MTR Subsidy

Yes, this MTR subsidy question will not go away. And who really thought it would? The latest seems to be that the new County Executive, Mark DiVecchio, supports a $14.4 million payout to MTR for infrastructure costs. To tell you the truth, this really doesn't seem like that outrageous of a figure to me, considering that MTR started out asking for $35-40 million. Seeing how the county's only supposed to get like $11 million per year annually - well you can do the math.

I guess there could be some "infrastructure costs" (whatever that means) that total $14.4 million associated with the construction of a cansino and track. What is there, sewage, traffic, other plumbing - I don't know?. Okay, so when you really think about it, maybe there is some payola in there too. But even a certain amount of payola - I mean we are dealing with gambling here. Payoffs and gambling have gone hand-in-hand for a long time. But still, something bothered me - at least about the way the article was presented in the Erie Times this morning.

First off, there is this statement: "DiVecchio said before the Nov. 8 election that he didn't support the gaming company's bid for public money for on-site work."

Jan. 4 was DiVecchio's second day in office and he had already changed his tune. Something clearly stinks. Ostensibly, DiVecchio claimed he had a converstation with some lawyers who gave him their interpretation of the state gaming law, which indicated that like half the county's revenue should go toward infrastructure costs. So, based on the that, DiVecchio's proposal of $1.5 million a year should seem like a bargain. But, how about this comment from the story: "DiVecchio said he couldn't remember the names of the out-of-town lawyers, with whom he spoke at the Seven Springs resort in southwestern Pennsylvania." That doesn't sound shady at all. Anytime you use the words "out-of-town lawyers," I guarentee you're into some deep doodoo.

Of course, there's this other gem from the story in the Times: "DiVecchio said his consideration of the subsidy has nothing to do with the connection between David Agresti, the head of his transition team, and Greg Rubino, who has represented Presque Isle Downs as its real estate agent. Agresti is Rubino's lawyer." Right. I wonder if our deposed Mayor Filipi thinks there's a connextion...

This whole MTR thing has been almost unbelievable. I have to applaud everyone who stood up to MTR's original $35-40 million demands - aka shakedown attempt. But they're not giving up. There is tremendous power behind gaming/gambling organizations, and MTR continues to flex its muscles thinking it can bully our little town. Didn't Horace Greeley make some comment about how uncivilized the people in Erie were because they wouldn't play ball with the railroads 150 years ago? Well, here's to hoping we've retained some of that fortitude...

Cheers.

Ralph