Transparency is one of the fundamental principles of democracy. For seven years we've seen the Bush Administration violate that idea repeatedly, but who would expect Gov. Deval Patrick to trample on it as well?The Boston Globe requested copies of the study on casino gambling that Patrick commissioned and then received in late July. In a ridiculous reading of the law, officials in the Patrick Administration have said that the reports are similar to "interagency or intra-agency memoranda" that are protected by the state's public record law, even though that law goes on to say that it doesn't apply to "reasonably completed factual studies or reports."
The Globe has already appealed to the secretary of state's office and, if that doesn't work, I'm sure the newspaper will go to court. It seems clear to me that the study must be released to the public. What isn't clear is how Patrick could interpret the law this way and what he has to gain by doing so.
2 comments:
The cynic in me is not entirely surprised. On the whole, this administration has been better than most, but they have made some disappointing policy choices - especially when it comes to economic development issues.
If I were to be more generous, I might say that perhaps the administration did not want the findings to impact ongoing negotiations around casino development.
Whether good or bad, it appears that there is something in this report that might not be consistent with the Governor's view on casino development in Massachusetts.
Anonymous said...
Can anyone beat Carlo? Is Jeff "Italian" ENOUGH (we know Carlo is)? Can Mota mobilize her Latino base (probably about 100 registered voters)? These are important questions. But the most important question is where the candidates stand not only on the casino, but also on the casino support plan (which insiders tell me is at least two strip clubs along the Revere-Eastie line). Personally, I think the plan would be a boon to the area, providing excellent paying jobs and also significantly contributing to our tax base (the more commercial property in Eastie the lower our taxes will be). I would love to get a job there as a dancer. Anyway, I hope Carlo supports this plan, because I think he's going to win. He can work with Mayor Ambrosino to make this amenable to the folks in Eastie and Revere. At the end of the day, Jeff's connections to Mayor Menino may be irrelevant as to whether Eastie survives fiscally. It might instead come down to whether he, or Carlo or Mary or Gabby, can work with the elected officials (and non-elected officials) from our fair neighbor just north of us.
Jenni
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