DiceControl Blog

House Passes Legislation

2010-04-17T18:44:00.000-07:00

In a landslide vote of 120 to 37, a House bill was just passed on Beacon Hill to legalize casino gambling in Massachusetts. The passed bill lets two casino resorts be built and also allows some 3,000 slot machines to be installed at local race tracks.

The bill will be sent to the Senate for review, alteration, passage etc.. The Senate plans to have bill complete by July 31st 2010 to be sent to the Governor for his signature.

The landslide vote from the house gives this bill a very positive outlook for passage. This may cause strong competition from the casinos in Connecticut if the bill passes.

This is the best legalazation of casinos in Massachusetts has looked in the last couple of years.

BooYa!!

Former Massachusetts House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi

2009-06-17T18:38:00.000-07:00

He was arraigned in early June 2009 on federal corruption charges in connection with the awarding of lucrative state contracts.

This is good news for the pro casino legislation as DiMasi fought against opening casinos in Massachusetts.

The new Speaker of the House whose District's include Suffolk Downs racetrack and the Wonderland Dog track showed support for slot machines. A step in the right direction, and further discussions will probably take place in the fall of 2009.

HOW THE HOUSE VOTED - - -

2008-05-06T11:14:00.001-07:00

HOW THE HOUSE VOTED - - -
A "yes" vote was in favor of sending the bill to a study committee which kills the bill; A "no" vote was against sending the bill to committee, which would have kept it alive.

Geraldo Alicea, D-Charlton - Y
Willie Mae Allen, D-Boston - N
Cory Atkins, D-Concord - Y
Demetrius J. Atsalis, D-Hyannis - Y
Bruce J. Ayers, D-Quincy - N
Ruth B. Balser, D-Newton - Y
Carlo P. Basile, D-Boston - Y
Fred Barrows, R-Mansfield - N
John J. Binienda, D-Worcester - Y
Daniel E. Bosley, D-North Adams - Y
Garrett J. Bradley, D-Hingham - N
William N. Brownsberger, D-Belmont - Y
Antonio F. D. Cabral, D-New Bedford - Y
Jennifer M. Callahan, D-Sutton - Y
Thomas Calter, D-Kingston - N
Linda Dean Campbell, D-Methuen - Y
Christine E. Canavan, D-Brockton - X
Stephen R. Canessa, D-New Bedford - N
Paul C. Casey, D-Winchester - N
Katherine Clark, D-Melrose - Y
Cheryl A. Coakley-Rivera, D-Springfield - Y
Thomas F. Conroy, D-Wayland - Y
Michael A. Costello, D-Newburyport - Y
Geraldine Creedon, D-Brockton - N
Sean Curran, D-Springfield - N
Steven J. D'Amico, D-Seekonk - Y
Robert A. DeLeo, D-Winthrop - Y
Viriato Manuel deMacedo, R-Plymouth - Y
Brian S. Dempsey, D-Haverhill - Y
Salvatore F. DiMasi, D-Boston - Y
Stephen DiNatale, D-Fitchburg - N
Paul J. Donato, D-Medford - Y
Christopher J. Donelan, D-Orange - Y
Joseph R. Driscoll Jr., D-Braintree - N
Lori Ehrlich, D-Marblehead - Y
James B. Eldridge, D-Acton - Y
Lewis G. Evangelidis, R-Holden - N
James H. Fagan, D-Taunton - Y
Christopher G. Fallon, D-Malden - X
Mark V. Falzone, D-Saugus - Y
Robert F. Fennell, D-Lynn - Y
John V. Fernandes, D-Milford - Y
Barry R. Finegold, D-Andover - Y
Jennifer Flanagan, D-Leominster - N
David L. Flynn, D-Bridgewater - Y
Linda Dorcena Forry, D-Boston - Y
Gloria L. Fox, D-Boston - Y
John P. Fresolo, D-Worcester - N
Paul K. Frost, R-Auburn - N
William C. Galvin, D-Canton - X
Sean Garballey, D-Arlington - Y
Colleen M. Garry, D-Dracut - N
Susan W. Gifford, R-Wareham - N
Anne M. Gobi, D-Spencer - Y
Thomas A. Golden Jr., D-Lowell - Y
Mary E. Grant, D-Beverly - Y
William G. Greene Jr., D-Billerica - N
Denis Guyer, D-Dalton - Y
Patricia A. Haddad, D-Somerset - Y
Geoffrey D. Hall, D-Westford - Y
Robert S. Hargraves, R-Groton - Y
Lida E. Harkins, D-Needham - Y
Bradford Hill, R-Ipswich -N
Kevin G. Honan, D-Boston - Y
Donald F. Humason Jr., R-Westfield - N
Frank M. Hynes, D-Marshfield - N
Louis L. Kafka, D-Stoughton - Y
Michael F. Kane, D-Holyoke - Y
Rachel Kaprielian, D-Watertown - Y
Jay R. Kaufman, D-Lexington - Y
John D. Keenan, D-Salem - Y
Thomas P. Kennedy, D-Brockton - Y
Kay Khan, D-Newton - Y
Peter V. Kocot, D-Northampton - Y
Robert M. Koczera, D-New Bedford - N
Peter J. Koutoujian, D-Waltham - Y
Paul Kujawski, D-Webster - X
Stephen Kulik, D-Worthington - Y
William Lantigua, D-Lawrence - Y
John A. Lepper, R-Attleboro - N
David P. Linsky, D-Natick - Y
Barbara A. L'Italien, D-Andover - Y
Paul Loscocco, R-Holliston - Y
Elizabeth A. Malia, D-Boston - Y
Ronald Mariano, D-Quincy - Y
Allen J. McCarthy, D-East Bridgewater - N
Paul McMurtry, D-Dedham - Y
James R. Miceli, D-Wilmington - Y
Michael Moran, D-Boston - Y
Charles A. Murphy, D-Burlington - Y
James M. Murphy, D-Weymouth - Y
Kevin M. Murphy, D-Lowell - Y
David M. Nangle, D-Lowell - Y
Patrick Natale, D-Woburn - N
Harold P. Naughton Jr., D-Clinton - N
Robert J. Nyman, D-Hanover - N
James O'Day, D-West Boylston - N
Eugene L. O'Flaherty, D-Chelsea - Y
Matthew C. Patrick, D-Falmouth - Y
Sarah Peake, D-Provincetown - Y
Vincent A. Pedone, D-Worcester - Y
Alice H. Peisch, D-Wellesley - Y
Jeffrey D. Perry, R-Sandwich - N
George N. Peterson Jr., R-Grafton - N
Thomas M. Petrolati, D-Ludlow - Y
William "Smitty" Pignatelli, D-Lenox - Y
Elizabeth A. Poirier, R-North Attleboro - N (z)
Karyn E. Polito, R-Shrewsbury - N
Denise Provost, D-Somerville - Y
Angelo Puppolo, D-Wilbraham - N
John F. Quinn, D-Dartmouth - N
Kathi-Anne Reinstein, D-Revere - X
Robert Rice Jr., D-Gardner - N
Pam Richardson, D-Framingham - Y
Michael J. Rodrigues, D-Westport - Y
Mary S. Rogeness, R-Longmeadow - Y
John H. Rogers, D-Norwood - Y
Richard J. Ross, R-Wrentham - N (z)
Michael F. Rush, D-Boston - N
Byron Rushing, D-Boston - Y
Jeffrey Sanchez, D-Boston - Y
Rosemary Sandlin, D-Agawam - N
Tom Sannicandro, D-Ashland - Y
Angelo M. Scaccia, D-Boston - Y
John W. Scibak, D-South Hadley - Y
Carl M. Sciortino Jr., D-Somerville - Y
Stephen Smith, D-Everett - N
Frank I. Smizik, D-Brookline - Y
Todd M. Smola, R-Palmer - Y
Theodore C. Speliotis, D-Danvers - Y
Robert P. Spellane, D-Worcester - Y
Christopher N. Speranzo - D-Pittsfield - Y
Joyce A. Spiliotis, D-Peabody - Y
Marie P. St. Fleur, D-Boston - Y
Harriett L. Stanley, D-West Newbury - Y
Thomas M. Stanley, D-Waltham - N
Ellen Story, D-Amherst - Y
William M. Straus, D-Mattapoisett - Y
David B. Sullivan, D-Fall River - N
Benjamin Swan, D-Springfield - Y
Walter F. Timilty, D-Milton - N
A. Stephen Tobin, D-Quincy - Y
Timothy J. Toomey Jr., D-Cambridge - N
David M. Torrisi, D-North Andover - Y
Eric Turkington, D-Falmouth - Y
Cleon H. Turner, D-Dennis - N
James E. Vallee, D-Franklin - Y
Anthony J. Verga, D-Gloucester - Y
Joseph F. Wagner, D-Chicopee - Y
Brian P. Wallace, D-Boston - N
Patricia A. Walrath, D-Stow - Y
Martin J. Walsh, D-Boston - N
Steven M. Walsh, D-Lynn - Y
Martha M. Walz, D-Boston - Y
Daniel K. Webster, R-Hanson - N
James T. Welch, D-West Springfield - Y
Alice K. Wolf, D-Cambridge - Y
------
(z) Reps. Poirier and Ross indicated after the vote that they had both intended to vote "yes" instead of "no"
------
N no
Y yes
X not voting
P present

Casino Legislation Stopped

2008-03-26T06:12:00.000-07:00

DiMasi and his cronies has stopped any hope of further discussion of casinos in Massachusetts for the year.

Blue law still prevails in the State and if you are pro casinos you will be taking a close look at your Representatives to view how they voted on the issues and adjust your own personal voting accordingly.

With a very strong State debt DiMasi has managed to keep our gambling money to Connecticut.

As for the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe they will attempt to work with the Federal goverment for the right to open a casino. If there is a victory by Senator John McCain, who strongly opposes so-called off-reservation Indian casinos, it could derail the Wampanoags' efforts.

2008 Update on Mass Casinos

2008-03-05T11:12:00.000-08:00

In a poll taken of 114 Massachusetts Legislators 19 support, 27 oppose, and 40 were undecided.

Casino Legislation Filed

2007-10-11T05:13:00.000-07:00

Governor Deval Patrick filed casino legislation that will legalize gambling activity in the state. There will be three gambling zones created with a 7 member gambling authority created.

The bill itself will probably not get voted on until 2008 and will hotly debated until that time.

Deval expresses his doubts on casinos in cities.

2007-10-04T08:44:00.000-07:00

Deval Patrick changed his tune a bit on a radio broadcast the other day saying cities in Massachusetts didn't have enough space for a resort size casino. Building in a urban area has become an argument for disagreement.

Suffolk downs still looks like a choice with 165 acres available for development.

In a poll 53% of the vote backed Deval's proposal for casinos.

Deval Patrick plans for legislation that will cover all these issues.

Opponents

2007-09-21T06:05:00.000-07:00

There are opponents to the startup of Casinos in the state. To mention a few Senator Tucker, Dan Bosley, and Rep Sal Dimasi.

Even with this the Wampanog tribe can choose between the State or the Federal Government to gain OK for a casino. If they choose the Federal Government it will take longer but they will not be held to the 27% commercial tax the State is proposing.

The Battle has Begun

2007-09-18T06:26:00.000-07:00

Governor Deval Patrick said the 3 casinos will create 20,000 jobs and bring in 2 billion dollars in economic activity.

Opposition reared it's ugly head as House Speaker Salvatore F. DiMasi, said; "We in the House remain skeptical."

"So far, our concerns for ushering in casino gambling have not been eased," DiMasi said. "But we will hear the governor out, and we will be asking the governor to explain the rationale behind his conclusions."

House Speaker Salvatore F. DiMasi is a longtime gambling opponent along with some other members of the house.

Blogger

Casino Gambling in Massachusetts

2007-09-16T06:09:00.000-07:00

Today Governor Duval Patrick sided with casino gambling in Massachusetts when he proposed to submit legislation to sell 3 licenses to the highest bidders.

Plans are to build casinos in 3 regions to include Southern Massachusetts, Western Massachusetts, and the Boston area and points North.

This is a big step for Massachusetts and will be facing plenty of opposition.

The proposals hope to increase economic growth, create new jobs, and add to Government revenues.

Blogger

Welcome to DiceControl's Blog

2007-09-16T05:19:00.000-07:00

The DiceControl Blog starts here with blogs on gambling in Massachusetts. If you would like to join, send an e-mail to blogger@dicecontrol.com with your e-mail address and you be added to the member list with the ability to post to this blog. Anyone can makes comments to any single blog if you simply have a Google account.