News

Patrick's casino proposal dies in House

By Edward Mason
Staff writer
Published: March 21, 2008

BOSTON — Gov. Deval Patrick's proposal to license three resort casinos is dead for this year.

Despite six hours of debate and frantic efforts by casino supporters, House lawmakers voted 108 to 46 to create a special commission to study the plan. The bill won't come up for a vote again this year.

"It kills the governor's plan," said Rep. Michael Costello, D-Newburyport, a casino opponent.

In the end, lawmakers said they were not convinced casinos would generate what Patrick promised: $600 million in licensing revenue, $400 million in tax revenue, $2 billion in economic activity and 20,000 permanent jobs.

"I think it's a poor economic development policy," said Rep. Barbara A. L'Italien, D-Andover.

Legalizing casinos here would force New Hampshire to follow suit, Costello said, diminishing any economic benefit to the Merrimack Valley while leaving the region with its negative side effects.

"I'll have gambling in my backyard that will affect my district," Costello said.

Lawmakers who until recently were undecided said the Patrick administration did not make its case.

"Even the governor talked (recently) about framing the dialogue differently," said Rep. Brian Dempsey, D-Haverhill. "Maybe one casino, more revenue for cities and towns."

Rep. Linda Dean Campbell, a Methuen Democrat, gradually came to oppose the governor's plan, after reports by the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation and others disputed Patrick's revenue projections.

As recently as last week, the majority of area House members said they were undecided. Nearly three hours into the debate, Rep. William Lantigua, D-Lawrence, said he had still not made up his mind but was listening closely to the debate waiting to be convinced.

"My ears are as big as elephants', and you can quote me on that," said Lantigua, who ultimately voted to put the bill in study committee.

Rep. John Keenan, D-Salem, said the governor's three-casino plan had the potential to transform Massachusetts and deserved greater study.

"I don't think it's something that should be rushed into," Keenan said.

Keenan and other local lawmakers said they expect another casino bill from the governor next year.

Rep. Anthony Verga, D-Gloucester, who opposed casinos, and Sen. Bruce Tarr, R-Gloucester, who wanted a vote on the bill, could not be reached for comment.

On Wednesday, Patrick conceded defeat. "I can count," he said of the number of votes he expected against it.

Earlier that day, House Democratic leaders engineered a 10 to 8 recommendation from a key legislative committee that the bill should not pass. As a result, the House yesterday did not get a chance to vote on the governor's plan.

Rep. Bradley Jones Jr., R-North Reading, was disappointed in the Democratic leaders' move because it prevented Republicans like himself who support expanded gambling from passing some kind of gambling bill.

After five hours of arguing over a bill that would never pass, the once spirited debate grew tedious to some lawmakers.

"It's euthanasia by debate," Jones said.

The end result, a five-member House committee including Jones that would study the governor's bill and report back by the end of December, didn't satisfy Jones. He didn't know he would be on the committee until the House met yesterday.

As the House began debate at 12:30 p.m., casino supporters worked frantically to save the governor's bill. They tried unsuccessfully to force a vote on the bill, and later lost a vote to delay final consideration until April 15.

Patrick's defeat yesterday was tinged with irony, said John Portz, a political science professor at Northeastern University.

When the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe received federal recognition last year, Patrick moved to address what he saw as the inevitable arrival of casinos. It also appeared to provide a solution to the state's cash woes. Patrick expended significant time and energy on an issue barely on his radar as a candidate, yet it's an issue that's received significant media attention.

"I think this was a tough one to take on from square one," Portz said.

Patrick was not in Boston to see his casino bill's defeat. He was in New York on "private business." The governor's office would not say what that was.

Name%vote

Rep. Linda Dean Campbell, D-Methuen%Y

Rep. Michael Costello D-Newburyport%Y

Rep. Brian Dempsey, D-Haverhill%Y

Rep. Lori Ehrlich, D-Marblehead%Y

Rep. Barry Finegold, D-Andover%Y

Rep. Mary Grant, D-Beverly%Y

Rep. Bradford Hill, R-Ipswich%N

Rep. Bradley H. Jones, R-North Reading%N

Rep. John Keenan, D-Salem%Y

Rep. William Lantigua, D-Lawrence%Y

Rep. Barbara L'Italien, D-Andover%Y

Rep. Theodore C. Speliotis D-Danvers%Y

Rep. Joyce Spiliotis, D-Peabody%Y

Rep. Harriett Stanley, D-West Newbury%Y

Rep. David M. Torrisi, D-North Andover%Y

Rep. Anthony Verga, D-Gloucester%Y