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What is Happening with the Massachusetts Casino Bill?

What is Happening with the Massachusetts Casino Bill?

After several years of debate over a bill to legalize casino gambling in Massachusetts, the issue has now come to a sudden stalemate.

Last Friday, both the state House and Senate voted yes on a bill to expand gambling in Massachusetts. The bill proposed legislation that would allow three resort style casinos and two racetrack slot parlors. The House vote was 115-36 in favor and the Senate backed it with a 25-15 vote.

Governor Deval Patrick has been pushing for casino gambling in this state for some time but has a definite resistance to the slots. He had agreed to a compromise of allowing only one slot parlor only and does not seem to want to budge on this issue.

House Speaking Robert A. DeLeo is on the other side of the issue insisting that the bill be signed to include both slot parlors since he had originally been pushing for even more slots.

As the son of track worker, DeLeo has been fighting for some time to have slots at the racetracks as part of the gambling bill. Since his father was a maitre d' at Suffolk Downs for many years, the Speaker feels strong ties the communities where track workers and their families live, people who are depending on these jobs.

Governor Patrick's agument is that the introduction of two slot parlors in the state will saturate the market with something that he has actually been opposed to all along.

Is this a legitimate concern or just another stumbling block?

I think the original idea behind introducing casino gambling into the state was to help the economy. Proponents of the bill say that it will create 15,000 much-needed jobs in Massachusetts.

With these two leaders at a political standoff we will have to keep a watch on the outcome of the casino bill. Can it be revived - or is it now on permanent hold?

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Posted by Claudette Millette - Metrowest Mass Buyer Broker on 08/05/2010 04:59 PM

Comments (9)

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9 Comments on What is Happening with the Massachusetts Casino Bill?

AUG

2010

I'll be curious to see how this plays out. We have a measure coming up in November to pave the way for gambling in our area. I'm still not sure how I personally feel about it, but we do need the jobs.

15,000 jobs - and how many thousand financially ruined families of problem gamblers?

That is our concern here as well. It just seems that chances are, it will be local people losing their money at the proposed casino.

Hi Claudette ~ I'm thrilled that Patrick took a stand and that things are on hold. There have been some excellent letters to the editor in the Globe about this including one today that talked about the declining neighborhoods outside of the gambling strips in other states. Ruining our state (or our planet for that matter) all in the name of jobs never makes sense to me no matter the issue.

Liz

Claudette...

I have always wondered why we try to control the activities of consenting adults. If people want to gamble, let them do it and have fun. If they don't like to gamble, they can stay home like I do!

AUG

2010

Richard took everything I wanted to add, if you don't like the activity don't do it. It's not like people aren't doing it already, I mean really...besides what state doesn't need the jobs

Kristen:

I know, it is really a mixed bag of how much it will help as opposed to how much it may possibly draw a criminal element. It difficult to quantify these things when the state is in need of jobs.

Jim:

I think we have had this discussion before. Certain people are going to ruin their lives with the decisions they make. Right now people in Massachusetts can spend their entire paychecks at the local convenience store buying lottery tickets if that is what they choose to do. I think adults should be free to make their own decisions about what is right or wrong for them.

Liz:

I understand your position. This state has been mostly known for high-tech, medicine and institutes of higher learning and it will be hard to see a cultural change. However, the fact is that people here are just driving to Connecticut in bus loads every week to gamble if that is what they want to do. Maybe Massachusetts could benefit from some of that money staying right here.

Richard:

I am of that same frame of mind. I don't like to gamble but I would defend anyone's right to do what they want with their own time and money.

Gerry:

Right you are. The casinos that we have near here in Connecticut have more than gambling going on. There are shopping malls, restaurants and entertainment there as well. You can have a perfectly enjoyable time there and not touch a slot machine or poker table. We do it all the time.

Claudette, this has been going on when I lived in Boston in the early 90's without a Resolution, in the meantime bus loads of money is going to the Indian Casinos in Connecticut from Mass residents. Go figure:))

Endre:

That is exactly my feeling on this matter. The people in Massachusetts who do want to go to casinos are going to the ones in Connecticut. There are some plans to create some pretty impressive casinos right here in the Commonwealth. As long as they are tasteful, create jobs and keep more of the money here I think they will serve a function. And, Massachusetts residents will not have to drive so far to gamble if that is what they choose to do.

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Claudette Millette - Metrowest Mass Buyer Broker

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