July 27, 2010: Will the Mass. casino bill pass?

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;;;;GREATER BOSTON JULY 27

TONIGHT ON "GREATER
BOSTON," DEAL OR NO DEAL?
THE DEBATE OVER CASINOS
GOES BEHIND CLOSED DOORS.
WILL BEACON HILL FIND A
COMPROMISE.
PLUS THE NFL WARNING
TOUCHING DOWN IN FOOTBALL
THIS SEASON.
AND...
ß THIS IS A TWO TIME KICK
>> AN OPERATIC JULIA
Closed Captioning
brought to you by AFLAC:
Ask about it at work.
GOOD EVENING, I'M JARED
BOWEN IN FOR EMILY ROONEY.
FOR MOST OF THE YEAR,
CASINO GAMBLING IN
MASSACHUSETTS SEEMED LIKE
A SURE THING.
BUT DESPITE SUPPORT FROM
THE TOP POLITICIANS, THE
ODDS SEEM A WHOLE LOT
SLIMMER.
THE BEACON HILL BIG THREE
ALL WANT TO LEGALIZE
CASINOS.
WHAT THEY CAN'T AGREE ON
IS SLOT MACHINES.
BOB DELEO WANTS THEM, AND
GOVERNOR DEVAL PATRICK
DOESN'T.
>> I KNOW EVERYONE WANTS A
BILL.
I THINK THERE ARE SOME --
THERE IS A KASAM STILL
BETWEEN THE HOUSE AND THE
SENATE.
>> Reporter: BUT THE
GOVERNOR ADDS THE
COMPROMISE IS CLOSER THAN
IT WAS A FEW WEEKS AGO.
>> BOTH THE SNEAKER AND
THE PRESIDENT ARE TRYING
TO FIND A COMMON GROUND.
THEY'RE PAST EXPRESSING
THEIR VIEWS AND WAITING
FOR THE OTHER ONE TO SAY,
AFTER ALL, YOU'RE RIGHT.
>> Reporter: AS THE
HOUSE AND SENATE SEE
COMMON GROUND ON GAMBLING,
THEY'RE IGNORING A HOST OF
OTHER ITEMS, BILLS TO
LIMIT GUN SALES, CONTROL
HEALTH CARE COSTS AND MAKE
IT EASIER FOR EX-CONS TO
FIND WORK.
>> WITH THEM PASSING A LOT
OF GOOD LEGISLATION THAT
IS SITTING IN THE FINAL
STAGES, FORECLOSURE
PROTECTION, AND SMALL
BUSINESS HEALTH RELIEF,
AND THESE ARE THE THINGS
PEOPLE ARE CALLING US ALL
OF THE TIME, WRITING US
LETTERS.
AND WE CAN CHOOSE TO
FINISH OUT THESE PIECES OF
LEGISLATION THAT WILL HELP
PEOPLE WHEN THEY'RE REALLY
STRUGGLING, OR WE CAN FAIL
TO DELIVER FOR THE PEOPLE
OF MASSACHUSETTS.
>> MEANWHILE STATE
REPUBLICANS SAY THEY'VE
BEEN FROZEN OUT OF
GAMBLING NEGOTIATIONS.
DEMOCRATS MET BEHIND
CLOSED DOORS YESTERDAY,
LEAVING THEIR G.O.P.
COUNTER-PARTS FUMING
OUTSIDE.
>> I THINK IT IS SORT OF A
PATHOLOGICAL DESIRE TO DO
THINGS BEHIND CLOSED DOORS
AND AMONGST THEMSELVES.
IT IS SUCH STANDARD
OPERATING SYSTEM ON BEACON
HILL.
>> ONE PARTY READS THAT AS
DECISION-MAKING AND POWER
IN THE HANDS OF A FEW.
>> THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION
ENDS JULY 31ST.
IF GAMBLING BACKERS CAN'T
COMPROMISE BY THEN,
THEY'LL HAVE TO SHUFFLE
THE DECK AND TRY AGAIN
NEXT YEAR.
WITH ME ARE KERRY HEALEY
AND DEMOCRATIC ANALYST
WARREN TOLMAN.
MOST OF THEM HAVE FOUND
THE GOVERNOR AND SPEAKER
AND SENATE PRESIDENT
BEHIND CLOSED DOORS.
COULD THIS HONESTLY BE
ABOUT JUST HAVING THE
SLOTS AT THE RACE TRACKS?
>> MY GUESS IS THAT THE
BIGGEST PROBLEM HERE IS
THAT EVERYONE HAS LOST
TRACK OF WHY THEY'RE EVEN
DOING THIS.
THEY'RE PRESUMABLY WANTING
TO INCREASE GAMBLING IN
MASSACHUSETTS TO RAISE
REVENUE.
WHERE HAVE WE BEEN EVEN
TALKING ABOUT HOW MUCH
REVENUE ONE OPTION WOULD
BRING VERSUS ANOTHER
OPTION.
SOMEHOW PEOPLE HAVE
COMPLETELY LOST
PERSPECTIVE, AND THEY'RE
ALSO, AS MENTIONED,
IGNORING A HOST OF REALLY
IMPORTANT LEGISLATION THAT
SHOULD BE THE FOCUS AT THE
END OF THE THE SESSION.
>> WARREN, WHAT IS YOUR
TAKE?
WHAT IS YOUR INSIGHT.
THEY'RE SAYING NOTHING AT
THE END OF THE MEETINGS.
THE GOVERNOR GIVES A
COUPLE OF LINES, AND
THAT'S ABOUT IT.
>> FIRST OF ALL, I THINK
KERRY IS RIGHT, IT IS
ABOUT JOBS AND REVENUE.
IT IS BOTH COMPONENTS.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, YOU
HAVE SOMEONE, A SPEAKER,
WHO IS VERY MUCH COMMITTED
TO HAVING SLOTS IN HIS
DISTRICT.
IN PART BECAUSE OF A
LONG-STANDING TRADITION OF
PEOPLE FROM HIS DISTRICT
WHO RELIED ON THOSE TRACKS
FOR JOBS.
BUSINESSES WANED AWAY, AND
HE IS TRYING TO IN FUSE
SOME LIFE INTO THEM.
SO IT IS IMPORTANT TO HIM,
AND HE IS OUT IN FRONT ON
THAT.
SIMILARLY, THE GOVERNOR
AND THE SENATE PRESIDENT,
WHO SAY NO THANKS.
SO I THINK YOU'VE GOT
PEOPLE TRYING TO FIND THAT
COMMON GROUND.
AND IT IS ELUSIVE AT THIS
POINT, JARED, AND AT THE
SAME TIME, WE HAVE A LOT
OF OTHER PIECES OF
LEGISLATION HELD UP IN THE
BOTTLENECK AND AREN'T
MOVING AND WON'T MOVE
UNTIL SOME SETTLEMENT IS
MADE.
>> WE'LL GET TO THAT IN
THE MOMENT.
WHAT KIND OF REVENUE WAS
GOING TO COME OUT OF HERE,
AND IT WASN'T GOING TO
COME QUICKLY ENOUGH.
AND THEN IT SHIFTED TO
NO-BID SLOTS.
WHERE DO THEY COME DOWN ON
IT.
WHY IS IT SO MIRED IN
THIS?
>> THE NO BIG ISSUE IS
STILL VERY MUCH ALIVE, AND
THAT IS, WHY DO WE GIVE
THESE VERY LUCRATIVE
CONTRACTS FOR SLOT
MACHINES IN MASSACHUSETTS
TO THESE RACE TRACKS
UNILATERALLY.
SHOULDN'T THEY BE SUBJECT
TO A PUBLIC BID.
IS IT ONLY BECAUSE THEY
HAVE THESE PARTICULAR
PARCELS OF LAND, RACE
TRACKS, THAT NEED THE
BUSINESS.
THAT WE GIVE THEM THE
BUSINESS.
THERE ARE A LOT OF
DIFFERENT ISSUES OUT THERE
THAT MAKE THE PASSAGE OF
THIS BILL EVERY LUV.
AND THE QUESTION IS IF IT
DOESN'T HAPPEN IN THE NEXT
DAY OR SO, JARED,
EVERYBODY TURNS TO
PUMPKINS ON JULY 31ST AT
MIDNIGHT.
IF NOTHING HAS HAPPENED BY
THEN, IT ISN'T GOING TO
HAPPEN.
AND IT STARTS ALL OVER
AGAIN NEXT YEAR.
AND E-FRANKLY, I'M NOT
SURE WE'LL EVER GET THERE.
>> AND IT IS NOT CLEAR TO
ME WE SHOULD GET THERE.
THERE ARE A LOT OF THE
QUICK FIXES THAT BEACON
HILL HAS BEEN INTERESTED
IN WHICH WILL BE VERY
DESTRUCTIVE TO
MASSACHUSETTS IN THE
LONG-TERM.
THERE MAY BE BE SHORT-TERM
JOBS GENERATED PERHAPS BY
BUILDING DESTINATION
CASINOS, BUT WE DON'T NOTE
NOTE -- KNOW HOW MANY OF
THOSE JOBS WILL LAST.
THEY COULD BE CONSTRUCTION
JOBS AND THEY'LL GO AWAY
AS SOON AS THE
CONSTRUCTION IS OVER.
AND NOW YOU LOOK AT WHAT
IS HAPPENING IN EDUCATION.
WITH MASSACHUSETTS MOVING
AWAY WITH OUR VERY HIGH
NATION M-CATS, TO GO TO
THE NATIONAL, JUST BECAUSE
OF THE PRIZE OF GETTING
$250 MILLION FROM THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN
DOING THAT.
I THINK THE SAME KIND OF
THINKING IS GOING ON IN
BOTH OF THESE CASES.
HOW DO WE GET QUICK MONEY
OUT OF GAMBLING AND QUICK
MONEY OUT OF THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT, FOR A QUICK
FIX FOR OUR BUDGET, WHICH
SHOULD BE ABOUT SPENDING
LESS MONEY INSTEAD OF
LOOKING FOR ALL OF THE
DISTRACTING ALTERNATIVES.
>> AND BECAUSE THEY'RE
FOCUSED ON IT, WHAT POWER
DOES THE GOVERNOR HAVE
WITH A POCKET VETO.
WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO THE
LINE AND TIME IS RUNNING
OUT, CAN HE SHEPPARD
ANYTHING THROUGH?
CAN HE MAKE THIS BILL HIS
OWN?
>> HE HAS A SEAT AT THE
TABLE AT THIS POINT
BECAUSE AFTER JULY 10th,
AS KERRY KNOWS BETTER THAN
ME HAVING BEEN IN THAT
POSITION, THEY HAVE THE
VETO POWER.
IF THEY WANT TO SEND IT
BACK WITH LANGUAGE CHANGES
OR AT THIS POINT JUST NOT
SIGN IT, IT IS DEAD.
THEY KNOW THEY HAVE TO
TALK TO THE PATRICK
ADMINISTRATION, AND HE HAS
TO HAVE A SEAT AT THE
TABLE.
I'M SURE HE IS PUSHING
THEM.
MY THEORY IS IF SOMETHING
DOESN'T PASS AND ALL OF
THESE OTHER THINGS HELD IN
ABEYANCE -- THEY ALL LOOK
BAD.
>> THE REPUBLICANS HAVE A
LEGITIMATE GRIPE.
YOU HAVE PRO GAMBLING
REPUBLICANS BEING SHUT OUT
OF THESE MEETINGS.
>> BUT THAT IS VERY
TYPICAL.
IN ALMOST EVERY COMMITTEE
MEETING, THERE ARE
REPUBLICANS THAT AREN'T
TOLD WHERE THEY'RE
MEETING.
THEY ARE NOT ALLOWED IN
THE ROOM.
THEY'RE TOLD NOT TO COME.
IT IS ONE OF THE MOST
ANTIDEMOCRATIC THINGS,
WITH A LITTLE "D."
WE HAVE PEOPLE FROM THE
MINORITY PARTY WHO ARE
SUPPOSED TO BE IN ON THESE
MEETINGS, AND THEY'RE
RARELY ALLOWED IN THE
ROOM.
>> I THINK THIS IS PRETTY
ATYPICAL.
THEY ARE BEING KEPT OUT OF
THE MEETINGS.
I'VE CERTAINLY HOSTED MORE
THAN A COUPLE OF
CONFERENCE COMMITTEES, AND
THE REPUBLICANS WERE --
>> YOU WERE VERY GOOD.
>> WE WERE PASSING TAX
CUTS, BELIEVE IT OR NOT,
AT THAT TIME.
SO WE WANTED THEM TO BE
THERE.
THIS ONE HAS TO BE A
MEETING OF THE MINDS.
FRANKLY, TERRY MURRAY AND
BOB DELEO ARE NOT ON THE
CONFERENCE LIST.
BUT THERE IS NO QUESTION
WHERE THIS WILL BE MADE OR
NOT MADE.
THE REST, THE HOUSE AND
SENATE SIDE, TWO DEMOCRATS
AND ONE REPUBLICAN ON EACH
SIDE, CAN THEN MAKE THE
FINAL AGREEMENT AND THE
DETAILS AND GET DOWN INTO
THE WEEDS.
>> HAS THE SPEAKER DUG IN
TOO FAR AT THIS POINT?
MAYBE LOOK AT HIM A LITTLE
DIFFERENTLY BECAUSE YOU
KNOW HE HAS THIS VERY
PERSONAL, INVESTED
INTERESTS IN RACINOS.
HAS HE DUG IN SO DEEP HE
CAN'T MAKE ANY
CONCESSIONS?
WILL IS NO COMPROMISE FROM
HIM?
>> I THINK HE CAN MAKE
CONCESSIONSMENT HE
PROPOSED FOUR RACINSOS.
FOUR, THREE, TWO, ONE --
THAT'S A LOT OF
CONCESSIONS IF THERE IS
ONLY ONE RACINO THERE.
I THINK HE NEEDS ONE, OR
ELSE TERRY MURRAY SHOWS HE
ONE UPPED HIM.
WE'LL SEE AT THE END OF
THIS IF HE PUSHED TOO
HARD.
>> IT WILL BE VERY HARD
FOR THEM TO SOLVE IN ANY
COMPROMISE.
HIS QUESTION ABOUT THE
NON-COMPETITIVE BIDDING.
IF YOU'RE GOING TO SAY
FROM THE BEGINNING THESE
SLOT MACHINES ARE GOING TO
ANY OF THE EXISTING
GAMBLING FACILITIES HERE
IN MASSACHUSETTS, THAN
THAT IS NON-COMPETITIVE,
AND THE TAXPAYERS ARE NOT
GETTING EVERY DIME OUT OF
THIS AS THEY SHOULD.
>> WHAT ARE THE
REPERCUSSIONS HERE FOR
THESE THREE.
THE GOVERNOR IS STILL
DOING REALLY WELL IN
POLLING.
THAT WAS A NATIONAL POLL
THAT CAME OUT.
>> BUT LESS WELL THAN HE
WAS A MONTH AGO.
>> BUT THIS DOESN'T SEEM
TO BE COMING BACK ON
ANYBODY YET.
IS IT GOING TO COME BACK
ON ANY OF THEM?
>> I THINK IF SOMETHING
DOESN'T GET PASSED, JARED,
IN THE LOG JAM, THIS IS
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT,
HEALTH CARE REFORM --
THERE ARE A WHOLE BUNCH OF
PIECES.
I THINK IF THEY DON'T GET
SOMETHING DONE HERE, EVEN
THOUGH THEY'VE HAD AN
OTHERWISE VERY SUCCESSFUL
LEGISLATIVE AGENDA, THAT
WAS LAST YEAR.
AND THE ELECTORATE'S
MEMORY IS SHORT.
IF THESE THINGS ARE NOT
PASSED, I THINK THE
ELECTORATE WILL SAY, IN
PART, NOT SO MUCH A TAX ON
ALL OF YOUR HOUSES, BUT
SOME OF THEIR MEMBERS WILL
LOSE, AND I THINK IT WON'T
NECESSARILY HELP THE
GOVERNOR, EITHER.
I THINK THEY HAVE TO GET
SOMETHING DONE.
>> I AGREE.
I DON'T THINK THEY'LL BE
MAD ABOUT GAMBLING NOT
PASSING.
I THINK THEY WILL BE MAD
ABOUT THE DISTRACTION THAT
IT CREATED, AND THE
TRIVIAL TYPE OF DEBATE
THAT HAS BEEN GOING ON
WHEN HEALTH REFORM AND
CORY REFORM WERE RIGHT
THERE.
THEY COULD HAVE GOTTEN
THEM DONE LAST WEEK AND
THEY HAVEN'T DONE IT.
>> KERRY HEALEY AND WARREN
TOLMAN, THANK YOU FOR
COMING.
>> THANK YOU, JARED.
>> AND COMING UP, THE
NFL'S WARNING THAT COULD
BE A GAME CHANGER FOR
FOOTBALL THIS FALL.