Patrick faces deadline, politics on state budget
Governor Deval Patrick, speaking publicly for the first time about increasing bonuses for legislative leaders, said yesterday that he is sensitive to their concerns about compensation and confirmed that he would expect some political cooperation in return.
"Listen, I'm here to get stuff done," Patrick said in response to a question about whether he would expect a quid pro quo. "So sure, you bet."
But the new governor said that a deal was not imminent.
"We all feel that there's work to do yet on that issue," he said. Patrick added that House Speaker Salvatore F. DiMasi and Senate President Robert E. Travaglini are appointing committees and committee chairmen this week "faster than we could settle the questions about . . . stipend changes."
The Globe reported on Sunday that Patrick and the legislative leaders were discussing a deal that would give DiMasi and Travaglini about $80,000 to increase stipends for their deputies and chairmen, in exchange for their support on his proposals to restructure state government. Patrick has said he would like to take control of some of the state's powerful quasi-public boards, such as the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority, which are now run by boards dominated by Romney appointees.
Patrick is facing a late February deadline as he works to translate his campaign promises into a budget proposal for the 2008 fiscal year. Speaking to reporters yesterday after his weekly meeting with legislative leaders, Patrick said he would not include any new revenue from slot machines at the racetracks or casinos in that proposal. Patrick said he needs more time to study the policy implications of expanded gambling.
"I'm not going to go down that path until I've finished the homework that I've talked about, and I'm not sure that homework's going to get done in time for" the budget bill, Patrick said.
Gambling is one of the few options available to Patrick to help close a large deficit in next year's budget that could top $1 billion. Patrick has less than a month to decide how to balance the budget while also beginning to pay for the agenda he put forward in his campaign, including new police officers and a property tax cut.
As a candidate, Patrick expressed reservations about gambling, but has since said he wanted to examine the issue more closely. He said yesterday that he has asked his secretary of housing and economic development, Daniel O'Connell, to research how slots and casinos have affected other states, such as Mississippi and Louisiana. The governor added that he may put together a group to study the issue.
Senator Michael W. Morrissey, a Quincy Democrat who favors expanded gambling, said he was not discouraged by Patrick's comments, particularly given the time pressure the governor faces in assembling a budget.
"He may say in three months' time . . . 'If you guys want to consider gaming, good luck to you -- we need the revenue,' " he said.
In a poll conducted by the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth and released yesterday, 53 percent of those surveyed supported slot machines at racetracks, and 57 percent backed authorization of a casino.
Whatever its mainstream popularity, however, expanded gaming faces considerable opposition in the Legislature, which has repeatedly rejected gambling legislation in the past.
The challenge would be especially tough in the House because DiMasi strongly opposes expanded gambling.
But legislative leaders have also thrown cold water on other ideas for raising revenue this year. Travaglini has said that raising taxes is off the table, and DiMasi cast doubt on Patrick's proposal to let local communities raise money by opting to increase the state's meals tax by up to 3 percent.
