Herald: Deleo Staffer Questioned Casinos' Benefits

In a report drafted while working for then state representative Daniel Bosley, current Deleo aide James C. Kennedy described casino proponents' motives as "unscrupulous." In the report, Mr. Kennedy went on to say that the commonwealth will, "with a bit of luck, scarcely break even."

CSM Member Kathleen Conley Norbut was quoted in the article, the full text of which is available here.

CSM Report: Top 10 Problems with Gambling Bill, Legislative Conflicts of Interest

The past 24-hours have seen a major upheaval in the debate over casinos and expanded gambling. After an actual debate broke out on the Senate floor, Senators went behind closed doors to hash out an agreement on a one-year ‘cooling off’ period before legislators could take jobs at casinos. This debate exposes one in a litany of problems in this casino bill, one of 10 highlighted by Citizens for a Stronger Massachusetts on the eve of the Senate debate.

What issue will Senators ‘discover’ next? More problems affecting local arts groups? We have several recommendations of badly-needed fixes before this bill proceeds.

“We urge everyone to take a good, hard look at this list of just 10 fatal flaws with this wrong-headed boondoggle disguised as a jobs and revenue plan for the Commonwealth,” said Scott Harshbarger, president of Citizens for a Stronger Massachusetts. “We’re thrilled people are starting to awaken to the follies in this bill and commend Senate leadership for encouraging true debate. Now’s the time where that promise meets reality and Senators need to act to fix – or reject – this bill.”

Click here for a link to the CSM Report.


The Boston Globe has also picked up and reported on the watering-down of the cooling off period from five years to one. Click here to read an article explaining the legislature's doublespeak rationalization of the reduction: "that a strong prohibition would only feed the public’s perception that lawmakers cannot be trusted." And click here to read a Globe editorial criticizing the same.

Statement of Scott Harshbarger, President of Citizens for a Stronger Massachusetts

On Tuesday, CSM President Scott Harshbarger Responded to a Boston Globe article detailing the patronage and corruption that legalized gambling has brought to Pennsylvania. Mr. Harshbarger's statement:

The grand jury report about the troubling situation in Pennsylvania isn’t just a cautionary tale for Massachusetts, it’s the norm when the casino culture is allowed nearly unfettered entry into a state. Our leaders are poised to hand unprecedented power to a newly-created, taxpayer and casino-funded commission that will be the welcome-wagon for a new wave of Beacon Hill corruption, waste and scandal. At best, our leaders are saying the obvious won’t happen here. At worst, they are on the cusp of opening the door to untold new scandals created by an industry that consistently defies law enforcement  and regulatory controls.

Globe: PA Casinos Bring Profits, Corruption

Pennsylvania's foray into casino gambling should be viewed as a cautionary tale by Massachusetts lawmakers, reported the Boston Globe on Sunday. The Keystone State, which legalized casinos in 2004, has been unable or unwilling to control the corruption, patronage, and back-room dealings that have become commonplace in the halls of government. In part due to poorly drafted legislation, individuals with felony convictions, mob ties, and at least one person accused of throwing his girlfriend from a 23rd story building were all approved for licenses or for employment within the gambling supervisory agency.

A Grand Jury investigation concluded, among other things, that "[n]o applicant was ever deemed unsuitable, despite its clear existence in some cases."

To read the entire article, click here.

Berkshire Eagle Editorial Denounces Casinos

On Monday, the Berkshire Eagle issued another editorial questioning the benefits that casino gambling will bring the commonwealth. Likening applauding casinos' proposed measures to treat gambling addiction to applauding cigarette companies for placing warning labels on their packaging, the Eagle correctly notes that the best way to prevent problem gambling in Massachusetts is to keep gambling out of Massachusetts.

Click here for a link to the full article.

Cape Cod Times: Current Casino Bill Foregoes State Revenue

The proposed legalized gambling bill leaves hundreds of millions of dollars on the table, reported the Cape Cod Times on Tuesday. Between Governor Patrick's 2007 proposal and the bill as currently written, licensing fees have dropped 57%, taxes on casino revenues have dropped 2%, and required casino infrastructure investments have dropped by $500 Million per casino.

CSM President Scott Harshbarger was quoted in the article as saying that these concessions to the casino industry are indicative of things to come, should the bill become law.

Click here for a link to the full article.

Statement From Scott Harshbarger, President of Citizens for a Stronger Massachusetts

Today, Citizens for a Stronger Massachusetts President Scott Harshbarger issued the following statement in response to news that casino owners in Connecticut are again going back to the state to renegotiate their longstanding deals (this one on security costs), to undercut revenues to the state.

“This is yet another red flag for the public, the media and our elected leaders as we careen toward the cliff on casino gambling. The experience in Connecticut, Rhode Island and around the country show us again and again that promises from casino owners and laws meant to bind them go quickly by the wayside and predictions of jobs, revenues and other benefits falter in this troubled industry. This is a fresh reminder that casino bosses inevitably return to the state to demand better and better deals and that, once legalized, this industry cannot be harnessed or controlled. This is why it is so important to conduct a full cost and benefit analysis before any further votes on legalizing casinos.”