Sad Day for the Commonwealth!

Sen. Tucker said, Well, corks are popping all over Massachusetts in those lobbying offices tonight. The games will begin, and I will try very hard in this debate not to be personal. I appreciate the kind words from the lady from Newton.

I want your vote more than your words. Martin Luther King said laws which uplift the human spirit are just. Laws that deprave the human spirit are unjust.

I stand before you tonight in hopes and understanding that not everyone in this chamber understands this industry and this product as much as I understand this.

I got into this issue years ago because it felt like a rip-off to me. I began to see where the money goes, where it comes from, who gets the money. The way the casino industry comes in state after state after state – they have a playbook.

Tonight the Massachusetts Legislature joins others that have played right into that.

I feel particularly sad for the senators that feel they’re somehow protected by the provisions in this bill. This will spin out of control. Once we give this OK, it’s all about the licenses, the best proposals. Who defines that?

And the corruption that has gone on in state after state after state regarding the best proposals – it’s all about the profit. Once you vote for this, you’re out of the picture.

It’s about earnings before interest taxes and depreciation. It’s not about the best proposal. It’s about who is going to make the most money, where. You think you’re protected because you’re not within 40 miles of a casino.

I don’t even have to wait for the deals the change. You all, and I’ve said this before, have it in your head that we’re going to have one of these fancy resorts with golf courses and hotels and shopping. If it’s not going to be a resort, why put up $500 million? It’s not enough for a resort.

The good senator from Amherst said we’ll have the strongest bill in the country. Promises are broken, deals change. There is no proper way to do this because if you do it the proper way, it’s the only industry I’ve heard of that if you do it the proper way, you won’t get the dough. If you don’t get the revenue, what are you doing this for?

No one in all the hearing, no one in the industry, no one in this chamber ever stood up and said you’re wrong, senator. No one ever told me I was wrong. So apparently I’m right, because I am right, because I understand the product and the industry.

There are a lot of happy lobbyists and a lot of happy clients tonight. I never thought they’d go down this road. That’s what they’re saying. It’s a very sorry excuse that we have to do this because of the Indian Gaming Rights Act. Only five land-in-trusts have been allowed by the bureau in the last 20 years. We have so much time to deal with that. We don’t know the impact.

This is a roll call that’s going to stay with the members for a long, long time. When these proposals become a reality, your constituents and groups will come out of the woodwork.

They will educate themselves about this product. I have to say to Kathleen Norbut – she’s got a group of warriors behind her who have learned about this. And when college presidents calling saying my students all go to the casinos, and when your constituents come to you and say ‘you have to help me, my husband gambled away all our money’ – I can guarantee you that will happen. It’s happened in every other state. I wish it were about jobs.

For my friends in labor, it’s sad. Their members are going to get burned by this. I thank you for your attention. I want to say to the staff members and so many senators, I think all of us have had the opportunity at some point to work on an issue and get to know the hardworking, dedicated staffers. I’ve been particularly heartened by many of the good senators’ staff. Let the games begin.