A casino, on land behind Middleborough's downtown, would be a detriment, according to state Representative Thomas J. Calter.
(Eric jacobs/File/The Boston Globe)
MIDDLEBOROUGH - State Representative Thomas J. Calter, a Kingston Democrat whose district includes the Middleborough precinct targeted for a Mashpee Wampanoag casino, has taken a very public stand against the gambling development, saying it would be a detriment to the entire region.
Calter's statements have angered Middleborough leaders, who accuse him of representing other towns at Middleborough's expense. The two sides have been exchanging barbs.
Calter represents two of six precincts in Middleborough, along with Kingston and Plympton, and parts of Duxbury, Halifax, and Plymouth.
Middleborough Selectman Adam Bond said that Calter, who is from Kingston, simply does the bidding of his hometown. "Kingston doesn't want a casino, so Calter doesn't want a casino," Bond said.
Calter has said he is open to expanded gaming in Massachusetts, but he just doesn't see the Middleborough project as viable. "I honestly believe the site selected by the Wampanoag is not appropriate for a project that will generate 50,000 cars a day," Calter said. "The north-south corridors of routes 3 and 24 are already at or above capacity."
Calter argued that not all effects can be mitigated with money. "I don't know any proposal that will widen those routes," he said.
Poor access would affect the whole southeast area, he said, because "if people cannot get to the region, the region will suffer substantial economic harm."
Calter also has warned that the Middleborough project could deplete limited natural resources, such as water and land, which would, in turn, hurt local farmers.
On that subject, Bond called Calter "just plain wrong."
"There's plenty of water," Bond said.
"I'd also like to know where he gets the 50,000 cars a day," Bond said, noting that issues such as traffic have yet to be studied.
"The Wampanoag tribe is going to want to be able to get the best inflow and outflow for the casino," Bond said. "Route 44 is a state road. And they want to work with the state, not against the state."
Bond added that highways such as routes 3 and 24 have been substandard for decades. The tribe shouldn't have to fix all the roadway ailments of the southeast region.
Each side blames the other for lack of dialogue. Bond said that, until now, Calter has not shown much interest in the casino proposal. "He never has shown up once to the Middleborough Board of Selectmen to discuss any of the details of the project," Bond said.
Calter responded by saying that he was never asked to attend a meeting or give his views.
Middleborough's exclusion from the 17-town Regional Task Force on Casino Impact also has town officials fuming. Bond said that Calter, along with state Representative Stephen R. Canessa, Democrat of New Bedford, and Senator Marc R. Pacheco, Democrat of Taunton, regularly attend task force meetings and should be advocating for Middleborough's inclusion.
Calter said he and Canessa both have "argued passionately" for Middleborough's inclusion in the group, but Bond believes the pair should simply refuse to attend meetings until Middleborough is allowed in.
"Tom, and the others, apparently have chosen their side, and, surprise, it was not Middleborough," Bond said.
On July 28, Middleborough Town Meeting voters approved a multimillion-dollar deal with the Wampanoag for a $1 billion casino resort on about 500 acres off Precinct Street. Shortly after the vote, the Wampanoag filed an application with the US Department of the Interior to put the site in federal trust. As such, it would be exempt from local and state jurisdiction.
Middleborough leaders negotiated a deal by which the tribe would pay the town $11 million per year. The amount includes millions of dollars in infrastructure improvements, such as upgrades to Route 44 in the area of the casino.
"I acknowledge the project may have substantial economic benefits for Middleborough," Calter said. "But that proposal does not recognize any of the impacts which extend beyond Middleborough. That is the reason I cannot support the project in its current state. It's irresponsible."
Bond has contended that Calter is wrong and that the tribe will work on a compact with the state to address regional problems, even if the final project is a scaled-down, bingo-parlor-type operation.
Bond and Calter each accuse the other of not understanding the process.
"Maybe instead of trying to torpedo what the tribe is doing, they should speak to the tribe," Bond said.
Middleborough Selectman Wayne Perkins also was critical of Calter. "He was aware of what was going on in Middleborough, and he didn't make any attempt to contact us," Perkins said. "And saying it will harm the region is total fallacy. I think the deal will be an economic engine for the entire state."
State lawmakers are expected to take up the casino proposal in the spring. The tribe, instead of putting its land into trust, could bid on a commercial license. It then would be subject to state authority and required to pay taxes like any other commercial operation.
Christine Wallgren can be reached at CLWallgren@aol.com.
© Copyright 2007 Globe Newspaper Company.
