GUEST OPINION: Casino stakes are too high for Taunton
Taunton Gazette Photo | Charles Winokoor
A crowd of about 200 listened intently to speakers at a recent public forum sponsored by anti-casino group Preserve Taunton's Future.
By Anthony LaCourse
Posted Jun 07, 2012
Three months, 90 days, an eternity of minutes — all have passed since Mayor Tom Hoye first uttered the phrase which would forever change the political and community climate in Taunton. He announced that the Mashpee Wampanoag desired to enter into an agreement with our beloved city.
We were told this was a once-in-a-lifetime business venture during a time of budget and financial shortfalls, during a recession that is being felt by all communities in southeastern Massachusetts.
Since then, however, we have learned a few things. There are many points that we can discuss concerning this proposal and overall process.
We can talk about the myriad of financial numbers that are being utilized to advertise the benefit to our community. Within this last week alone, $100 million, $120 million, and additional numbers of $8, $13 and $33 million have been published in the Gazette in letters to the editor. Everyone seems to have a different dollar figure because it is not clearly defined in the IGA.
We can talk about the lack of honesty on the part of the tribe. The initial maps shown to the public failed to reveal its close proximity to an elementary school 300 feet away.
We can talk about an Indian tribe claiming to have met the federal recognition requirements to take land into trust as a sovereign nation (requiring federal recognition as a tribe prior to 1934), despite having just been formally recognized by the Bureau of Indian Affairs as a tribe in 2007.
We can talk about sovereignty and the impact it will have on the tribe’s ability to continually purchase more property unabated, thereby removing it from the tax rolls of the city.
We can talk about Super Water Rights (given by the federal government once land-into-trust occurs) which allows the tribe unlimited drilling on their territory for water, regardless of the effect it may have on those in Taunton and surrounding communities that use this region’s natural aquifer for well water or farm irrigation.
We can talk about the paltry (estimated) $370,000 in mitigation the tribe has allocated annually to Taunton Public Schools, as a “local contribution,” toward costs associated with anticipated additional student enrollments. The Fiscal 2011 school budget suffered over $1.5 million in cuts from which it has yet to fully recover, without the concern of an additional influx of new students to the area.
We can talk about the irreparable damage to our community that has been caused in less than 90 days by the falsehoods and half truths that this topic has raised.
We can talk about what the term “in good-faith” means in relation to dealing with foreign governments.
We were told this was a once-in-a-lifetime business venture during a time of budget and financial shortfalls, during a recession that is being felt by all communities in southeastern Massachusetts.
Since then, however, we have learned a few things. There are many points that we can discuss concerning this proposal and overall process.
We can talk about the myriad of financial numbers that are being utilized to advertise the benefit to our community. Within this last week alone, $100 million, $120 million, and additional numbers of $8, $13 and $33 million have been published in the Gazette in letters to the editor. Everyone seems to have a different dollar figure because it is not clearly defined in the IGA.
We can talk about the lack of honesty on the part of the tribe. The initial maps shown to the public failed to reveal its close proximity to an elementary school 300 feet away.
We can talk about an Indian tribe claiming to have met the federal recognition requirements to take land into trust as a sovereign nation (requiring federal recognition as a tribe prior to 1934), despite having just been formally recognized by the Bureau of Indian Affairs as a tribe in 2007.
We can talk about sovereignty and the impact it will have on the tribe’s ability to continually purchase more property unabated, thereby removing it from the tax rolls of the city.
We can talk about Super Water Rights (given by the federal government once land-into-trust occurs) which allows the tribe unlimited drilling on their territory for water, regardless of the effect it may have on those in Taunton and surrounding communities that use this region’s natural aquifer for well water or farm irrigation.
We can talk about the paltry (estimated) $370,000 in mitigation the tribe has allocated annually to Taunton Public Schools, as a “local contribution,” toward costs associated with anticipated additional student enrollments. The Fiscal 2011 school budget suffered over $1.5 million in cuts from which it has yet to fully recover, without the concern of an additional influx of new students to the area.
We can talk about the irreparable damage to our community that has been caused in less than 90 days by the falsehoods and half truths that this topic has raised.
We can talk about what the term “in good-faith” means in relation to dealing with foreign governments.
Three months, 90 days, an eternity of minutes — all have passed since Mayor Tom Hoye first uttered the phrase which would forever change the political and community climate in Taunton. He announced that the Mashpee Wampanoag desired to enter into an agreement with our beloved city.
We were told this was a once-in-a-lifetime business venture during a time of budget and financial shortfalls, during a recession that is being felt by all communities in southeastern Massachusetts.
Since then, however, we have learned a few things. There are many points that we can discuss concerning this proposal and overall process.
We can talk about the myriad of financial numbers that are being utilized to advertise the benefit to our community. Within this last week alone, $100 million, $120 million, and additional numbers of $8, $13 and $33 million have been published in the Gazette in letters to the editor. Everyone seems to have a different dollar figure because it is not clearly defined in the IGA.
We can talk about the lack of honesty on the part of the tribe. The initial maps shown to the public failed to reveal its close proximity to an elementary school 300 feet away.
We can talk about an Indian tribe claiming to have met the federal recognition requirements to take land into trust as a sovereign nation (requiring federal recognition as a tribe prior to 1934), despite having just been formally recognized by the Bureau of Indian Affairs as a tribe in 2007.
We can talk about sovereignty and the impact it will have on the tribe’s ability to continually purchase more property unabated, thereby removing it from the tax rolls of the city.
We can talk about Super Water Rights (given by the federal government once land-into-trust occurs) which allows the tribe unlimited drilling on their territory for water, regardless of the effect it may have on those in Taunton and surrounding communities that use this region’s natural aquifer for well water or farm irrigation.
We can talk about the paltry (estimated) $370,000 in mitigation the tribe has allocated annually to Taunton Public Schools, as a “local contribution,” toward costs associated with anticipated additional student enrollments. The Fiscal 2011 school budget suffered over $1.5 million in cuts from which it has yet to fully recover, without the concern of an additional influx of new students to the area.
We can talk about the irreparable damage to our community that has been caused in less than 90 days by the falsehoods and half truths that this topic has raised.
We can talk about what the term “in good-faith” means in relation to dealing with foreign governments.
We can talk about $300,000 in donations given to Together for Taunton by the Mashpee Wampanoag and their Malaysian financial backers to sway the community in favor of this casino project.
We can talk about the lack of transparency by “concerned” Taunton citizens in letters to the Taunton Daily Gazette who are 100 percent behind this project, but lack the willingness to divulge that they are members of Together for Taunton. I can think of 300,000 reasons why they should be behind it 100 percent.
We can talk about the promise of jobs, when there is NO promise in this IGA for these jobs to go to local Unions or Tauntonians.
We can talk about the lack of transparency by Together for Taunton’s publicity campaign, which fails to utilize the word CASINO on its yard signs. Minimizing the use of the word “CASINO” in brochures and phone calls, in favor of the rosy image of a “destination resort,” and promoting “jobs” are marketing attempts to eliminate the negative and burdensome financial issues that this casino will bring to our community.
We can talk about 2.05 percent net slot revenues for the city and the potential that this is not legal according to the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.
We can talk about entering into an IGA in less than three months when it took more than 1.5 years for it to be properly evaluated in Middleborough.
We can talk about the impact that 12,000 more cars per day will likely have on our citizens trying to get to work, access the highways and go about their daily life.
We can talk about the lack of honest business dealings the Mashpee Wampanoag have had with our neighboring community of Middleboro, where they still owe a great deal of money after signing an IGA.
We can talk about how other local communities including Foxboro, Middleboro, Lakeville and Freetown understand the negative impacts this can have on a community and have said NO.
We can talk about how this project will not be located at the mall property as most people believe but rather in a residential neighborhood.
We can talk about the studies that have shown a dramatic increase in DUI and fatal vehicular accidents within five miles of casino properties. East Taunton Elementary is 300 feet from the closest entrance to this casino, and Martin Middle School and Bristol Plymouth High School are within 1.5 miles. ALL utilize these same roads for student transportation.
We can talk about the permanent loss of Taunton land to a foreign government, where local laws will not be enforceable. Inspections require “reasonable” prior notice by the city to the tribal council, a period of time yet undefined.
Of all the things we could talk about, what we should be talking about is the right of each member of our community to feel safe and protected throughout Taunton by our governing laws, not unprotected because of differences with laws of another government within the boundaries of our city. Will their Tribal Council determine that their laws supersede those that we now know and with which we are familiar?
Taunton is not this tribe’s first stop. This venture is one the Mashpee Wampanoag have offered up to other communities, each time connecting the site to their ancestral history. They have been unable to secure tribal land thus far because communities have been able to see through the rhetoric and half truths. Now, they have arrived at Taunton.
I encourage all of you to have your voice be heard this Saturday and ask that you please consider joining me in voting NO to this proposal. It’s a bad deal for the future of our city.
Anthony LaCourse is chairman of the anti-casino group, Preserve Taunton’s Future. Volunteers and others may find more information and volunteer opportunities at www.preservetauntonsfuture.com.
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