Thursday, 4:30 PM
Partial transcript of Patrick's casino announcement
(David L. Ryan/Globe Staff)
We cannot reject the gaming industry out of hand. Economic growth is critical in order for us to deal honestly and responsibly with the neglect of the past 16 years. Our roads and bridges need billions of dollars of repairs and ongoing maintenance. We must further reform our education system, to prepare young people for competitive challenges and opportunities for today's and tomorrow's global economy.
And we must accomplish all this without putting an unfair burden on those in our community who have been hit hardest in the past few years by rising property taxes. The only way to meet these responsibilities fairly and equitably is to advance initiatives that will provide long-term sustainable economic growth. Our initiatives in life sciences, renewable energy, and education reform, together with the day-to-day work we do, with and for supporting businesses that are already growing and creating jobs here, are central to our strategy to stimulate long-term economic growth in the Commonwealth.
Destination resort casinos can serve a useful role in our overall economic plan. But there is a right way and wrong way to proceed, because some of the impact of casino gambling is negative. Studies show that gambling addiction increases within areas surrounding a casino, particularly in the early years, in the first few years. Increases in drug and alcohol abuse, personal bankruptcy, and even domestic violence have been documented. It's true that many of our residence already gamble at out-of-state facilities and bring these very problem home to Massachusetts. And the incidence of any one of these the social ills is statistically small, about 4 or 5 percent, but the impact on the affected individual or families can be devastating.
These realities compel us to treat this industry differently than any other kind of business. In my view, the right way to introduce casinos to Massachusetts is to adhere to sound economic, public safety, and public health principles. As well as establish a public mechanism for oversight and regulation.
To that end, we will limit the number of resort casinos to three. Fewer casinos will maximize the potential economic benefits. At the same time, it is important to allocate these few casinos equitably around the Commonwealth and to assure that each is tasteful and appropriate in order to attract tourist and other patrons from different regions of New England and beyond. I envision one in Western Massachusetts, one in Southeastern Massachusetts and one in the greater metropolitan Boston area.
We will also regulate casinos vigilantly, professionally, and independent of politics. Oversight and regulation of resort casinos should be entrusted to a new independent gaming commission, while enforcement should be the responsibility of a new division in the Attorney General's office. All the cost of regulation and enforcement will be born by an assessment of the resort casinos themselves. We will also provide significant recognition to mitigate any anticipated social cost.
Specifically we will set aside a portion of the casino revenue in a separate trust account, the Public Health Trust Fund is what we are calling it, for state of the art programs to prevent and treat compulsive gambling, drug and alcohol abuse, and other related public health concerns so that we can address and monitor the impact on people for whom gambling is more than harmless entertainment.
In addition, we will set aside the portion of monies in a community mitigation trust fund for host and surrounding communities who will bear the kinds of burdens in public safety, transportation, and related kinds of burdens associated with any significant increase of people and traffic. We will also provide for any short-term impact on the state lottery.
After providing for public health and safety, for local and community state lottery mitigation, and for the cost of regulation, three modest size resort casinos would generate between $400 and $500 million in state casino tax revenue at full build out. We will dedicate the revenue to improving transportation and reducing property taxes.
Our roads rails, buses, and bridges are showing the effects of over 16 years of neglect. Without better and safer transportation, we compromise our economic future and our quality of life. By investing casino tax revenue in refurbishing and expanding our transportation systems, we accelerate the growth of economic opportunities in every region, we ensure the safety of our public roadways and bridges, and we address one of the greatest fiscal challenges we face without an increase in the gas tax.
The remaining casino tax revenue will be distributed to homeowners across the state in the form of property tax relief. Families, seniors, and young people seeking to settle here face rapidly escalating property taxes, as you all know. New resources from casino taxes give us an opportunity to deliver property tax credits to homeowners and thereby lessen the burden on working families.
Needless to say our way forward does not depend, nor should it, on the governor's views alone. The Legislature will have to enact new laws to make this vision a reality. The needs and wishes of the effected communities must be heard. No casino should be sited before receiving a transparent, engaged public review in compliance with environmental protection laws and sustainable and smart-growth development principles will be absolutely necessary.
But if we proceed under these conditions, with care and transparency, I believe resort casinos can bring significant economic benefit to the Commonwealth with manageable impact on communities. Done the right way, resort casinos can join the many other reasons why Massachusetts is an international destination for travelers and tourists and a wonderful place to live.
