House Speaker DeLeo promises 'dramatic decreases' in budget

Date: 2/23/2011

Feb. 23, 2011

By G. Michael Dobbs

Managing Editor

HOLYOKE — By what House Speaker Robert DeLeo told reporters before his address at the annual Holyoke Chamber of Commerce legislative luncheon his viewpoint on how the location of potential casinos has changed.

DeLeo conducted a press conference at the entrance of the Log Cabin on Friday and explained the location of the casinos would be determined through a competitive bid process. Last year at a visit to Friendly Ice Cream in Wilbraham, DeLeo had said he favored an independent commission to select the sites of three potential casinos.

Noting the last casino bill "came down to the five yard line," last year, he said the Legislature would be working on a new casino bill much earlier in the legislative year.

There were a group of about 50 unionized workers who staged a welcome for DeLeo on Route 141 a short distance before The Log Cabin in the entrance of Wyckoff Country Club. The workers carried signs urging DeLeo to move on the casino. Developers have proposed Wyckoff Country Club as the site for a Western Massachusetts casino.

When asked how the House will cope with a $1.5 billion budget shortfall, DeLeo predicted people will see "some dramatic decreases," but there will be "no talk of any new taxes or fees."

"We have to be more innovative," he added.

He supports the proposal to force municipalities into the GIC, the state's health insurance program, in order to save money. Cities and towns would have to prove their own health plan is less expensive that the GIC not to be included in the state's program.

DeLeo would rather increase a revenue flow in the state through the creation of more better paying jobs with investments in the bio-tech and life sciences fields. He said this was one of his top priorities.

He said the lack of federal aid is "another whammy" for the state.

"The federal government has been there for us for the last two to three years," he said. The decrease in federal assistance is a "grave concern" to him.

The luncheon drew a number of locals elected officials including Holyoke Mayor Elaine Pluta, State Sen. Michael Knapik and State Reps. Michael Kane, John Scibak, Joseph Wagner and Donald Humason Jr.

Humason, a Republican, noted he was pleasantly surprised to agree with many of the goals of the House leadership in terms of no new taxes, casinos and job creation.

He said the proposed budget by Gov. Deval Patrick was not as "austere" as the governor might like people to believe, as it is still larger than last year's budget.

He gave credit to Patrick's efforts to make some cuts but believe, "many of them won't fly,"

Humason cited Patrick's proposal to provide the in-state tuition rate at state colleges to illegal immigrants as a difference in his and governor's priorities .

Wagner, who recently was appointed as the chair of the House's economic development committee, said, "I hope the Legislature will take up the [casino] issue sooner than later."

He asserted the issue could be solved through meetings between DeLeo, Patrick and Senate President Therese Murray.

He called finalizing casino legislation as "one of the few opportunities to create jobs."