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Posted by: kwflatbed

Patrick files $28 billion state budget




BOSTON -- Governor Deval Patrick has filed his second state budget, which calls for increases in spending on education and public safety.
The Democratic governor says his $28 billion budget for the fiscal year starting July 1 is "fiscally and socially responsible." He released it Wednesday.
Patrick has built in $300 million in would-be fees from casino licensing. Some lawmakers object to that move because the Legislature hasn't passed any casino gambling bill.
His budget would increase education spending by $368 million, including for programs to expand full-day kindergarten and pay for extended-day classes.
State spending on public safety also would rise by nearly $106 million, including money targeted at the troubled state Medical Examiner's Office and funds for 100 new police officers.

http://www1.whdh.com/news/articles/local/BO71610/

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Posted by: Mitpo62

Well, some (cops) is better than none.

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Posted by: JoninNH

Devalue Patrick... gotta love him... or not.

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Posted by: kwflatbed

NOT

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Posted by: JoninNH

+1

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Posted by: Hb13

+2 big time

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Posted by: PaulKersey

Quote:

Originally Posted by kwflatbed Patrick has built in $300 million in would-be fees from casino licensing. Some lawmakers object to that move because the Legislature hasn't passed any casino gambling bill.

That's funny. Talk about counting your chickens before they hatch.

100 cops state wide? Where will we put them all?

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Posted by: KozmoKramer

Quote:

''...and funds for 100 new police officers.

OK Mr. "Yes We Can", only 900 more to go to meet your campaign rhetoric.

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Posted by: kwflatbed

There was an article in todays New Bedford Standard Times that
Patrick wants to merge the County Sheriffs with the state and
all funding for them would come out of the state budget.
He may say something about it in the state of the state speech
tonite.
If I find any more about it I will post it.

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Posted by: kwflatbed

Committee Rejects Patrick's Casino Bill

BOSTON (AP) ― A key legislative committee voted Wednesday to recommend lawmakers reject Gov. Deval Patrick's proposal to build three resort-style casinos in Massachusetts, all but dooming the bill this session.

The 10-8 vote by the Joint Committee on Economic Development, which came after a four-hour delay and arm-twisting by House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi, sets up a vote in the House of Representatives as soon as Thursday. If the bill is defeated then, it couldn't be brought back until next year. One committee member abstained from voting and another member proved pivotal to the outcome.

Rep. Richard Ross, R-Wrentham, said he dropped his support for the bill after the owners of the Plainridge horse trotting track in his district said they would rather take a shot at the House passing a bill to install slot machines at the state's four racetracks than seek to amend Patrick's proposal to allow those machines as well as the casinos.

"I got a loud and clear message from my district ... that they really wanted me to vote for the adverse report," Ross said. "Really, until the eleventh hour, 59th minute, I was on the phone."

Similar slots legislation has failed miserably in prior votes, but Ross said DiMasi promised he would allow it to come to the House floor again.

The legislation, sponsored by Rep. David Flynn, D-Bridgewater, whose district includes the Raynham Park greyhound track, calls for 2,500 slot machines at each of the four tracks, as well as a $50 million licensing fee from each track owner. Flynn said the machines could generate $400 million annually for the state while it contemplates other forms of gambling or revenue creation.

"All I want to do is build a bridge to the future," Flynn told AP.

Patrick's bill proposed licensing three casinos spread across Massachusetts. It called for a licensing fee of at least $200 million each, and he projected it would generate $400 million in annual revenues and 20,000 permanent jobs.

Those projections were supported by a recent study conducted by the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, but DiMasi said he was concerned the casinos would drain revenues from other state businesses and increase costs from social sideeffects such as compulsive gambling and petty crime.

The committee vote followed a marathon public hearing Tuesday, where members of the committee heard from opponents and supporters, including Patrick, who all but conceded the bill was heading for likely defeat.

Patrick blamed the expected defeat in part on pressure from House leaders, including DiMasi.

http://wbztv.com/politics/casino.gam....2.680965.html

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Posted by: resqjyw0

Casinos down but not quite out

by The Republican Newsroom
Monday March 24, 2008, 10:37 PM

By LORI STABILE
lstabile@repub.com

The defeat of the governor's casino proposal has left Western Massachusetts residents with mixed feelings and Gov. Deval L. Patrick with recriminations.

Patrick said today that "the fix was in pretty early" against his casino gambling bill, and House Speaker Salvatore F. DiMasi, D-Boston, broke a promise to allow an open floor debate that could have tweaked the proposal to satisfy critics.

DiMasi said Patrick's casino bill underwent the same legislative review as any other bill.

"We had an open process," DiMasi said. "We had a debate, six months of information, pro and con, that the members looked at. People that don't win in these situations really don't think the process works for them because they didn't get the result they wanted."

Western Massachusetts residents are taking stock of the Thursday House vote which rejected Patrick's proposal for three casino resort communities in the state, including one in Western Massachusetts. One developer was primed to put a casino in Palmer off the Massachusetts Turnpike.

Some Palmer residents thought a casino would bring revenue and jobs to a town that has struggled with funding and seen the demise of manufacturers over the years.

"It would be lots of money for the town. I was for it," said Mary A. Malzenski, 84, who was playing bingo at the Senior Center today.

Robyn M. Ottomaniello, who works downtown at Gales News, said she wasn't crazy about the idea of a casino in Palmer, but now is having second thoughts.

"It may be the only hope ... Things are tough out here," she said.

Some in neighboring communities were more wary. Monson Selectmen Chairman Edward S. Harrison, also Western Massachusetts Casino Task Force chairman, said he is pleased by the vote, but thinks the issue will return.

"I think the administration tried to rush this through without the appropriate studies," he said.

Harrison said the 11-town task force will continue to meet. He said the it wants an unbiased study of the potential impacts of casino gaming, and to ensure Western Massachusetts communities get adequately compensated if casinos are legalized. As a private citizen, Harrison said, he is opposed to casinos.

"It's just entertainment. We need something that produces something that benefits our fellow citizens in Western Mass. and the rest of the world," he said.

State Rep. Todd M. Smola, R-Palmer, agreed the issue will be back, and spoke for those who favored a delay.

"By no means is this dead forever," Smola said today. "This issue will come up like clockwork every legislative session. People who are upset - stay tuned."

Smola said he voted against the bill because of objections including having Worcester County compete for the same license as Western Massachusetts.

"I think in order to be fair the governor's proposal should have had a better geographic boundary designed for Western Massachusetts," he said.

Smola said the bill's defeat gives communities more time to do research on a casino's potential impact.

Palmer was thrust into the forefront of the casino debate when Northeast Realty, owner of approximately 150 acres across from the Massachusetts Turnpike exit on Thorndike Street (Route 32), last year announced an agreement with Mohegan Sun casino in Connecticut to build a $1 billion casino on the wooded land.

Northeast Realty's Leon H. Dragone also said he thinks casino gaming is far from over, adding, "I think ultimately the issue will be determined by the economic conditions."

Dragone said the defeat in the House did not surprise him, since DiMasi is anti-casino.

Palmer Town Manager Richard L. Fitzgerald said a casino would have provided additional taxes and, through a host agreement, additional benefits, but the social impact was not determined.

In speaking of the House defeat of his proposal, the governor said that if DiMasi had allowed amendments during last week's debate, he would have been prepared to allow slot machines at one or two of the state's four race tracks - and even reduce the number of casinos he sought from three to two or even one - if it would have led to overall passage of the bill.

Instead, Patrick said, the speaker strangled the bill on Wednesday with a committee vote that prevented amendments during the full House debate on Thursday. The measure now cannot be brought up for consideration until next year at the earliest, despite support from Patrick, key members of the Senate and a host of House members.

However, the governor said he will continue with a $189,000 casino study under way by Spectrum Gaming of New Jersey, although state Rep. Daniel E. Bosley, D-North Adams, said the results will be stale.

http://www.masslive.com/news/index.s...tegory=Casinos

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