House Speaker Sal DiMasi says "Never!" to Barack Obama's best friend forever.
House Speaker Sal DiMasi today issued his most forcible statement to date condemning Gov. Deval Patrick’s casino legislation, telling the governor he has produced no evidence of significant economic benefits for Massachusetts.“The evidence isn’t there and the governor’s arguments for casinos are clearly losing credibility,” DiMasi wrote in a statement e-mailed to reporters today.
DiMasi released the statement as the Legislature prepares to hold hearings into the governor’s plan, which is expected to receive an up-or-down vote by the end of the legislative session in July.
The Speaker wrote that the governor has failed to produce reliable economic data to buttress his arguments for the introduction of casino gambling. Patrick has said the plan will generate $2 billion in economic activity, at least $400 million in state revenue, 20,000 permanent jobs and 30,000 construction jobs.
But some economists and legislators have questioned those numbers and asserted that Patrick has relied too heavily on data from the gaming industry. “As of today, it seems like we have a proposal where no tough questions were even asked, let alone answered,” DiMasi wrote.
Let's give a shout-out to Sal DiMasi!
UPDATE: More from the Boston Herald and Globe.
SECOND UPDATE: From Casey Ross.
