Editorial: Wait to negotiate Wampanoag compact

Wednesday, September 10, 2008  

"Gov. Deval L. Patrick, who pushed unsuccessfully for state licensing of three casinos last year, clearly has learned his lesson when it comes to casino gambling: Hedge your bets and remain patient. Mr. Patrick last Friday correctly rejected the Mashpee Wampanoags’ call for early talks on developing a casino in Middleboro. Such talks would be premature before the Bureau of Indian Affairs approves placing the land in trust — a necessary step before a casino can be built — and could well compromise the state’s bargaining position.

Moreover, casino proponents have yet to make a persuasive case. The reluctance of the already skeptical Legislature to add Massachusetts to the list of casino-gambling states intensified when a key industry report on gambling revenues in the region found projections offered by proponents were overly optimistic.

There are ample reasons for caution about gaming as a state revenue source, not least being the associated public health and safety costs. Casinos would undermine the state lottery, which generates hundreds of millions of dollars annually for cities and towns. Politically, casinos could only serve as a distraction from the need to vigorously promote the state’s manufacturing, technology and service sectors and exercise greater fiscal restraint on Beacon Hill."

Get the Story:
Editorial: Game of patience (The Worcester Telegram 9/10)