Patrick’s casino plan faces obstacles

REVERE – Ranking North Shore legislators said Gov. Deval Patrick must negotiate a political obstacle course if he wants to make his plan to bring casinos to Massachusetts a reality.”If we can get a debate on the floor, maybe the members can at least vote on the parts they would like included,” said newly anointed committee chairwoman and Revere legislator Kathi-Anne Reinstein Thursday in reference to the procedural path Patrick’s plan to build three resort casinos must take.Before it gets debated on the floor of the Massachusetts House, much less voted on, the governor’s idea faces its first test in a March 18 legislative committee hearing.Reinstein said an adverse motion, or vote against the plan, by the committee could put Patrick in the position of having to muster enough votes on the House floor to overturn the committee’s negative recommendation.Patrick would have to rely on casino allies in the House to urge fellow legislators to overturn a negative report. Reinstein thinks support or opposition in the House to casinos is, at this time, “a real fluid thing.””The question is, ‘Do you favor gambling or not? I think it’s close.'”Another recently promoted legislator, state Rep. Steven Walsh, did not “presume to know” what the outcome of the hearing on the 18th will be, but said his colleagues have questions about the number of casinos the governor wants to build and transportation and other concerns related to the enterprises.Patrick tried to sell his plan to legislators this week by sending them a letter touting his plan and ending with this warning; “Saying ‘no’ to 20,000 permanent jobs, billions in economic activity and property tax relief without offering an alternative is not acceptable to your constituents or mine. This is a case where the cost of inaction is indeed too high.”Reinstein and fellow Revere legislator Robert DeLeo want their colleagues to approve placing slot machines in Wonderland Greyhound Park and other tracks.They said the machines could begin generating money for the state and local communities relatively soon compared to the time it would take to license and build casinos.DeLeo two weeks ago said Patrick dismissed slots as a gambling revenue option in a meeting with him. Walsh said that stance has political ramifications.”The governor has hurt himself by not being open to slots at the tracks,” he said.