Opponents of Casino in Easton Area Take to Online Petition

Opponents of a casino in Taunton are making sure their voices are heard loud and clear.

An online petition, started on Change.org by East Taunton resident Michelle Littlefield, has generated over 220 electronic signatures in the past week.

The petition is addressed to members of the United States Department of Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs and United States Senate Committee on Indian Affairs and includes 16 points as to why casino progress should be halted.

According to Southcoasttoday.com, the Mashpee Womponoag Tribe met all the deadlines in the state's Expanded Gaming Act to be granted the exclusive rights to operate a casino in Southeastern Massachusetts. Its only remaining hurdles are BIA approval of the compact by mid-October and the taking of property into federal trust by the Department of Interior.

If built, the casino would be on the corner of Route 24 and Route 140, approximately 10 miles from Easton's border, causing Easton officials to express concern.

At a recent selectmen's meeting, Acting Director of Community Planning Stephanie Danielson said that the biggest concern about the casino would be the added traffic on Routes 138 and 106 because of accidents occurring on Route 24 “frequently at 44, 140, and 495 during rush hour traffic.”

Petition signers have the option of leaving a comment. Most commenters have been Taunton residents, but commenters have included Foxborough, Lakeville and Boston residents. So far, no comments have been left by any Easton residents.