End silence on casino

I was outraged to learn that the city of Airway Heights and the Spokane Tribe are forbidding the Spokane County commissioners from speaking out about the tribe’s casino proposal for the West Plains. Much community dialogue has taken place around this project, including some very pointed warnings from officials at Fairchild Air Force Base.

The commissioners were elected to represent us on matters of interest to our community, and their voice absolutely needs to be part of the discussion around this proposed casino. It greatly concerns me that an elected official would think it prudent to sign away their ability to have input on development projects that could greatly impact our region.

Kudos to Commissioner Al French for fighting for his right, really his citizen’s right, to have representation in the federal process that seeks input from local governments on whether the Spokane Tribe’s casino proposal would be detrimental to our community.

As he said in his Oct. 14 opinion piece, if the casino is a good project, it will survive on its own merits. So why are Airway Heights and the tribe prohibiting the county from speaking?

Melinda E. Travis

Spokane