Saturday, July 11, 2009

DeLeo on Slots

Can't say I don't understand the dynamic. From the State House News Service (sorry, can't link):
DeLEO CALLS RACETRACK SLOTS ‘THE INITIAL THRESHOLD’
An expanded gambling package bringing resort casinos to Massachusetts must include slot machines at the state’s racetracks, House Speaker Robert DeLeo said Friday. “That’s going to be the initial threshold,” DeLeo said during an interview on WBUR, according to the station's transcript. DeLeo has long supported racetrack slots, his district including Revere, home of Wonderland, and abutting East Boston, home of Suffolk Downs. DeLeo, unlike Senate President Therese Murray who issued a supportive statement Wednesday for GOP candidate Charles Baker, also neared the line of endorsing Gov. Deval Patrick, telling WBUR, "I will support the Democratic nominee, which I expect will be Gov. Patrick."
Now, we just have to see if at least 25% of the House will switch their votes this year from last, and if the Governor will violate a long-standing promise to veto any racino bill, because if any slot deal gets through the House, it won't come without racinos. Complete with minimal, noncompetitive licenses that make it impossible to get big ticket licenses on any other casinos or slot parlors allowed in this state. And how many people would vote for such a bottom-dollar, worst-case-for-Massachusetts scenario? It's a long shot.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Are you going to be OK?

Middleboro Review said...

Ryan, Nice job explaining the inexplicable that gets even murkier in presentation by supporters.

The bottom line is that they betray their own rhetoric.

Senator Marc Pacheco proclaims racinos as job preservation and revenue creation, which they are not. To set the licensing fees at $25 million?

With or without slots, racing will go the way of Twin River and other states - a dead industry and money loser that investors can't wait to eliminate. The jobs won't be there, but the investors' income will be preserved.

More worrisome to voters should be the failure of the cheerleaders to do impartial research into the experiences of other states about the costs and expenses.

All I hear is a sucking sound as gambling absorbs discretionary spending and costs the state more than it contributes.

Ryan said...

LOL @ Anon.

Yes, I'll be fine, especially after this fight is won (yet again).

deb said...

anon posters like 8:37 dont get it!
When this fight is won-again,as you comented,we got some serious work to get pols who arent so easily led into office.

Anonymous said...

anon doesn't get it? just wondering who the hell you think you are? frankly i could give a crap about gambling. we already do it in every 7-11 in the state. what akes slots so different?

Anonymous said...

I would say that the way the state promotes the lottery, and the threshold of money needed to play it's more insidious and damaging than racinos or slots. At least if you have a gambling problem you can avoid a casino or racetrack. If you want to pay for bread or milk you have to stare at $1 scratch tickets as you stand in line at any convienence store. So the people running the state don't care about the people, it's getting the correct amount and making sure they get their cut before they sell us out.

Ryan said...

What makes slots so much worse?

They're more addictive. It's a scientific fact. It literally doubles the rate of addiction within a 50 mile radius.

Scratch tickets certainly cause problems of their own, but that's neither here nor there. Gambling, as a social problem, economic problem (mainly for small businesses and families) and community problem would become significantly worse if we legalized slot machines.

Anonymous said...

OK Mr. holier than thou. Should we ban smoking and drinking? Talk about addiction. Both the government is addicted (taxes) and the users are addicted.

What are you a damn priest?

Mother Theresa said...

My Dearest Mr. Anonymous 12:10 PM,

Maybe we need to work toward being "better" instead of condemning what currently exists?

Unless, of course, you are suggesting that we should eliminate the lottery which I would fully support.

If that is the case, please send contact information to Ryan to forward and I'll participate in your group.

Anonymous said...

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thanks



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