the casino.
Building on the casino has yet to start.
