"Before going to the polls on May 29 in Freetown and June 2 in Lakeville to vote on a casino referendum, residents are no doubt asking themselves:

What does a yes vote mean?

A yes vote means the town agrees to continue the conversation about being a host community, with all the benefits that will be derived from the Host Community Inter-Governmental Agreement. It does not commit the town to a specific project. It does not circumvent applicable land use, zoning and environmental protection laws. It is a major step forward for the community to position itself to provide an economic boost to the local and regional economy.

Why should I vote yes?

•Tribes engaging in gaming activities often elect to have an Intergovernmental Agreement with the host and surrounding communities that contains agreed-upon mitigation benefits to those communities potentially impacted by the gaming facility. This could include infrastructure, water use and other impacts.

• The Aquinnah Tribe has announced it will dedicate portions of its land in Freetown and Lakeville for preservation. Unlike other large developers, the Tribe understands the sensitivity of the area and the necessity of preserving certain aspects of the characteristics and nature of the lands and area."

Get the Story:
Cheryl Andrews-Maltais: Reasons to vote yes on the Aquinnah casino (The Fall River Herald News 5/20)

Related Stories:
Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribe to use small part of site for casino (5/18)