LETTER: Given lack of casino information, 'no' is only sensible vote
Posted May 26, 2012
Given the continued lack of and evolving information given to the towns of Freetown and Lakeville by the Wampanoag Gay Head (Aquinnah) Tribe of Martha’s Vineyard concerning the proposed casino resort, there is only one decision to make when entering into the voting booths on Tuesday, May 29 in Freetown and Saturday, June 2, in Lakeville and that is to vote “no.”
Lakeville and Freetown are not towns in the middle of a Nevada dessert where an entire community can be built up from scratch to accommodate the documented impacts that a $300 million complex will bring. We have a school campus less than a mile away with access roads frequented by the school buses and student drivers, roadways that cannot handle thousands of cars 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, police and fire departments ill equipped for such a complex and its public safety issues, a fragile ecosystem with water use limitations and a quality of life that really cannot be just mitigated away with money. Scott Belliveau, of the Lakeville Board of Selectmen put it best during a meeting of the Lakeville Casino Advisory Committee a couple of weeks ago. He stated, “We will be lucky to break even,” if this goes through. The only economic prosperity will go to the Aquinnah, because at a casino the house always wins.
The Aquinnah have been unprepared to fully answer direct questions, can give no concrete plans or numbers and is unwilling to commit to abide by state and local laws with the excuse of being a federally recognized Indian tribe, so they don’t have to do so. They, as mentioned during the public presentation at Apponoquet High School, are willing to back off the publicly stated promise back at the “meet and greets” last month to not build where they are not welcomed to build if voted down. If this simple promise is casually tossed aside now, what other promises are they willing to change their mind on in the future with a “yes” vote?
This is a bad deal for Freetown and Lakeville. Vote “no” on Tuesday, May 29, in Freetown and Saturday, June 2, in Lakeville. Keep our towns casino-free.
Carl Peirce
Lakeville
The author is chairman of the No Freetown/Lakeville Casino ballot question committee and vice president of CasinoFacts.org.
Read more: http://www.heraldnews.com/newsnow/x1898620705/LETTER-Given-lack-of-casino-information-no-is-only-sensible-vote#ixzz1wB3zUVPD
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