Hearing stacked for SMOC Sunday, February 12, 2006
Enzo Rotatori, Framingham Metrowest Daily News
"When I came to Framingham..." These were the words we heard from most of the 20-plus speakers who shared their courageous stores at last week's public hearing sponsored by the PILOT committee regarding social services’ financial, environmental and community impact.  Over 100 attended this meeting, most of who were either employed by SMOC or were receiving or had received SMOC’s services.

The above stated purposes for the meeting were completely undermined by stacking the audience and making this a public relations coup on behalf of social service providers and SMOC in particular.  Those in need of social services within our 67,000 residents should be provided them by the existing social service agencies which truly have a broad array of excellent programs.

Making Framingham the hub for an ever-expanding social service network to import clients from outside of our town, from outside of our state and a matter of fact from any state in the nation is wrong.  Social service Web sites are advertising seeking clients from across the country to come to Framingham.

When will Framingham be viewed by the public as Lawrence and Brockton are currently?  When will be reach the "tipping point" when longtime residents move out of town and real estate brokers are told by house seekers not to look at properties in Framingham because of negative perceptions.  You have heard the saying "perception is reality."

Spread social service agencies into the other 350 towns and cities in Massachusetts and stop importing clients into Framingham.

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