Mar 13, 2008 9:53 pm US/Eastern
DiMasi Ramps Up Casino Criticism
Calls Governor's Plan A Quick Fix
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
With just days to go until the casino debate on Beacon Hill reaches a climax, powerful House Speaker Sal DiMasi is denouncing Gov. Deval Patrick's casino plan with some of his strongest language yet.
Casino opponents are moving in for the kill now, with critics led by DiMasi (D-East Boston) attacking the foundations of the governor's argument for bringing casinos here.
And new Fast Track numbers showing strong public support for casinos? They don't seem to be giving anti-casino legislators a moment's pause.
"I think everything is overestimated and exaggerated in this particular proposal," DiMasi told WBZ News last weekend. That language seems sugar-coated compared with what he said today.
In a letter to House members, the speaker said "the governor's casino bill is a quick fix solution built on suspect figures supplied by the casino industry."
Patrick wants to license three casinos in the state, and he continues to assert their economic benefits. And while he may be losing the inside game at the State House, he's doing better outside the building.
Our latest Fast Track survey found 60 percent of the public backing the casino plan.
And when we asked what people thought of DiMasi's opposition arguments, 57 percent said they disagreed with him.
How can the Legislature kill a bill in the face of what seems like clear majority support for it? It's easy.
Majorities of voters have been calling for a death penalty here for close to two decades, but the Legislature keeps killing it.
And nearly eight years ago, more than 56 percent voted for an income-tax rollback that has yet to be fully enacted.
"Listen. My members go out every single day and listen to their constituents," DiMasi says.
And even when they vote against what those constituents appear to have said they want, they almost always get re-elected in a state where the Republican Party is close to an empty shell. So if casinos go down despite public support, it won't be anything out of the ordinary for Beacon Hill.
Are anti-casino lawmakers feeling any heat?
Not very much, as far as far as we can tell. We've talked about the governor's failure to mobilize the public's voice on this, and keep in mind, polling support for casinos evaporates when you ask people whether they'd want a casino near where they live. So those poll numbers may be somewhat deceptive.
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