The following was sent to the Senator who is out of his office today so the reply is not yet forthcoming.
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Let's have the sense in Massachusetts to refrain from being copy cats of other failed states.
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Honorable Senator Pacheco:
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By now, you have undoubtedly reviewed the SCOTUS decision, Carcieri v
Salazar and recognize that a Mashpee Wampanoag casino will not be
constructed in Middleboro.
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I would hope that you would reconsider your support of casino gambling,
but in particular, slot machines.
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10% of casino patrons provide 90% of casino revenues.
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Slot machines are designed to produce addiction.
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Casino Free Massachusetts
offers a video of gambling addiction that I would hope you would take
the time to view.
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There is no state with gambling that is not experiencing
fiscal difficulties.
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California, which under Governor Schwarzenegger, aggressively
promoted, pursued and negotiated expanded slot machines,
is in severe fiscal distress. The slot machines that were
negotiated and permitted have not been installed because of
the economic downturn.
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Twin Rivers has defaulted and without a Rhode Island bailout,
may file for bankruptcy. Those are the investors who would
have pursued a Middleboro casino, Kerzner and Wolman.
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Trump just filed bankruptcy again.
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Expansion plans have stopped.
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There are many others as well that I won't list.
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The League of Women Voters, an organization with no vested interest
in the issue, estimated that for every $1 in revenue gained from
gambling, the cost is $4.
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That's not a sensible equation.
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Other states, such as Indiana, introduced slot machines at race
tracks for the same reasons you propose to do so -- 'they can't
compete.'
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Is there any other business that produces nothing of value that
the state would so willingly support?
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I would suggest instead that it's time to allow the tracks to
go out of business if they're not viable.
The current owner of the Plainville track bought it, knowing it was
loosing money, but with an eye open for slots.
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The revenue projections offered by Treasurer Cahill are grossly
overstated. The expense projection are grossly understated.
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Stop Predatory Gambling
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Instead of depending on an industry with a vested interest to
present information to you, I would hope that you would avail
yourself of impartial research that is available to avoid making
the mistake of introducing a Predatory business that we will
regret.
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I am aware of your attempt to challenge the Regional Task
Force meeting when it was conducted in Carver and consider
that most inappropriate. We, as citizens of the Commonwealth,
need an open, honest and public discussion of the impacts
of casinos and slot machines on communities.
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We were denied a public forum in Middleboro. Let's not deny
surrounding communities that same right.
5 comments:
You rock, MR! Great letter! Let's hope he pays attention. Really liked the part about the Carver task force meeting...
Gladys,
Thanks for your vote!
I believe the Senator, like many of
our elected Reps. has made a decision based, not on facts, but on campaign contributions, lobbyists and who is speaking the loudest.
It is clear from the Globe article of Treasurer Cahill's pie chart that he has overstated revenues and understated expenses.
Job creation has been addressed previously by others. It's a figure plucked from the air without substantiation.
We've gone there before.
If slots were so great, Indiana, California, New Jersey and Nevada wouldn't be in deep trouble.
When I first met you, you were making phone calls and campaigning for Pacheco. I belive we met at one of Marc's fundraisers.
Somewhere else, a casino supporter made a snarky comment about what Pacheco's reply should be.
On most issues, I agree with Marc. He's been in the forefront in Global Warming and has accomplished a great deal.
When it comes to gambling, he's lost my vote unless he informs himself.
Casino supporters need to develop greater maturity when they post anonymous snarky comments IMO.
The Senator's intervention with the Carver RTF was over the line.
Sorry, Marc! you deserve to be blasted on that one. MR was restrained. That's not what I would have said.
How towns conduct their business is not yours to comment on.
Does the state not get it. People are losing their jobs and homes EVERY DAY. So, this must mean screw all the people. The slots mean more to the state. That in itself is a disgrace. There will be more crime, etc. with slots or any type of casinos. Just yesterday the Enterprise stated the money the casinos are losing in Ct.
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