Legislative panel supports Taunton casino deal
BOSTON —
City officials who want the Mashpee Wampanoag Indian tribe to build a $500 million resort casino in East Taunton have gotten a vote of legislative confidence.
Members of the Legislature’s committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies voted nearly unanimously to recommend the agreement signed last week by Gov. Deval Patrick and tribal Chairman Cedric Cromwell.
The committee’s recommendation now goes before the full House and Senate.
The tribe has until July 31 to win approval of the compact giving the tribe preference over any non-tribal, commercial interest to develop a casino in southeastern Massachusetts.
If the full Legislature agrees to the compact, the tribe then must file a so-called land-into-trust application with the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs.
The agreement requires the tribe to pay the state 21.5 percent of its gross gaming revenue, of which 6.5 percent is reserved for mitigation to nearby communities.
Taunton City Solicitor Jason Buffington said he was heartened that an amendment setting October 2014 deadline for the tribe to get its land-into-trust approval was not adopted.
Buffington, along with Mayor Thomas Hoye Jr. and city councilors Sherry Costa Hanlon and Donald Cleary testified at Monday’s public hearing.
State Rep. Shaunna O’Connell, R-Taunton, also spoke in support of the compact.
But Republican state Rep. Keiko Orrall of Lakeville said she opposes the compact because it is inherently unfair to surrounding comminutes.
Orral said she agrees with outgoing U.S. Rep. Barney Frank, D-Newton, who recently stated there is little chance of congressional action to challenge a 2009 Supreme Court opinion that only allows tribes that were federally recognized before 1934 to have land taken into trust.
The Mashpee Wampanoag were recognized in 2007.
Orrall, whose current district includes parts of Taunton, Freetown, Middleboro, Lakeville and New Bedford, also says “there was no open and transparent process” leading up to the compact between the governor and tribe.
She said she is concerned that the tribe has yet to resolve a dispute with Middleboro, where it previously agreed to build a resort casino.
Costa Hanlon, however, said Wampanoag leadership has always acted in good faith.
She noted that the intergovernmental agreement between the city and tribe, among other benefits, guarantees local church groups compensation to avoid losing bingo revenue.
Members of the Legislature’s committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies voted nearly unanimously to recommend the agreement signed last week by Gov. Deval Patrick and tribal Chairman Cedric Cromwell.
The committee’s recommendation now goes before the full House and Senate.
The tribe has until July 31 to win approval of the compact giving the tribe preference over any non-tribal, commercial interest to develop a casino in southeastern Massachusetts.
If the full Legislature agrees to the compact, the tribe then must file a so-called land-into-trust application with the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs.
The agreement requires the tribe to pay the state 21.5 percent of its gross gaming revenue, of which 6.5 percent is reserved for mitigation to nearby communities.
Taunton City Solicitor Jason Buffington said he was heartened that an amendment setting October 2014 deadline for the tribe to get its land-into-trust approval was not adopted.
Buffington, along with Mayor Thomas Hoye Jr. and city councilors Sherry Costa Hanlon and Donald Cleary testified at Monday’s public hearing.
State Rep. Shaunna O’Connell, R-Taunton, also spoke in support of the compact.
But Republican state Rep. Keiko Orrall of Lakeville said she opposes the compact because it is inherently unfair to surrounding comminutes.
Orral said she agrees with outgoing U.S. Rep. Barney Frank, D-Newton, who recently stated there is little chance of congressional action to challenge a 2009 Supreme Court opinion that only allows tribes that were federally recognized before 1934 to have land taken into trust.
The Mashpee Wampanoag were recognized in 2007.
Orrall, whose current district includes parts of Taunton, Freetown, Middleboro, Lakeville and New Bedford, also says “there was no open and transparent process” leading up to the compact between the governor and tribe.
She said she is concerned that the tribe has yet to resolve a dispute with Middleboro, where it previously agreed to build a resort casino.
Costa Hanlon, however, said Wampanoag leadership has always acted in good faith.
She noted that the intergovernmental agreement between the city and tribe, among other benefits, guarantees local church groups compensation to avoid losing bingo revenue.
Read more: http://www.enterprisenews.com/topstories/x1052259761/Legislative-panel-supports-Taunton-casino-deal#ixzz20sOFXPNP
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