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Saturday, July 21, 2012

Thank you Senator Montigny!



Even at this late date, Senator Pacheco and Rep. Koczera have failed to inform themselves of the community destruction caused by Predatory Gambling.

They have allowed themselves to believe the KoolAid offered by the unions promoting irrational job numbers, exaggerated revenue projections, ignoring the COSTS, increased crime, personal bankruptcies, gambling addiction.

Is there any community better off  5 years after a Slot Barn has opened in its midst? NO!

Thank you Senator Montigny for standing for your region!



Senate postpones its vote on Taunton casino compact agreement
By Charles Winokoor
Posted Jul 19, 2012


State Sen. Marc Pacheco, D-Taunton, said he isn’t surprised state Sen. Mark Montigny, D-New Bedford, essentially threw a monkey’s wrench into a casino Senate vote Thursday.

“He was opposed to it in the first place,” Pacheco said of Montigny, who last year opposed passage of the state’s new gaming act.

Montigny successfully postponed a vote on the “compact” agreement — previously signed by the Mashpee Wampanoag Indian Tribe and Gov. Deval Patrick — at least until next week.

Montigny was within his rights, Pacheco said, to “lay on the table” any vote to approve the compact for the tribe’s proposed $500 million gambling resort casino in East Taunton.

The House this week voted overwhelmingly in support of the compact.

If the Senate follows suit it will pave the way for tribal chairman Cedric Crowwell to pursue federal approval from the Interior Department to put the Taunton and Mashpee land into sovereign trust.
New Bedford, meanwhile, has previously been approached by two commercial, non-Indian, casino developers to build a casino in the Whaling City.

The Mashpee Wampanoag — which would pay the state 21.5 percent of gross revenue and an estimated $13 million per year to Taunton — has until the end of the Senate’s session on July 31 for approval of its compact.

It otherwise would lose exclusive rights to developing and building a casino in southeastern Massachusetts.

Pacheco, who has touted the project for its potential to create jobs and revenue, said he’s confident the votes are there in the Senate to approve the compact.

During this week’s House hearing, New Bedford state representative Robert Koczera attempted, but failed, to attach an amendment that would have imposed a time limit for the tribe to attain land-in-trust recognition.

Tribal Chairman Cromwell was not immediately available for comment, according to Mashpee Wamponoag spokesperson Brooke Scannell.


Read more: http://www.tauntongazette.com/news/x147943537/Senate-postpones-its-vote-on-Taunton-casino-compact-agreement#ixzz21GakBME4

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