Are you really surprised ?!

Hook 'em early, right Deval?

Patrick yields ground on casino bill,

 says one slot parlor OK

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 July 29, 2010 05:26 PM

 By Noah Bierman, Globe Staff

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In a significant shift in his public position, Governor Deval Patrick said this afternoon that he would sign a casino gambling bill with one slot parlor and three full-scale casinos if legislators agreed to break a "logjam" on other unrelated measures.

Patrick has previously said he opposed slot parlors at racetracks and reiterated Wednesday that they would not provide as much economic benefit as full-scale casinos. But, in challenging the Legislature today, he said he was willing to accept one slot parlor if it was competitively bid and the process was transparent, provided legislators move about a half dozen bills -- including some related to crime, health care costs and economic development -- in the final 48 hours of the session.

Patrick delivered the message to legislative leaders in person late this afternoon, followed by a gaggle of reporters, moving quickly from his office to House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo's office, then to the Senate chamber, where he spoke with Senate President Therese Murray.

Sources have told the Globe that legislative negotiators have been discussing authorizing, along with three casinos, two slot parlors that may be housed either at the state's four racetracks or elsewhere. They have not announced a deal publicly. Patrick said he would not support two slot parlors.

"I'm at one, if I go there at all," he said.

He said that "ideally" the bidding would be open to venues beyond racetracks, but he did not rule out a four-way competition between the four racetracks in the state.

It is unclear how lawmakers will respond.

With the clock ticking down towards the end of the legislative session on Saturday, House and Senate negotiators have been unable to come up with a compromise bill to expand gambling in the state.

DeLeo, Murray, and Patrick all support expanded gambling in Massachusetts, but the devil has been in the details. DeLeo, whose district includes two struggling racetracks, wanted to allow slot machines at the racetracks. Murray was initially opposed to slots at the tracks, but has appeared increasingly open to compromise. Patrick has consistently opposed slots at the tracks.

An aide briefed on the negotiations told the Globe on Wednesday that the House and Senate had agreed to add some slots, but differed on where. DeLeo argued that only racetracks should be allowed to bid for the licenses; Murray wanted to allow others to bid, but would give a preference to racetracks.

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Can you honestly say you are surprised by this? Is it possible that we have all been subject to a great hoax with this latest version of elected official Kabuki Theater? Do you think the Legislature AND Gov. Patrick had to make this entire effort SEEM difficult to avoid as much negative voter feedback possible in this year's election? I'm beginning to think that's precisely what has been happening for the last six months since Speaker of the House DeLeo first started to seriously discuss his plan to have both slots and casinos in Massachusetts.

Look at the  last minute trips taken by the MA Senate's most important members of leadership to a race track in Kentucky (Churchill Downs) the very week gaming might be legalized by their vote! Or that Gov. Patrick goes on a "visit" with MA troops overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan just before the end of the legislative session, then returns calling for an extension of the session to "get the people's work done!" Theater of the absurd is what it is, simply dullard drama, contrived controversy.

Why go anywhere if so many pieces of "critical" legislation remain unsettled and unpassed? You and I both know that's not what happened. Who are they trying to kid? They will pass casino gambling with one or two "racino's" or race track's with slot machines. Everyone understood going into this discussion how badly DeLeo wanted race track slot machines to help fund the race track in his home district, Suffolk Downs, at a minimum, and possibly one other troubled track owned by an influential friend of many in the legislature ( Mr. Carney , owner of Raynham Park).

With the Governor dead set against any track slots, or so he says, the stage was set to give the press the illusion of a tough negotiation, when, in fact, I believe the parameters of what will be the final legislation have been in place since before the Governor left for his overseas trip. For all we know the House and Senate leadership have spent a majority of their time in "conference" deciding the fate of the other critical legislation needing passage by the end of the term, not to mention the monies usually appropriated for pet projects during late night, end of the session spending sprees when no one is watching and which in the past have been both shocking and legendary. The republicans can shout all they want...they don't have enough votes to stop this end of session freight train!

 The legislature is just like a back alley in an urban area....nothing good can happen there after midnight !