Future of western Mass. office unclear; director steps down
By OWEN BOSS
Staff Writer
NORTHAMPTON — A plan to consolidate state Department of Mental Health regional offices has a local advocacy group sounding the alarm, fearing that services for mental health clients in western Massachusetts will suffer.
The planned restructuring is a cost-cutting measure that will require consolidating DMH’s six regional offices statewide into three, according to DMH Commissioner Barbara Leadholm.
Although it remains unclear which of the six regional offices will close, the six in question are the central Massachusetts office in Worcester; metro Boston office in Boston; metro suburban office in Westborough; the northeast office in Tewksbury; the southeastern office in Brockton; and the western Massachusetts office in Northampton.
The consolidation, according to Leadholm, will not require closing any of the department’s 29 smaller offices statewide and is “wholly administrative and is not intended to affect services that DMH provides.”
Leadholm’s goal is to have the restructuring in place by December. But unhappy about their lack of involvement and the absence of a step-by-step plan for the consolidation, members of the Citizen Advisory Board for Western Mass. DMH are calling for a delay.
The board met with Leadholm April 9.
“What became clear to us at the meeting was that there isn’t really much of a plan in place for this,” said advisory board member John Hornick. “At best, she has a plan to make a plan. We asked her questions about exactly how these new area offices would look and she didn’t have a clear answer. She didn’t even have a clear number for us in respect to the anticipated savings.”
Sullivan leaves post
Hornick said board members were also shocked to find that Elizabeth Sullivan, who had been the department’s western Massachusetts area director in Northampton for 30 years, left her post Friday. The implication of her departure, Hornick alleges, is that DMH plans to consolidate the central and western regions.
“This is just a really odd time for Liz Sullivan to be stepping down,” Hornick said. “If anything you would think they would want to have an experienced leader in place in order to help with this transition — and frankly that announcement came as quite a surprise to the board.”
Another concern, board member Laura Prescott said, is how many staff positions will be eliminated in this area. Also, she said, advocates worry that more people being served by fewer offices will leave the department overextended.
Further, Prescott said she worries that if the Northampton office closes, area residents may have to travel to Worcester.
Prescott said the board is concerned that there is no plan for what will happen after the consolidation in terms of providing accountability for services to clients across the region.
Anna Chinappi, director of DMH’s office of communications and community engagement, said the restructuring plan is incomplete. Meantime, she said, until the DMH budget is released in June, an April 14 statement from Leadholm will remain the agency’s final comment on the matter.
According to the statement, Leadholm said she hopes to have the consolidation completed by December and in the coming weeks plans to decide the locations of the three remaining regional offices. She will name area directors for those locations.
“We will be working with unions and management throughout this process and will make changes in a way that will be least disruptive to employees, consumers, families and the provider community,” the statement reads. “I want to acknowledge the anxiety that we are all experiencing during this time of change for the department.”
Still, advocates say more work is needed to make the transition seamless. They are asking for 12 more months to do so.
“The reasoning behind the delay is to give DMH an opportunity to carefully consider how they plan to carry out all of these functions with consolidated area offices,” Hornick said, “and to allow us an opportunity to see what that plan is going to be and respond to it.”
Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Monday, April 19, 2010
Defendant in Prince case arraigned on OUI charge
HOLYOKE — Austin Renaud, one of six students facing charges following the death of South Hadley High School student Phoebe Prince, was arrested Sunday morning for operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol.
Renaud, 18, of Springfield, who earlier this month pleaded innocent in Hampshire Superior Court to a charge of statutory rape, is expected to be arraigned on the latest charge today in Holyoke District Court, according to published reports.
Holyoke police reportedly found Renaud parked by the side of the road at 3 a.m. Sunday with his hazard lights on. After telling the officer he had a flat tire, Renaud was taken to the Holyoke Police Station where he reportedly failed a breathalyzer test and was released on $40 bail, according to published reports.
Prince, 15, hanged herself at her South Hadley home on Jan. 14 following several months of bullying authorities say was motivated by alleged dating relationships she had with Renaud and another high school boy.
— OWEN BOSS
Renaud, 18, of Springfield, who earlier this month pleaded innocent in Hampshire Superior Court to a charge of statutory rape, is expected to be arraigned on the latest charge today in Holyoke District Court, according to published reports.
Holyoke police reportedly found Renaud parked by the side of the road at 3 a.m. Sunday with his hazard lights on. After telling the officer he had a flat tire, Renaud was taken to the Holyoke Police Station where he reportedly failed a breathalyzer test and was released on $40 bail, according to published reports.
Prince, 15, hanged herself at her South Hadley home on Jan. 14 following several months of bullying authorities say was motivated by alleged dating relationships she had with Renaud and another high school boy.
— OWEN BOSS
Council to act on unwanted deliveries
By OWEN BOSS
Staff Writer
NORTHAMPTON — Urged on by city residents fed up with the delivery of the Springfield Republican’s “Extra” supplement every week, City Council President David J. Narkewicz has proposed an ordinance aimed at dealing with “unsolicited publications.”
“I had hoped to avoid taking legislative action on the ‘Extra’ purple bag issue,” Narkewicz said in an email, “but after months of the city going back and forth with The Republican and fielding continued complaints from residents, I researched and proposed a new, stand-alone ordinance.”
The ordinance is co-sponsored by Ward 3 City Councilor Angela Plassmann. In coming months, members of the city’s Board of Public Works, the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Housing and Land Use, and the Subcommittee on Elections, Rules, Orders, Ordinances and Claims will consider the ordinance and make their recommendations before the proposal returns to City Council for debate and votes.
Rather than ban the delivery of free newspapers, supplements and other publications, Narkewicz said, the new ordinance imposes clear guidelines for how they can be delivered and requires that the publisher and its distributor respect requests from residents who no longer wish to receive a given publication.
“I believe it is completely reasonable for a Northampton resident to expect that, upon request, a newspaper publishing company will stop delivering a publication to which the resident did not subscribe and does not wish to receive,” Narkewicz said. “It is also completely reasonable for Northampton residents to not have unwanted, unsightly, and unrecyclable purple bags strewn around their property and city causing potential harm to the environment, public safety, and private property.”
The Republican Extra is a weekly commercial delivery system targeting 8,200 Northampton households each Wednesday with paid advertisements and store coupons.
Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com
Staff Writer
NORTHAMPTON — Urged on by city residents fed up with the delivery of the Springfield Republican’s “Extra” supplement every week, City Council President David J. Narkewicz has proposed an ordinance aimed at dealing with “unsolicited publications.”
“I had hoped to avoid taking legislative action on the ‘Extra’ purple bag issue,” Narkewicz said in an email, “but after months of the city going back and forth with The Republican and fielding continued complaints from residents, I researched and proposed a new, stand-alone ordinance.”
The ordinance is co-sponsored by Ward 3 City Councilor Angela Plassmann. In coming months, members of the city’s Board of Public Works, the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Housing and Land Use, and the Subcommittee on Elections, Rules, Orders, Ordinances and Claims will consider the ordinance and make their recommendations before the proposal returns to City Council for debate and votes.
Rather than ban the delivery of free newspapers, supplements and other publications, Narkewicz said, the new ordinance imposes clear guidelines for how they can be delivered and requires that the publisher and its distributor respect requests from residents who no longer wish to receive a given publication.
“I believe it is completely reasonable for a Northampton resident to expect that, upon request, a newspaper publishing company will stop delivering a publication to which the resident did not subscribe and does not wish to receive,” Narkewicz said. “It is also completely reasonable for Northampton residents to not have unwanted, unsightly, and unrecyclable purple bags strewn around their property and city causing potential harm to the environment, public safety, and private property.”
The Republican Extra is a weekly commercial delivery system targeting 8,200 Northampton households each Wednesday with paid advertisements and store coupons.
Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com
Westhampton firefighters extinguish brush fire
WESTHAMPTON — Firefighters from three area communities extinguished a brush fire off of Tob Hill Road Thursday afternoon.
The fire, which was first reported from atop the Pelham Fire Tower around 3 p.m., was caused by the rekindling of ashes still smoldering from a permitted burn on Sunday, according to Westhampton Fire Chief Chris Norris.
“Staffers in Pelham noticed smoke coming off of the mountain from the top of the fire tower and after realizing there weren’t any active burn permits for the day we did some recon and were able to locate the fire from the smoke,” Norris said.
Firefighters from Westhampton, Chesterfield and Williamsburg, assisted by members of the District 10 Department of Conservation and Recreation, were able to extinguish the fire in about an hour, Norris said.
“We had one tanker truck, two pump trucks and three brush trucks out there as well as two additional state vehicles,” Norris said, “we got it under control pretty quickly.”
The fire burned approximately six acres of open land on the mountain and Norris said it will not result in any criminal charges.
— OWEN BOSS
The fire, which was first reported from atop the Pelham Fire Tower around 3 p.m., was caused by the rekindling of ashes still smoldering from a permitted burn on Sunday, according to Westhampton Fire Chief Chris Norris.
“Staffers in Pelham noticed smoke coming off of the mountain from the top of the fire tower and after realizing there weren’t any active burn permits for the day we did some recon and were able to locate the fire from the smoke,” Norris said.
Firefighters from Westhampton, Chesterfield and Williamsburg, assisted by members of the District 10 Department of Conservation and Recreation, were able to extinguish the fire in about an hour, Norris said.
“We had one tanker truck, two pump trucks and three brush trucks out there as well as two additional state vehicles,” Norris said, “we got it under control pretty quickly.”
The fire burned approximately six acres of open land on the mountain and Norris said it will not result in any criminal charges.
— OWEN BOSS
Agricultural group eyes lawn care
By Owen Boss
Staff Writer
Grown in Westhampton, a collaborative aimed at bringing together local farmers and amateur gardeners, will focus on how to keep a healthy lawn at the group’s monthly meeting next Monday.
The roundtable discussion, held at the Town Library on Main Street, will feature a presentation on lawn care from Debra Young, Operations Manager of North Country Garden Center.
“I am going to discuss the four-step fertilizing process, answer any questions that those in attendance may have and show them some new methods for liming,” Young said, adding “We will also go over both the organic and inorganic options for lawn care and when is the right and wrong time to fertilize.”
Young, of Southampton, said a common mistake among area homeowners is to expect that with enough work they can end up with a golf-course quality lawn.
“Most people want a golf course in front of their house, and that is just not realistic,” Young said.
Kurt Heidinger, who helped organize the group, said Young’s speech will continue Grown in Westhampton’s effort to facilitate the exchange of information between local growers.
“Anybody in the world can pick out a book on perennials or how to compost or how to grow the perfect tomato but getting the local knowledge on how to do it from people who have grown here forever, you can’t get that in a book,” Heidinger said.
An added benefit to the monthly meeting, Heidinger said, is that it brings area farmers and their consumers closer together.
“Everybody seems to be learning something,” Heidinger said. “The farmers get to pick the brains of their consumers and consumers get to know more about what is growing locally — both sides are finding it very helpful.”
Heidinger said all area residents are invited to the meeting, which is scheduled for Monday at 1 p.m.
•••
Annual variety show
Residents are invited to help raise money for a local church group and area emergency responders next weekend by attending the 24th annual Pilgrim Fellowship and EMT Variety Show at Town Hall.
Julie Holt, who organizes the show each year, said performances will include musical performances, dancing, singing and acting.
“We’ve been doing this for 24 years now and you know how it is in Westhampton, whenever you do something two years in a row it becomes tradition,” Holt said.
Proceeds raised from ticket sales, Holt said, will be divided evenly between the Pilgrim Fellowship, a local church group and area EMTs.
The show is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 24. Tickets, which are $5 for adults, $2 for children, are available at the door.
People interested in performing are encouraged to sign up by calling 527-0294 or sending a request via email to julieholt@comcast.net.
Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com.
Staff Writer
Grown in Westhampton, a collaborative aimed at bringing together local farmers and amateur gardeners, will focus on how to keep a healthy lawn at the group’s monthly meeting next Monday.
The roundtable discussion, held at the Town Library on Main Street, will feature a presentation on lawn care from Debra Young, Operations Manager of North Country Garden Center.
“I am going to discuss the four-step fertilizing process, answer any questions that those in attendance may have and show them some new methods for liming,” Young said, adding “We will also go over both the organic and inorganic options for lawn care and when is the right and wrong time to fertilize.”
Young, of Southampton, said a common mistake among area homeowners is to expect that with enough work they can end up with a golf-course quality lawn.
“Most people want a golf course in front of their house, and that is just not realistic,” Young said.
Kurt Heidinger, who helped organize the group, said Young’s speech will continue Grown in Westhampton’s effort to facilitate the exchange of information between local growers.
“Anybody in the world can pick out a book on perennials or how to compost or how to grow the perfect tomato but getting the local knowledge on how to do it from people who have grown here forever, you can’t get that in a book,” Heidinger said.
An added benefit to the monthly meeting, Heidinger said, is that it brings area farmers and their consumers closer together.
“Everybody seems to be learning something,” Heidinger said. “The farmers get to pick the brains of their consumers and consumers get to know more about what is growing locally — both sides are finding it very helpful.”
Heidinger said all area residents are invited to the meeting, which is scheduled for Monday at 1 p.m.
•••
Annual variety show
Residents are invited to help raise money for a local church group and area emergency responders next weekend by attending the 24th annual Pilgrim Fellowship and EMT Variety Show at Town Hall.
Julie Holt, who organizes the show each year, said performances will include musical performances, dancing, singing and acting.
“We’ve been doing this for 24 years now and you know how it is in Westhampton, whenever you do something two years in a row it becomes tradition,” Holt said.
Proceeds raised from ticket sales, Holt said, will be divided evenly between the Pilgrim Fellowship, a local church group and area EMTs.
The show is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 24. Tickets, which are $5 for adults, $2 for children, are available at the door.
People interested in performing are encouraged to sign up by calling 527-0294 or sending a request via email to julieholt@comcast.net.
Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com.
Friday, April 16, 2010
Farmers get jump on year
Spring of 2010 could be grow season of the decade
By Owen Boss
Staff Writer
This spring's unseasonably warm weather may mean it will be a banner year for area farmers, many of whom are expecting fresh local crops will be ready for the dinner table far earlier than in years past. One Westhampton farmer said he's seeing his fruit trees in bloom earlier this year than they have in five decades.
Thanks to a March that was one of the warmest in state history, local orchard owners are reporting their apples, peaches and plums are blossoming early, while others say that beets, peas and asparagus are growing in their fields more than two weeks ahead of schedule.
Russell Braen, owner of Park Hill Orchard in Easthampton, said that as long as a late frost doesn't knock out the peach buds growing on his trees, all signs are pointing to a great spring farming season.
"We have a ton of our plants up early, we have already planted all of our potatoes, our garlic came up really early and our peaches are all already out," Braen said. "My feeling is that this is going to be the growing year of the decade. Things are looking really good for local farmers."
Braen reviewed his records and said he began preparing his fields 17 days earlier than last year. He's hopeful that the head start will allow him to have fresh fruit and vegetables ready at his farm stand earlier than ever.
"Usually we can't bring our tractor or any of our heavy equipment into the fields this early in the season because the ground isn't ready, but now that the ground is firmed up, we are already mowing out there, which is pretty crazy for this time of year," Braen said.
Another area orchard owner reporting an early crop in his 1,000-tree orchard is Tom Bashista, owner of Bashista orchards in Southampton, who said he is glad to see blossoms but worries that if overnight temperatures drop below freezing he could lose all of his fruit.
"Just having blossoms out earlier than usual doesn't necessarily mean it will be a good year. It just means that you are in a position where you could fail if you catch a late frost," Bashista said. If he can avoid that, he said, "it will definitely be nice for local consumers to have our fresh fruit ready two weeks earlier than last year."
Bashista also noted that the Valley was unscathed by late-winter storm systems that dumped several feet of snow on states along the Eastern seaboard, which has put area farmers ahead of their competitors.
Although he said the Valley has had frosts as late as mid-May, News 22 meteorologist Brian Lapis doesn't expect to see one in the near future.
"I don't see that happening right now," Lapis said, "if we were going to have had a devastating frost this year it probably would have happened already on one of the chilly mornings we have had recently."
Despite a March that saw many daily high-temperature marks that toppled previous state records, Lapis said in New England the potential for unseasonably colder weather is unlikely but always possible.
"Overnight lows are looking like they could go down into the low 30s," Lapis said. "But I don't see a hard freeze in our future."
Brad Morse, owner of Outlook Farm in Westhampton, said his cherries, peaches and plums are blooming earlier than they have in 50 years.
"The earliest we've seen our trees bloom has been in the very end of April, and this year we saw it start to happen in the second week of April," Morse said, adding, "If we can get our crops out on the early market, that is always a good thing."
Also reporting the appearance of crops earlier than in years past is Joe Czajkowski. owner of Czajkowski's Farm in Hadley, who said in addition to the early appearance of his asparagus, peas and beets, he has noticed his peach orchard is already blooming.
"Having our vegetables out early is always a great sign for us," Czajowski said. "We just have to hope this weather holds up."
Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Massachusetts House approves bill to add two resort casinos, racetrack slots
By Owen Boss and The Associated Press
BOSTON - House lawmakers approved a bill Wednesday to license two resort-style casinos and allow up to 3,000 slot machines at the state's four race tracks, bringing Massachusetts a step closer to the largest expansion of gambling since the creation of the state lottery in 1971.
The 120-37 vote marks a dramatic shift in the House, which just two years ago voted 106-48 against a similar bill by Gov. Deval Patrick to license three destination casinos. Dozens of lawmakers switched their vote to support DeLeo's bill.
The vote was a major victory for Democratic Speaker Robert DeLeo, who succeeded in persuading enough House lawmakers to back the measure to withstand a potential veto by Patrick, who opposes racetrack slots. Patrick has not said whether he would veto the bill.
DeLeo needed at least 106 votes to make the bill veto-proof. He called the bill "the envy of every other state."
The vote came after two days of impassioned debate during which lawmakers beat back dozens of amendments including a Republican-led effort to send the bill back to committee to allow a public hearing on the legislation.
The bill now heads to the Massachusetts Senate.
Supporters say the bill would produce a major economic jolt for the state, allowing it to recapture up to half of the money spent by Massachusetts residents at casinos in neighboring states.
House leaders say that translates into between $300 million and $500 million in added tax revenues each year, while creating up to 19,000 jobs.
Opponents say the promise of a revenue windfall and thousands of good-paying jobs is overblown.
Rep. Daniel Bosley, D-North Adams, a longtime foe of expanded gambling, said lawmakers have failed to have a serious debate about the basic assumptions about how much money casinos may or may not bring into the state.
"This does not have to be our economic future," Bosley said. "I'm not morally opposed to casino gambling, it's just lousy economic policy."
Bosley and others said House leaders should have commissioned a new fiscal review of the bill that looked at the potential costs of casinos, both in social woes like divorces and bankruptcies and the financial hit to some local businesses and performing arts centers.
But those concerns largely fell on deaf ears as lawmakers, facing tough re-election campaigns in the fall, groped for anything they could help boost tax revenues and create jobs.
Rep. Kathi-Anne Reinstein, D-Revere, a backer of casinos, said the state's racetracks, which would benefit under the bill, have provided good jobs for generations of workers. Reinstein herself worked at the Wonderland Greyhound Park.
"These facilities, these businesses, were never considered albatrosses," she said. "They brought opportunity to the district."
The debate turned emotional at times.
Rep. Matthew Patrick, D-Falmouth, was near tears as he recalled the struggles his family went through as his father, a World War II veteran and biology teacher, lost money at a nearby horse track, leaving his 10 children on the brink of poverty.
"This has real dramatic impacts on families," Patrick said. "It's going to hurt families."
Chip Tuttle, chief operating officer at Suffolk Downs, one of the state's two horse tracks, welcomed the vote and said the track, in partnership with Wonderland Park, is "committed to building and operating a world-class entertainment complex that combines restaurants, retail, racing, gaming and a hotel."
During the debate, lawmakers rejected a series of amendments.
One would have barred casinos from pumping pheromones into the air to encourage patrons to keep gambling.
Other failed amendments would have set a $500 limit on how much an individual could lose in a single day, prohibited the use of "luck ambassadors" to urge people to keep betting, placed warning labels on all casino marketing materials and required a public health official to intervene if someone continued betting for more than 12 hours straight.
Rep. Brian Dempsey, House chairman of the Committee on Economic Development Committee, defended the bill and the decision to rely on an updated version of a 2008 economic study of Patrick's three-casino bill. Dempsey said that while the two bills are different, the updated study showed "a very strong marketplace" for casino gambling in New England.
Under DeLeo's proposal, all the revenues from the racetrack slots, up to $100 million a year, would be returned to cities and towns as local aid. Two of the state's racetracks are located in the Winthrop Democrat's district. The state's two dog tracks have struggled since Massachusetts voters opted to ban live dog racing.
The bill requires a $500 million private investment from each of the resort casinos and $75 million from each of the race tracks and would deliver $260 million in upfront licensing fees to the state.
The lure of casinos has drawn millions in lobbying dollars to Massachusetts.
The amount spent by firms, unions and interest groups hoping to influence the debate has grown from just more than $800,000 in 2006 to more than $2 million in 2009, according to an Associated Press review of records filed with the Secretary of State's Office.
The vast majority of the lobbying dollars are being spent by groups hoping to get a piece of the gambling pie if lawmakers ultimately vote to expand gaming.
Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com
BOSTON - House lawmakers approved a bill Wednesday to license two resort-style casinos and allow up to 3,000 slot machines at the state's four race tracks, bringing Massachusetts a step closer to the largest expansion of gambling since the creation of the state lottery in 1971.
The 120-37 vote marks a dramatic shift in the House, which just two years ago voted 106-48 against a similar bill by Gov. Deval Patrick to license three destination casinos. Dozens of lawmakers switched their vote to support DeLeo's bill.
The vote was a major victory for Democratic Speaker Robert DeLeo, who succeeded in persuading enough House lawmakers to back the measure to withstand a potential veto by Patrick, who opposes racetrack slots. Patrick has not said whether he would veto the bill.
DeLeo needed at least 106 votes to make the bill veto-proof. He called the bill "the envy of every other state."
The vote came after two days of impassioned debate during which lawmakers beat back dozens of amendments including a Republican-led effort to send the bill back to committee to allow a public hearing on the legislation.
The bill now heads to the Massachusetts Senate.
Supporters say the bill would produce a major economic jolt for the state, allowing it to recapture up to half of the money spent by Massachusetts residents at casinos in neighboring states.
House leaders say that translates into between $300 million and $500 million in added tax revenues each year, while creating up to 19,000 jobs.
Opponents say the promise of a revenue windfall and thousands of good-paying jobs is overblown.
Rep. Daniel Bosley, D-North Adams, a longtime foe of expanded gambling, said lawmakers have failed to have a serious debate about the basic assumptions about how much money casinos may or may not bring into the state.
"This does not have to be our economic future," Bosley said. "I'm not morally opposed to casino gambling, it's just lousy economic policy."
Bosley and others said House leaders should have commissioned a new fiscal review of the bill that looked at the potential costs of casinos, both in social woes like divorces and bankruptcies and the financial hit to some local businesses and performing arts centers.
But those concerns largely fell on deaf ears as lawmakers, facing tough re-election campaigns in the fall, groped for anything they could help boost tax revenues and create jobs.
Rep. Kathi-Anne Reinstein, D-Revere, a backer of casinos, said the state's racetracks, which would benefit under the bill, have provided good jobs for generations of workers. Reinstein herself worked at the Wonderland Greyhound Park.
"These facilities, these businesses, were never considered albatrosses," she said. "They brought opportunity to the district."
The debate turned emotional at times.
Rep. Matthew Patrick, D-Falmouth, was near tears as he recalled the struggles his family went through as his father, a World War II veteran and biology teacher, lost money at a nearby horse track, leaving his 10 children on the brink of poverty.
"This has real dramatic impacts on families," Patrick said. "It's going to hurt families."
Chip Tuttle, chief operating officer at Suffolk Downs, one of the state's two horse tracks, welcomed the vote and said the track, in partnership with Wonderland Park, is "committed to building and operating a world-class entertainment complex that combines restaurants, retail, racing, gaming and a hotel."
During the debate, lawmakers rejected a series of amendments.
One would have barred casinos from pumping pheromones into the air to encourage patrons to keep gambling.
Other failed amendments would have set a $500 limit on how much an individual could lose in a single day, prohibited the use of "luck ambassadors" to urge people to keep betting, placed warning labels on all casino marketing materials and required a public health official to intervene if someone continued betting for more than 12 hours straight.
Rep. Brian Dempsey, House chairman of the Committee on Economic Development Committee, defended the bill and the decision to rely on an updated version of a 2008 economic study of Patrick's three-casino bill. Dempsey said that while the two bills are different, the updated study showed "a very strong marketplace" for casino gambling in New England.
Under DeLeo's proposal, all the revenues from the racetrack slots, up to $100 million a year, would be returned to cities and towns as local aid. Two of the state's racetracks are located in the Winthrop Democrat's district. The state's two dog tracks have struggled since Massachusetts voters opted to ban live dog racing.
The bill requires a $500 million private investment from each of the resort casinos and $75 million from each of the race tracks and would deliver $260 million in upfront licensing fees to the state.
The lure of casinos has drawn millions in lobbying dollars to Massachusetts.
The amount spent by firms, unions and interest groups hoping to influence the debate has grown from just more than $800,000 in 2006 to more than $2 million in 2009, according to an Associated Press review of records filed with the Secretary of State's Office.
The vast majority of the lobbying dollars are being spent by groups hoping to get a piece of the gambling pie if lawmakers ultimately vote to expand gaming.
Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com
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