Looking into my crystal ball.........

Posted by WBZ, Channel 4, Boston: Sunday, 06 June 2010 2:48PM

Public hearings this week on casino gambling in MA

Boston (AP) -- Backers and foes of casino gambling will get their chance to weigh in at a public hearing at the Statehouse this week.
The Massachusetts Senate has scheduled a 1 p.m. hearing on Tuesday on a plan to allow the state to license three resort-style casinos while keeping a ban on slot machines at the state's four racetracks.
Two of the casino licenses would be competitively bid. The third would go to a qualified Indian tribe.
The Senate plan differs from a House plan to license two casinos and allow 750 slot machines at each of the state's four race tracks.
Senate President Therese Murray has said the details of the Senate bill are still in flux and a final version won't be released until after the hearing.
Critics say casinos bring hidden social and economic costs.


This is what I think will happen...not what I necessarily want to happen, mind you....but what I am fairly certain will happen.


* A bill will be passed very soon...it will be signed by Governor Patrick, who will easily win reelection.


 -  Sen. Menard is angling for a job on the Board to be created to site the new casinos and then oversee their operations. She will earn at least $150,000 per year. It was no accident that she placed an Indian casino into the draft of this Senate bill.


 -  Other's that know me understand that from the beginning I stated that there would be three locations for casinos and several for slots at racetracks. I believe the third casino was specifically placed into the bill  not just for Fall River and the Womapnoag's but as a negotiating ploy by the Senate. Once passed by the Senate, a conference committee between the Senate and the House will allow for negotiations for House support for the Indian casnio location in exchange for limited Racino development , not currently included in the Senate bill, to appease House Speaker DeLeo who desperately wants slot machines at Suffolk Downs and a destination where one of the three casinos will be placed. The third casino will most likely be placed near Palmer MA, right off of the MASS PIKE and roughly in between both Worcester and Springfield, making a casino in MA easily accessible for western NY and all of western MA within a 1 1/2 hour drive at the furthest point. Most importantly, most folks in Palmer are in favor of the casino being placed there. It is this location that will pose the greatest threat to the CONN. casino's


 -  The issue of obtaining approval of the state legislature to take the Bio-park land and use it for casino purposes will be fairly easily handled by placing appropriate language in the casino bill. I'm certain that, if allowed by the state constitution, this will happen, and happen quickly, as if there were never a prohibition against other use.


 -  In the end, I believe this will happen, and that the odds favor Fall River keeping the Bio-park because of the poor economic straits Fall River finds itself upon. In reality it is far more like trying to navigate on a set of wild rapids on the Columbia River.


 -  The first shovel will hit the dirt in 6 to 12 months after passage. Why? The state needs the revenues NOW to run the state and to provide Local Aid. It cannot, and will not, wait for casino gambling.


 -  New Bedford will see a huge influx of money for jobs due to expansion of MBTA service and commuter rail. That's also why I think a casino will be sited here in Fall River because expansion of commuter rail from New Bedford to Fall River, which will be turned into some form of high speed commuter rail in the future, is a natural development. The creation and expansion  of reliable high speed rail transportation is one of Pres. Obama's energy and green platforms now taking precedent due to the disaster in the gulf with BP. Such a program, which is sorely needed, would be the equivalent of the Interstate Highway construction program of the 50's and 60's, producing millions of construction jobs. It is federal funding that will present the funds for expansion of commuter rail to the SouthCoast. Pres. Obama will not forget his friend Gov. Patrick.


In the end the state's need for revenues and more jobs will outpace all other considerations on the state and local levels. It seems, as always, that when money is tight across the board every decision and consideration turns from what's fair and appropriate to what is financially necessary. It's all about the dollar bill. Here's to hoping this grand plan works and that jobs are found so that we might return to quality of life issues in addition to how are we going to pay for it all!