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Managing Editor CHICOPEE Mayor Michael Bissonnette is supporting a plan floated by State Senator Steve Panagiotakos of Lowell to put the casino question up to the voters in a non-binding referendum question on the fall's ballot. Bissonnette passed up an opportunity to testify on behalf the Governor Deval Patrick's casino bill last week because he believed at this point the debate "had nothing to do with the issue." "It's all about ego; who's got the biggest stick," Bissonnette told Reminder Publications. In this case House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi prevailed with a crushing 106 to 48 defeat of the casino legislation. "To thwart democracy by calling in individual members [of the House] and making a big show of it is inconsistent with reality," Bissonnette said. Bissonnette said he received a telephone call from two state representatives whom he did not identify who were "furious" with his pro-casino stand. Now Bissonnette said he believes that DiMasi will target municipalities that had shown support for casinos with audits. Bissonnette blamed Patrick's lobbying efforts as part of the reason for the defeat. "While the governor didn't do a great selling job, I thought it would win on facts and logics," he said. "That sometimes works." The mayor said that DiMasi's power, as House Speaker is vital for legislators who see service in the House as a career. The fact that state representative seats are seldom contested insure that many reps are "insulated." he added. "It's clear they not going to argue with a higher-up," he said. What Bissonnette is concerned with now is how the budget proposed by Patrick will be affected without casino licensing fees and how that will trickle down to cities and towns. He noted that DiMasi has never allowed legislation to come forward that would allow communities to set a local meal tax as a new revenue stream. He said he wouldn't want that in Chicopee, but municipalities should have that right. He said cities and towns are doing an end run around DiMasi, who has also kept the telecommunications pole tax from coming up to a vote. Massachusetts is the only state in the nation that doesn't tax telecommunications companies property tax for its poles. Currently the city is in litigation and bringing the case to the Appellate Tax Board. Chicopee would receive $1.2 million annually from Verizon if the tax were made law. *** The following are excerpts from an op-ed piece submitted by Bissonnette last week before the House vote on casinos: ...Last year, when Governor Deval Patrick initially filed his legislation allowing for three resort casinos to be built in Massachusetts, supporters and opponents of expanded gaming were promised a fair, open discussion on the issues. Casino resorts are not a perfect solution, but they should be part of our expanded economy. Today, community, business and labor leaders from across our state will testify in front of the Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies on this issue. They will speak, but none will be heard. Their testimony will fall on the deaf ears of lawmakers more interested in preserving committee assignments, offices, prime parking spots and chairmanships. Unfortunately, the fair and open discussion that was promised has degenerated into a typical battle of Beacon Hill egos. Originally, I had planned to testify before the Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies on behalf of municipal leaders throughout the state who are desperately seeking new sources of revenue and who believe casino gaming is part of a larger economic solution. I wanted to offer a perspective from the organizations that would be most affected by this issue, the 351 cities and towns and property taxpayers throughout Massachusetts. After reading the headlines over the past two weeks, I have come to the conclusion that this hearing is not about obtaining opinions or advice to aid an informed decision, but is a sideshow act in what has become a larger circus. I have decided not to testify for the simple reason that this issue has already been discussed and ultimately decided in the back rooms of the State House. My appearance would only help legitimize a hearing with a rigged outcome. My absence will speak louder than anything I could say... Should our chosen representatives fail to allow an open vote on this issue, I urge Governor Patrick to take the next step and place this issue in front of our citizens. Let the people of Massachusetts vote on this issue as a ballot initiative. Let the people of Massachusetts decide where and how they will spend their discretionary income. Let the people of Massachusetts show what direction they want their state to follow on this issue. The confidence of our citizens that their voice will be heard by their representatives has become severely eroded. An issue with the impact of casino gaming should not be decided by one person, but should be discussed and vetted through the legislative process. That is why I ask Speaker DiMasi to release his committed votes so that our House of Representatives can have an honest and open discussion on this issue, free from retribution, political patronage and backroom dealings. Mr. Speaker, take you thumb off the game. Governor Patrick has shown great political courage since the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe brought this issue to our doorstep. Under federal law, the tribe gets gaming and the state gets nothing. The Governor is right to act before we are shut out of being cut in. While some spout sound bites and talking points while criticizing his proposal, none of them have offered any solutions of their own. For every study and statistic on casino gaming there is two more to contradict them. We will never have exact numbers or guaranteed data on what gaming will bring, but what we can have is an educated, civil discussion with all points of view expressed. I ask that all sides of this issue come together to arrive at the best solution for Massachusetts. Our leaders in state government must push personal animosity aside, put egos and pride on hold, and seek a way forward to obtain the benefits of jobs, revenue and economic development that expanded gaming would provide. |
