Gambling Bill Discussed again in Massachusetts

Legal casino gambling is again on the table in the US state of Massachusetts. This is after the shutdown of negotiations last year on a possible gambling bill.

Less than a year ago the involved parties failed to reach a final agreement between Governor Deval Patrick and the legislature. The sides agreed to back a proposal for three casino resorts to operate within the state, however negotiations broke down when Patrick refused to accept House Speaker Robert DeLeo's insistence that the state approves placing slot machines at a couple of the state's horse racing tracks.

Now New Branford Mayor Scott W. Lang has drafted a three page testimony in support of legalizing gambling in the state and plans to present today it to the Legislature's Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies during their hearing on the matter.

In his testimony Lang urges the legislature to push for changes in the law and approve proposed legislation in a hurry to help drive unemployment figures down and give the economy in Massachusetts the boost it so desperately needs.

Lang states that "I cannot overstate the urgency of taking action now to spur economic development in order to alleviate the financial pressures and human hardships we are facing in our communities."

There is no way of knowing which way to committee would sway towards but it has been announced that Governor Patrick and House Speaker Robert DeLeo plan to abstain from addressing the committee on this matter as to not drag their old debate into the new one and allowing the committee the ability to reach a decision without contradicting pressure from two of the strongest political figures in the state of Massachusetts.