{Cross posted from the MS&L Boston blog, The PR Finishline –)
Senate President Therese Murray this morning dipped her toe (and most of her fashionable but sensible heel) into the dicey waters of casino gambling.
After a speech to the Greater Boston Chamber focused more on the grim economic outlook and some minor rays of hope in the Massachusetts economy, Murray let loose a bombshell when asked by Chamber CEO Paul Guzzi where things stand with the most contentious political football on Beacon Hill.
Acknowledging she was going to drive her staff crazy before she spoke, Murray pulled an imaginary slot lever and said, smiling broadly, “Cha-Ching!”
The packed to the gills crowd of suits knew exactly what that meant. “There will be a casino bill in the fall,” Murray went on to say.
So much for her hopes to make some news by saying the Governor was wrong when he said the legislative transportation bills don’t go far enough and by prodding the mostly male Boston execs to hire some more women for senior posts (both legit news stories, now on the trash heap).
Murray succeeded in giving the media an easy and fun storyline in what has, to date, been a staid and somewhat predictable saga of the state’s financial struggle. And, without former Speaker Sal DiMasi there to stop it, Murray’s support joins the Governor and pro-slot Speaker Robert DeLeo in having that rare, hard-to-beat trifecta of the Big Three solidly behind one issue. (Gratuitous disclosure time: I was DiMasi’s communications director throughout the casino debate last year).
Of course, the battle will now be joined – led by Representative Dan Bosley in the House and Senator Susan Tucker in the Senate. And there is a relatively small band of groups working with Casino Free Mass to educate and rally.
But, right now, they would appear to be out-gunned. The state of the economy, the state of the budget and the public’s general acceptance of gambling as a fun and harmless night on the town appears to have stacked the deck pretty well in favor of casinos this year.
Still, questions abound: Will there be an articulate counter-balance to the Big Three? Will there be someone to question the wisdom of balancing the budget, at least in part, on the people who frequent casinos? Will there be a re-analysis of the numbers – both in real proceeds from casino licenses to direct tax benefit and jobs created?
Certainly the “Cha-Ching” doesn’t mean game over. There will be debate, there will be coverage and there will be scrutiny. But, for now, it might be time for Governor Patrick to start practicing his famed “Wonder of it All” song.
I realize your new employer must be getting BIG $$$ to push casinos, and try and create an empression that they are inevitable, needed, come on folks jump on the band wagon – or is that the dollar express.
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p>The reality is that the cost of getting a new casino up is prohibitive, and even established casinos are going pbust all over the country. Here is MY post:
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p>http://vps28478.inmotionhosting.com/~bluema24/d…
If so perhaps a disclosure would be in order when these posts are recommended.
Here is a link: http://prfinishline.blogspot.c…
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p>I didn’t check at the Sec. of State Website to see who MS &L are paid by.
MS & L are not listed in the 2008 or 2009 sec of state gaming lobby data base but former House Speaker Charlie Flaherty is prominently featured.
when our Senate President reduces such a complex and difficult issue into a petty and sophomoric catch phrase. All the while she refuses to do anything meaningful on the real issues in Massachusetts.
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p>Senator Murray, the people of this state demand better. If you can’t do better, give the job to someone who can.
You and I agree on this, but your rush to dismiss somebody of Murray’s accomplishments because she said two syllables that you don’t agree with is the sophomoric part. If your dudgeon is already this high now, your head will explode before they even introduce this bill.
but I believe that he pointed to the larger picture not just the “cha-ching” in his indictment.
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p>There has been a failure by the legislature which includes the long time members and leadership of the Senate and the House to address real issues in Massachusetts; continued patronage jobs (including Governor Patrick), faux pension reforms, refusal to act on Governor Patrick’s municipal partnership proposals, failing infrastructure, Big Dig and other major project oversight. The state budget continues to protect it’s own relative to local aid and municipal services. No action to have equitable health insurance bargaining on the local level (the state has power but not local government to make changes).
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p>Many us are getting close to our last “last straw” with political leadership on Beacon Hill.