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COVENTRY - With one council member absent Tuesday, the Coventry Town Council split down the middle, voting 2-2 on an anti-casino resolution co-sponsored by councilmen Robert Thibeault (R-Dist. 4) and Gregory Labossonniere (R-Dist. 2).
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The resolution sought to unify the council against November's Ballot Question No.1, which would amend the state's constitution to grant a single private company the right to a no-bid license for a casino in West Warwick.
The resolution stated that amending the state's constitution to allow for the gambling casino to be brought in without a public bid would be "abhorrent to the principles of constitutional government," and that the constitution "should not be utilized in this manner for the establishment of a casino in Rhode Island."
The resolution also questioned the casino proposal's "promises of property tax relief" saying that such promises could not be kept and only gave "false and illusory hope to our local taxpayers."
It also addressed issues such as the local tourism, hospitality, entertainment and restaurant industry which "cannot fairly compete with the economic advantages of casino operators." The resolution stated that Question 1 "inappropriately gives the Town of West Warwick and the casino operator a right that it denies to all other communities and citizens."
Sen. Leonidas "Lou" P. Raptakis (D-Dist. 33) urged the entire council to vote for the resolution, citing the lack of available information outlining the exact monetary benefits Coventry would reap from the proposed casino.
"We don't know how much aid Coventry would receive," said Raptakis, "the figures aren't even out there."
The senator also reference the possible economic costs to the town, such as an increased need for fire, police and rescue services, as Coventry is an immediate abutter to West Warwick.
"There's a cost to the town that we don't even know about," said Raptakis. "I would support the resolution because there are too many unknowns, there're too many promises and there's nothing in black and white."
Coventry resident Bob DiPadua, a proponent of the long-standing casino issue, questioned the council as to where it had obtained its information on which the resolution was based and ultimately questioned the validity of the resolution's accusations.
"Let [the casino] happen, let it pass," said DiPadua.
Laboissonniere explained that the resolution, in essence, did not opposed the casino itself, but rather opposed allowing the question on ballot, adding the public would be "making decisions in the dark," without any concrete facts or figures.
Thibeault, whose district the casino would directly abut, echoed Laboissonniere's sentiments, saying he backed the resolution due to concerns that there was no tangible information stating how much each town or city in Rhode Island would benefit.
"I'm a numbers guy and I don't see any numbers of how this casino impacts Coventry," he said.
Councilman Justin Pomfret (D-Dist. 1) posed the question on the other side of the coin, saying it was premature to pass the resolution without having information to back up the action.
"I'm sure there are thousands of points out there and I'd like to see them," said Pomfret.
"That's the point, if we remain silent, in essence, we're just letting it happen," Laboissonniere interjected.
But Council President Thaddeus Jendzejec (D-Dist. 5) sided with Pomfret.
"This is just a piece of paper, it hold no weight," said Jendzejec. "I'm sure there's going to be revenue coming into Coventry... I, in good conscience, cannot pass this resolution."
Laboissonniere and Thibeault voted for the resolution and Pomfret and Jendzejec voted against it. Councilman Frank Hyde (D-Dist. 3) was absent from the meeting and could not be reached for comment by press time.
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