MOHEGAN MONOPOLY

WE HAVE ALL AS CHILDREN PLAYED THE PARKER BROTHERS MONOPOLY BOARD GAME. THE MOHEGAN HOUSING AUTHORITY AND THE MOHEGAN GOVERNMENT HAVE THEIR OWN VERSION.

WE BUY AND SELL HOUSES LIKE THE MONOPOLY GAME. WE PUT MONEY INTO THEM AND SOMETIMES SELL THEM FOR A LOSS. AN EXAMPLE OF IS 188 WASHINGTON STREET, NORWICH. WE BOUGHT THE HOUSE FOR $250,000.00 AND PUT AT LEAST $7,000.00 IN TO IT AND THEN SOLD IT FOR $240,000.00. THIS HOUSE WAS PART OF THE ORIGINAL ROYAL BURIAL GROUND PROPERTY.

WE BOUGHT AND SOLD A HOUSE THAT BORDERS THE SOUTH SIDE OF SHANTOK ON THE WEST SIDE OF SHANTOK ROAD. WE ARE TOLD THAT IT SUPPOSEDLY WAS SOLD SO THAT WE COULD BUY A HOUSE ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE RESERVATION UP BY BROAD VIEW. SINCE WHEN DO WE NEED TO SELL PROPERTY FOR IN THE TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLAR RANGE AND NEED TO USE THE MONEY TO PURCHASE OTHER HOUSES THAT BORDER THE RESERVATION? COULD THE HOUSE ON THE SOUTH BORDER OF SHANTOK BEEN SOLD TO A FRIEND OR RELATIVE:?

HERE IS ANOTHER PROBLEM, THAT ALTHOUGH WE CAN NOT PROVE IT SEEMS TO HAVE MERIT. THE DEAL IS WE SEEM TO TEAR HOUSES DOWN SAYING THAT THEY WERE IN BAD SHAPE, HAVE LEAD PAINT, OR ASBESTOS . IT SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF HOUSES HAVE THESE PROBLEMS COMPARED TO THE HOUSES IN THE GENERAL POPULATION. COULD IT BE THAT THIS IS AN EXCUSE? COULD IT BE THAT WE DO NOT WANT THESE HOUSES THAT WOULD NEED MONEY TAKEN FROM THE HOUSING AUTHORITY BUDGET? COULD IT BE THEY ARE TRYING TO COME IN UNDER BUDGET? I DO NOT KNOW THE ANSWERS, BUT I DO THINK THAT THE TRIBAL COUNCIL SHOULD INVESTIGATE THESE THINGS.

THERE IS A HOUSE ON THE SERVICE ROAD OF ROUTE 2-A AND SHANTOK ROAD (THE ROAD BEING USED BY CONSTRUCTION VEHICLES. IT IS BY THE BRIDGE EXPANSION WHERE SHANTOK ROAD IS PRESENTLY CLOSED. THERE IS A BRICK HOUSE THERE THAT THE CONSTRUCTION CREWS ARE USING. WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THEY ARE TALKING OF TEARING DOWN IN OUR OPINION THIS PERFECTLY GOOD HOUSE.

THE MOHEGAN GOVERNMENT HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE AFFORDABLE , SAFE, DEPENDABLE HOUSING (HOUSES AND APARTMENTS.) TRIBAL MEMBERS WHO HAVE LIVED ON THE RESERVATIONS HAVE LEFT. COULD IT BE THE PLACES WERE NOT WELL MAINTAINED? COULD IT BE SOME OF THE HOUSING WAS SUB-STANDARD?

ONE FINAL PROBLEM, (THIS COULD BE A MAJOR ONE) IS THAT WE ARE BUYING AND SELLING THESE HOMES WITHOUT DOING ANY ARCHAEOLOGICAL WORK ON THEM.
AT ONE TIME A LARGE PORTION OF UNCASVILLE WAS PART OF THE ORIGINAL MOHEGAN RESERVATION. WE ARE BUYING AND SELLING THESE PROPERTIES AND NOT CHECKING THESE PROPERTIES FOR POSSIBLE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES. HOW MUCH POSSIBLE INFORMATION IS BEING LOST FOREVER BECAUSE OF THIS PRACTICE?

SHOULD THE MOHEGAN GOVERNMENT CONTINUE TO PLAY THIS MONOPOLY GAME?