House Rejects Slot Machines

Governor Deval Patrick has fought the good fight, but in the end he just didn’t have the votes to get his slot machine bill passed. The House defeated Patrick’s casino bill 108 to 46 last night, led by House Speaker Salvatore F. DiMasi.

DiMasi has been an outspoken opponent of the slot machine bill so it did not come as a huge surprise to many that he spearheaded the sinking of the bill. DiMasi said that the people of Massachusetts had won a victory over the “big money special interests” in the state.

Patrick had left the state Wednesday night to handle personal matters according to a spokesperson, but the racetracks, unions and other pro-slot machine supporters vowed to continue the fight. There is still another bill to be decided on and that one would allow slot machines at each of the state’s four racetracks.

The Mashpee Wampanoag tribe is also asking to be able to build a $1 billion resort casino in Middleborough, and there are those in the Senate that are trying to resurrect the governor’s bill to bring in three casinos across the state.

The biggest issue facing the state however, is where the money is going to come from for the budget. There is a deficit of $1.3 million and Patrick’s plan would have allegedly brought in more than $124 million to the state – which would have more than covered it.

Instead, DiMasi is pushing for $1 a pack cigarette tax and he says that this will raise $152 million instead. The fight over cigarettes and slot machines has been raging for the past six months and some in the House say that they are just glad that it is over and done with.

 

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