Beacon Hill: Costs Greater Than Anticipated

Incapable of walking and chewing gum at the same time, Beacon Hill combined a much-needed crime bill with grossly flawed predatory gambling legislation. Maybe it was a political ploy or merely consistent with Beacon Hill's non-productive performance or maybe, the Speaker's willingness to cater solely to vested interests and allow the People's House to be held hostage.

The Crime Legislation should have been presented and voted on separately, but never expect House Speaker "Racino" DeLeo to succumb to reasonableness. [Remember that the Speaker recommended campaign contributors, incompetents and 'no-shows' for Probation Dept. jobs before providing a budget larger than requested.]

Attorney General Martha Coakley wisely was quoted as commenting:

...warned lawmakers that the cost of making it happen may be larger than anticipated. New regulations must be drawn up and new agencies created to enforce the regulation, she said.


The Speaker is incapable of providing the COSTS because of their willingness to be blinded by the false promises of Predatory Gambling. [See Las Vegas or Atlantic City]


From: Speaker Flunks Arithmetic


Maybe this is why an Independent Cost Benefit Analysis is needed?


NEW GAMBLING REGULATION TO COST $5 MILLION, ACCORDING TO SPEAKER’S OFFICE: The expanded gambling market called for under legislation proposed by Speaker Robert DeLeo would require $5 million in costs to cover new state regulatory and enforcement expenses, but the industry would pick up the tab, according to a DeLeo aide.
DeLeo spokesman Seth Gitell said the estimate of state costs the gambling industry would reimburse is $5 million.

The bill creates a five-member Massachusetts Gaming Commission to oversee the expanded industry, establishes a Division of Gaming Enforcement in the attorney general's office to work with the gaming commission to enforce criminal violations of gaming laws; creates a gaming enforcement unit within the State Police; and establishes new crimes of money laundering and enterprise crime in connection with industry expansion.


The Racing Commission costs ~ $4.4 million supervising 4 tracks, 2 of which no longer have live racing.


Speaker "Racino" DeLeo would have us believe that adding 3 24/7 365 casinos and converting 4 race tracks into 24/7 365 slot parlors, adding 3 enforcement agencies will only cost an additional $600,000? Or does he mean that taxpayers will pick up the rest of the tab?


From: Coakley speaks on foreclosures and immigration
By Jesse Roman


On the proposal to allow some form of legal gambling in Massachusetts, Coakley did not weigh in on the policy or moral aspects of the decision but warned lawmakers that the cost of making it happen may be larger than anticipated. New regulations must be drawn up and new agencies created to enforce the regulation, she said.

Coakley said Massachusetts is overdue to adopt legislation against human trafficking — the state is one of just four that doesn't have a law on the books.

"In every community on the North Shore, there are people selling other people, mostly for sex, but also for labor," she said.

Translation: This means it's going to cost you buckets that they are hiding.