Opinion: No to gaming in Massachusetts

Thursday, March 27, 2008  

"It's over for this year. The House voted down the governor's casino proposal by a margin of 106 to 48 last week.

The fabulously wealthy national casino operators had the best lobbyists and public relations people that money could buy. Some elements in organized labor issued forceful political threats against no-voting casino legislators. The governor and his staff heavily lobbied undecided members.

But in the end, the deliberative process of the House led to an overwhelming “no” vote. House members were exposed to a huge volume of facts and opinions, both formally and informally, over the months leading up to the vote.

First, public leadership is a scarce resource. We really can't do everything well. We need to do many things to achieve sustainable economic growth. We need to be wary of any one thing that is likely to crowd out other equally important issues on the agenda.

Over the past few weeks, we've seen the money-fueled circus that casinos create. The controversies wouldn't end if we allowed three destination resort casinos. They would only expand.

Second, a no vote was a vote for the lesser of two evils. It is possible that the casino operators who are using the Wampanoag tribe may eventually get one "Class 2" bingo hall. But they will never get slot machines without legislative approval.

Slot machines are to bingo as heroin is to a glass of wine. Slot machines, like cigarettes, are thoroughly engineered to be addictive.

Slot machines are where people drop the most money and do the most damage to themselves and their families."

Get the Story:
Rep. Will Brownsberger: ‘No’ on casinos (The Belmont Citizen-Herald 3/27)