Editorial: Casinos on the horizon in Massachusetts

Thursday, July 5, 2007  

"The Mashpee Wampanoags have acquired 500 acres for a casino in Middleboro and the Aquinnah Wampanoags have plans of their own. Now one of the world's leading casino operators is talking to the Patrick Administration about opening a non-Indian casino - in MetroWest, no less.

Massachusetts still has no casinos, but they seem increasingly inevitable. State Treasurer Tim Cahill has come out in favor of casinos, reversing the position of his predecessors, who saw casino gambling as a threat to Lottery revenues. Auditor Joe DiNucci sees casinos on the way and recently told reporters that one longtime opponent, House Speaker Sal DiMasi, is "warming up to it."

So far, Gov. Deval Patrick is keeping his options open and playing his cards close to the vest. Patrick says he is awaiting the recommendations of an informal study group spearheaded by Dan O'Connell, secretary of housing and economic development, which is to report back to him by the end of the summer.

There are reasons to expect that study group will embrace casinos. Patrick has big, and expensive, plans for education, transportation and other areas, and state revenues aren't growing fast enough to cover them. DiMasi and other leaders in the Legislature are adamant about not raising taxes. Other states are leaping onto the casino bandwagon and the Wampanoags are about to force the issue.

This page remains skeptical. We don't begrudge people their recreational preferences, but we'd rather see government services funded through honest taxation than increase the state's dependence on industries built on addiction."

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Editorial: Casinos on the horizon (GateHouse News Service 7/5)