MASS. HOUSE REJECTS CASINO PLAN (Update)

21 March 2008

Six hour debate culminates in a defeat (for now) for the Governor


Already burdened with a 'not recommended' tag from the Massachusetts legislature's Joint Committee on Economic Development, a bill proposing the introduction of three resort-style land casinos in the state was effectively rejected in a House of Representatives vote this week. The proposal, put forward by Governor Deval Patrick, included a clause seeking to ban Internet gambling.

After an impassioned six-hour debate, representatives voted 106-48 to send the bill to a study committee, effectively defeating the measure and ensuring it won't come back up for debate until next year at the earliest, reports Associated Press.

House Speaker Sal DiMasi engineered a pivotal committee vote against the bill. After the vote, he said "big money special interests lost," while the people of Massachusetts won.

Patrick predicted the casinos would have generated $400 million in annual tax revenue.

Robert Haynes, Massachusetts president of the AFL-CIO and a supporter of the bill, says he's profoundly disappointed in the vote and in the process.

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