Michelle Littlefield, left, speaks in her backyard on Sunday to a group of East Taunton residents who are organizing against a tribal casino that has been proposed for the city. The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe hopes to build the casino in the Liberty and Union Industrial Park.
East Taunton neighbors gather to oppose casino proposal
By Marc Larocque
Taunton Gazette Staff Reporter
Posted May 06, 2012
Taunton —
A group of neighbors in Taunton are banding together to oppose a resort casino that the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe hopes to build in their backyard.
More than 50 people gathered at an East Taunton home on Sunday to discuss their opposition to plans for a casino to be built right down the street. Many there said that they are alarmed by how Mayor Thomas Hoye Jr.’s administration is working to promote the tribe’s plans, and they discussed various problems that a casino could bring to the city — including traffic issues, a drain on public services and social problems in the community that come with gambling.
“We’ve got no unbiased information,” said Michelle Littlefield, who hosted the event on her back lawn. “All the info that has come out from the city and from Together For Taunton, a group funded by the tribe, has been solely for the casino.”
The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe is working to obtain a tribal casino license through the state’s gaming legislation to build the destination in the Liberty and Union Industrial Park, in East Taunton. A non-binding referendum vote is coming up on June 9 for Taunton voters, while the tribe has until July 31 to work out a casino compact with the state. The casino issue will also be up for public discussion during Tuesday’s Taunton City Council meeting.
One-sided conversation?
Littlefield started the meeting by discussing a mailing featuring a questionnaire asking residents about casino concerns, sent out by the Together for Taunton group, which is paid by the tribe to advocate for the casino. The mailing only went to Taunton residents from the 02780 zip code, she said, excluding citizens from East Taunton.
“This was not mailed to us,” said Littlefield, explaining that she believes the intention was to gain the support of those who don’t live near the proposed casino site. “The mailing was a piece of propaganda that was sent to 02780, in my opinion, to make them aware in order to just get their votes for the referendum.”
Littlefield also noted that she doesn’t have confidence in consultants working on the casino project, one from the tribe and another hired by the city with tribal funds, “which almost makes the city consultant from the tribe.”
Speaking at the event were members of the Middleboro-based group CasinoFacts, which worked against the Mashpee Wampanoag’s abandoned attempts to bring the tribal casino to Middleboro in recent years.
Traffic, crime concerns
Bill Freeman, who lives in Taunton, called the casino proposal a “lose-lose situation” for the city.
“It’s wrong for this area,” Freeman said. “It’s going to impact our traffic more than anything. It’s negative. ... I don’t think it’s going to add good paying jobs. I think it’s going to take away from my children that I pay taxes for their schools, because it’s going to bring more people here.”
Elizabeth Riley, of East Taunton, said the casino project would simply be bad for the moral fabric of the community, especially because it is set to be placed next to schools and a nearby church. “The proposed location is right in the heart of the community ... it’s just a bad location, and it’s going to increase crime,” Riley said.
Riley said she is also concerned about accountability for the casino if drunk drivers come from the gaming facility and are then arrested by Taunton police. She explained that if the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe takes the property into trust as sovereign land through the federal government, it could provide sovereign immunity in this respect.
Non-binding but no less important
Carol LaCourse said that it was distressing that many people now believe that the June 9 casino referendum is unimportant after it was revealed that it was non-binding, but she said it was important to show disapproval of the project. LaCourse also said that while the tribe will be offering mitigation, ultimately she believes taxes in the city will go up as the casino drains city resources.
LaCourse said she hopes Hoye keeps his word, that if city residents vote against the casino proposal during the non-binding referendum, he would work to discourage Gov. Deval Patrick against allowing the gaming facility to come here.
Mayor’s perspective
Hoye said on Sunday that his stance hasn’t changed, that while he believes the casino proposal could potentially be a critical economic boost for the city, he would listen to Taunton residents and abide by their will. In regard to criticism that he is working too closely with the Mashpee Wampanoags to help the tribe pursue a Taunton casino, Hoye said “people are certainly entitled to their opinions,” but added that he is working on behalf of the city and its citizens.
“I’ve stated from beginning — I’ve been clear about this — my job is to negotiate with the tribe, with our legal department,” Hoye said. “If we can get a deal deemed positive for Taunton, I will support it. ... As I’ve said from beginning, if Taunton votes it down, I won’t support it (the casino proposal).”
Hoye said he wants to see both sides of the issue and that he realizes the casino would not be a “panacea.” In regard to problems the casino could create, he said “there are many issues that have to be worked out, mainly traffic,” but that “we are aggresively pursuing them.”
At this point, Hoye said he doesn’t really see much opposition to the casino proposal. He noted that during an event held Saturday at Taunton High School allowing residents to get information from the tribe and the city, only 10 people approached him with critical questions about the casino.
“I just didn’t see the anti-casino people there,” Hoye said. “But my door is always open if people have concerns. I’ll be happy to meet with anyone.”
Officials in attendance
Also attending Sunday’s backyard meeting were city councilors David Pottier and John McCaul. Pottier informed the group that Hoye said Saturday that a proposed inter-governmental agreement for the potential casino will be in place for citizens’ review before the referendum vote.
Pottier said “a one-sided discussion doesn’t do the topic justice” when asked why he attended, and he said that if the casino comes to Taunton there will inevitably be a negative impact along with any potential benefits.
McCaul echoed his statements, and said he was eager to learn more about tribal casinos and their effects on community. McCaul said one issue that he was glad to learn about was the issue of sovereign land, and that if the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe receives the license it would be able to change its plans in the future and make the casino bigger without the receiving city’s approval at a later date.
“I learned a lot from the speakers,” said McCaul, who explained he has not decided where he stands on the casino issue.
State Rep. Keiko Orrall, R-Lakeville, told the crowd that she was against gaming. She encouraged residents to make their voices heard on Tuesday night at a special Taunton City Council meeting that is devoted to the tribe’s proposed casino.
Grassroots vs. developer
Frank Lagace, who lives on Stevens Street, the closest neighborhood to the casino site, said he stands firmly against the casino coming to Taunton.
“We need to get much more organized and do much more research,” said Lagace, noting that the grassroots anti-casino group is up against a $500 million casino developer. “The pro-casino group is not talking to people in East Taunton, on Stevens Street, because they don’t want the casino. But I’ll have the best view of the casino if it’s built there.”
Read more: http://www.tauntongazette.com/news/x43408085/East-Taunton-neighbors-gather-to-oppose-casino-proposal#ixzz1uBPip4Mg .
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