Looks like Deval's promise that his casino plan would bring in nearly $100 million a year in tax revenues was a bunch of hooey, according to the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation.
Gov. Deval Patrick’s three-casino proposal overestimates the amount of tax revenue for the state by nearly $100 million a year and would have only a minor impact on skyrocketing property tax bills and transportation needs, a new report concludes.The Patrick Administration was quick to dismiss the report, with not-so-convincing rebuttals. The MTF offered their own response to the Patrick Administration attaks:The report, released by the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, finds that the governor’s proposal would fall far short of what the administration has promised to taxpayers in financial benefits and infrastructure improvements.
“Putting the insults aside, there is nothing that Secretary O’Connell says that refutes our basic conclusion that the administration has overestimated the amount of money that will be available for property tax credits and transportation,” Mass. Taxpayers President Michael Widmer said.I have no problems with casino gambling, but it doesn't take a genius to understand that Deval's plan is a bad idea. Leaving aside the debate about how much revenue it will bring in, the bigger question is, where is that revenue going to go? No one really believes it will help reduce property taxes. And no one seems to be talking about taking down the tolls on The Pike in exchange for these casinos. No. Any revenue generated by the casinos, no matter how small or big they are, will go to Beacon Hill to be spent on expanding programs, creating new ones, and fattening the wallets of legislators.
We can't trust Deval Patrick or the legislature to give any relief to taxpayers from the revenues generated by casinos. Not a chance.
