There's a bill in the state legislature that calls for an independent and comprehensive cost/benefit analysis of expanded gambling in Massachusetts, and John Ribeiro is leading the charge locally for passage of the bill. S.150 was filed by Sen. Stephen Brewer, a Democrat from Barre, back in January. It's currently before the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies, as is a bill that would authorize three casinos in the state.
It's inconceivable that a proposal with the impact of legalized casino gambling would go forward without the public -- and the elected officials who are voting on it -- knowing exactly what the pros and cons would be, but that is what the pro-gambling forces tried last year, and it's what they will try again. Of course, the gambling lobby and their supporters on Beacon Hill understand that a truly honest study will include much to be concerned about, and that don't want you and me to see that.
East Boston will be negatively impacted by a casino at Suffolk Downs. We demand a legitimate study in order to fully understand exactly what we're getting ourselves into.
1 comment:
I agree with the Hubster....if proponents of a casino want our neighborhoods to support their proposal, then we ought to be entitled to know the pros and cons of it. As I always say, if it's such a great thing, why aren't other neighborhoods beating doors down to build it in their cities and towns, especially where they might have economic issues (doesn't every city and town?). It's a known fact that casinos are located in poorer neighborhoods to entice those that can least afford it. Predatory gambling...that's the term. Proponents can offer us all these great promises and things, but if you put lipstick on a pig it's still a pig. If folks think that it's going to improve our quality of life and our neighborhoods for the better, fagetaboudit! By it's very nature, it invites a negative environment...crime, prostitution, divorces, bankruptcies and the like. Those that are supporting it now, I suggest, are not thinking this through....they're seduced by the "entertainment, jobs, gambling" but with negative impacts of this proposal, will they really want to live next door? People complain about traffic, traffic, traffic now. No improvements in the roads are going to keep visitors from traveling local streets. And once on those local streets, our businesses are not going to realize much from those traveling through. Are their homes going to maintain their values? Think about this up front before you rush to embrace this business deal.
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