Letter to Christopher Rosario

Mr. Rosario,

Good morning! My name is Angela Capinera.  Someone shared your post with me about the casino.  I live in Stratford.  However, I grew up in Bridgeport and have lived in this area my entire life.  Bridgeport is still very near and dear to me as I have many connections there.

Thank you for allowing public input before making a decision regarding a casino in Bridgeport.

To be blatantly frank with you, I never liked the idea of a casino in the past and don’t like it now nor in the future.

I know many people view a casino as a form of entertainment and a quick get away trip.  That’s all well and good but there are other emenities that could serve this purpose in Bridgeport if supported.

Experiencing growing up in the Park City and now residing next door, a casino is the last thing Bridgeport needs.  It’s a quick fix that doesn’t help anybody except for the owners and the underworld.

This “issue” has been hashed out for years.  The people who want it the most are people who don’t live in Bridgeport or even nearby for that matter.  Myself and another person recently did some research  on this and the nearest interested party is in Kent, CT, which is an hour’s drive away from Bridgeport.  Kent is very bucolic and the people there would never go for a casino there, so why do they want one so badly for Bridgeport?

Why is Bridgeport everyone’s money making and political stepping ladder?  Does MGM really care about the City and the people who live here?  Does Donald Trump really care about the City?  Or is Bridgeport a money making machine for them so they can sleep elsewhere at night?

Do we really need to go through the list of all of the strains that would be put on the City?  Wasn’t what Gathering of the Vibes brought in enough and a good example of underworld abuse and lack of payment and outright caring?

What makes people think a casino is going to be any different?

Job creation by a casino is a myth.  Some jobs, yes.  However, Bridgeport should be working to support businesses that are already present.

The arts should be supported.  The arts actually create jobs and keep the money in the local economy. Will a casino do that?

Downtown desperately needs a grocery store, full-size regular grocery store.  Why don’t you work to bring in a Wegeman’s?

The skate park disappeared from Seaside Park recently.  Why aren’t you working to bring in a brand new park and maybe a couple of others across the City?  Does the myth pervade that people don’t notice and don’t care?

Why aren’t you working to clean up the local pocket parks?  Support the local library system?  It is a beautiful gem in the area.  Fix and replace a majority of the streets?  Road construction, curb renewal, and repaving the roads would bring in another steadier supply of jobs.  There are some major roadways I’ve never seen paved in the last several decades and my car hates it.

People constantly flee the City, why make the situation worse?  A casino just makes it worse.  The traffic, the noise, the pollution adds up.

I’ve watched many broken promises come and go from political leaders over the years.  A casino is a broken promise before it is even built.

Did you know Bridgeport has the largest urban forest in the country?  Search Remington Woods.  No one has promised to open it up to the citizens and give them some green space and recreation.  Imagine what a draw that would be.

Seaside Park.  A creation of Holmstead.  How come this is not marketed more and encouraged?  It’s a gorgeous beach front with a beautiful walking path.

Black Rock and all of the history there.

Barnum Museum.

And the list goes on.

Someone recommended to me encouraging movie studios and TV studios for growth in Bridgeport.  Right off of Metro North.  Where are the people trying to bring these into the City?  Would more studios really, truly come here with a casino next door?  Or does this bring in people who would ask too many questions?  Connecticut already gives huge tax breaks for this industry yet imagine all the people working in and for the studios using small businesses in the area and how that would help.

Stop with the quick fixes and broken and empty promises.

Focus on the people who are your citizens and constituents and what needs ot be done to improve life and well-being.

Stop falling for the corruption and people who see Bridgeport as a way to line their pockets and sleep somewhere else at night.

Focus on the businesses and institutions you already have and work with them.  More people and businesses will come in if they know they will be supported.  Hold public meetings at local businesses and talk with business owners and residents.  This is one element that is sorely lacking.

Visit different communities and houses of worship and talk with them about their feelings.

Plant trees.  Clean the streets.  Get people to fix up their properties and pay back taxes.  Take care of the parks.  Support the only Zoo in the State.

The possibilities are endless.

Don’t fall for the razzle dazzle.  Don’t fall for the razzle dazzle of MGM because that’s all it is, razzle dazzle.  Nothing else.  Razzle dazzle is just that.  It doesn’t show the ugly side, the abuse, the corruption, the drug dealing, the prostitution, the poverty, the lack of local funds, the strain on first responders, the strain on infrastructure, the pollution, the abuse of the local environment.

My 2 cents.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.  My contact information is below if you wish to discuss this further.