In the six months since Dartmouth resident Jean Hannon learned of a proposed casino in her area, her lifestyle has been transformed.
Operating on a "hot dog budget," Mrs. Hannon has been spending six hours a day, seven days a week working the phones, distributing fliers and lobbying legislators to fight the gambling complex, which she says will generate increased crime, traffic, gambling addictions and other social ills. The anti-casino group she organized now has about 400 members.
But when the chips were down, the people of Dartmouth turned out in exceptionally high numbers to support the casino planned by the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah). Monday's nonbinding referendum question shows 3,612 voters favored the casino project, with 2,406 opposed to it. About 45 per cent of voters went to the polls, compared with an average turnout of 30 per cent for a town election. The next day, Wareham voters approved the casino with an even greater margin, with 1,936 voters saying yes and 1,022 saying no.
"Both of them came out very well," said Lewis Colby Sr., chairman of the tribe's gaming committee. "It's very helpful, you know, particularly when we get up to the statehouse. I think definitely it will show that people are interested in the casino."
This week marked the midway point for a series of town referenda on the proposed New Bedford complex. So far, one — Westport — has been opposed. Still to come are questions in Rochester, Marion and Mattapoisett on April 12, April 28 and May 15, respectively.
Although the questions are all nonbinding, people on both sides of the issue have paid them a great deal of attention. Some speculate that the results could influence the Department of Interior when officials there consider whether to take land into trust for the tribe. Last week, public debate heated up in New Bedford, with Jeffrey Madison, the tribe's director of economic development, taking a markedly more aggressive tone than in weeks past.
Appearing in a steady series of press conferences and interviews last week, Mr. Madison accused Mrs. Hannon's group of spreading lies. Painting a picture of casino opponents as wealthy, unconcerned people, Mr. Madison told television viewers across the region last week that he doesn't give "two damns" about South Dartmouth.
"They have fancy homes," he said last week at a press conference outside the New Bedford City Hall. "They have jobs. They are not concerned about those of us who are not as privileged as they are. And we need these jobs. Those people don't work, they don't contribute. They've resorted to character assassination. They don't care."
Also last week, the governor's office proposed increasing the percentage of casino profits for Dartmouth. Originally, the state had proposed giving Dartmouth about $300,000 annually; late last week the governor's staff upped the amount to somewhere between $800,000 and $1 million. Mrs. Hannon called the money a bribe and called the referendum results encouraging.
"In the face of all that money, we still got 40 per cent of the vote," said Mrs. Hannon, "Last fall, you could count on one hand the number of people who were concerned about this, and we got 2,400 votes. We raised the consciousness."
She added that Mr. Madison has tried to distort the issue by raising issues of class. "I do not have a maid," said Mrs. Hannon, referring to a highly publicized comment from Mr. Madison that people in Dartmouth fear that a casino will mean they have to pay more for their hired help. "All of us who live in South Dartmouth are supposed to have maids and servants and we're worried that we're going to have to pay him more. That's the old class issue. It was a rather idiotic approach."
Mr. Madison was unavailable for comment.
Nonetheless, as the emotional debate unfolds, many seem already to have their minds made up on the issue.
William White, 62, watched coverage of the news conferences on TV in his South Dartmouth home. But Mr. White said he's pretty much felt from the beginning that the community should welcome the casino.
"I worked as an outside contractor for businesses in the greater New Bedford-Fall River area for the past 28 years," said Mr. White. "I've just seen the whole area losing jobs — Goodyear Tire and Rubber, Continental Screw, Atlas Tack. There's been nobody coming in. I don't gamble. I probably won't go over there more than two or three times the rest of my life. I just think it's time that we take some chances on some jobs coming into the area."
Sarah Woods, chairman of Wareham's board of selectmen, said people in her town supported the casino because many already drive all the way to Connecticut to gamble at Foxwoods casino. Others hope to work at the casino. Mrs. Woods herself was convinced after tribal officials contacted her and discussed how they planned to spend casino profits.
"I asked what they would do with the profits, and I was told day care centers, scholarships, and housing or better housing for their elderly, medical care," she said. "I thought every one of those were very worthwhile goals. And above and beyond that, there should be jobs."
Meanwhile, Mrs. Hannon is making plans to attend hearings beginning April 24 on casino regulation bills. State environmental officials have requested that the tribe complete an environmental impact report on the proposed site.
Members of the tribe will attend a closed meeting on April 15 at their multipurpose building in Gay Head to view proposed designs for the casino. On the Vineyard, rumors abound among tribal members that there will be a vote to gauge support for the casino project, though Mr. Colby said he could not verify whether such a vote will take place. Casino opponents within the tribe have called for a vote for some time.
Until then, Mr. Colby, a resident of Cranston, R.I., who is retired from the elevator business, is making plans to travel to Rochester. Mr. Colby said he plans to explain details of the proposed complex to voters there and hopes to convince them to support the project. Mr. Colby criticized Mrs. Hannon's group, Citizens for a Better Way, for not actually suggesting a "better way" for the economically troubled New Bedford area. Still, he called for continued open debate on the $198 million proposed casino and entertainment complex.
"I can understand a person if they have a moral opposition to the casino, but no one's forcing those people to walk in the door," he said, adding nonetheless, "They have a right to those feelings. They have a right to express that."