Kiss Fort Erie Goodbye

It's Scoundrel Time in Fort Erie and, while no one is looking, the Bay Beach Properties are rumoured to be sold to finance the bail-out of the racetrack. This almost happened in 2002 when the council of the day put portions of the Bay Beach Properties on the block to finance a portion of the Friendship Trail. Thanks to some quick work by the citizens, this deal was thwarted. However, the possible sale of the properties was once again on he table last spring during budget deliberations and it is still unclear as to what is in the future for the popular public beach. So far, there has been no denial or confirmation of this coming from town haul. Our elected councillors are strangely silent about the proposal that the EDTC buy the race track with taxpayer money. The province is being asked to give $35 million in taxpayers' money to save the track and EDTC head, Jim Thibert, wants to use the race track property as collateral. Can't be done, so the Bay Beach Properties, which the town already owns, is being eyed as a possible option to fund the race track purchase.
In what universe is it a good idea to use taxpayers' money to buy a losing business/property? Who really wants to see taxpayers' money used to fund a gambling operation with no return, because Thibert's plan calls for the Town of Fort Erie to return almost all its slot revenue ($1 million) back to the racetrack. That would mean a tax increase for everyone in Fort Erie as there are absolutely no cutbacks or lay-offs in the 2009 budget.
While Thibert and Martin were in Dubai, why didn't they find someone to invest in the race track? Could it be that the rich Arabs they were courting are too smart to invest in a losing proposition? Is the $35 million going to save the race track - or just keep it limping along until it the property can be sold to a developer? Even so, the property, at this point, is not worth $35 mil.
Hey, here's an idea: use the $35 million to build a publically funded hospital (separate from the Niagara Health System) for the citizens of Fort Erie that has a fully functioning ER.

Kirsten Gillibrand: New York's Next Senator

Caroline Kennedy was responsible for this clusterf**k. It's a good thing that Patterson took so long and it took so long for Clinton to be affirmed for SOS. Otherwise, we would have an inarticulate uptown girl with nanny problems who refused to divulge her income, who has never really "worked" for a living and who used her famous name and heritage to "buy" her way into a senate seat. At least Gillibrand has run and been elected by the people. Good luck to her. Now, Caroline Kennedy can go back to her millions and her tony apartment and land holdings and dabble in something else. Badly played, Caroline. I expected better of you.
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MAYOR GETS AN "INCOMPLETE" THIBERT GETS OUT HIS PLAID SUIT TO SELL RACE TRACK BAIL-OUT.

Forget about the mayor. No one person came forward with anything positive that he has accomplished in this town. No surprise there. But, now we have the final insult: Jim Thibert's EDTC wants to buy the track - and he wants the taxpayers to pay for it! He got out his loud, plaid flim-flam suit and wants to take the losing track and buy it and expects the town to contribute $1 million of slot revenue every year to keep it afloat. Since when does the EDTC go into business? Thought the mandate was to encourage others to invest in the town. Thibert has not been very successful at that. Stores are closing; industries laying-off; housing market in a slump, but Thibert wants to save all those "thousands" of seasonal, minimum wage jobs. First, there are no thousands working at the track; haven't been for years. There are 350 jobs at stake. The rest of the "thousands" are represented by those who make some or all of their living perofrming services for horse owners and the owners themselves. Traditionally, these jobs leave an area to follow the racing schedule. Second, we have a hospital situation that should be a top priority given the current demographics. Third, it's a scam. And where is the $2 million? If the province goes along with this, they deserve to be defeated in the next election. Thibert is trying to set up a scenario where he will be absolved of any responsibility when the track folds. He knows that the bail-out's chances of happening are slim and none. Then he can blame everything on the province (Liberals) instead of poor managment and greed of Nordic Games. If $35 million were to be used to buy lakefront land for a world class beach/recreation detination, I would be all for it. To prop up a dying industry that has been mismanaged and run into the ground by greedy owners, it a crime and an insult to the hard working people of this community.