State House News Service
BOSTON - Looking to offset institutional skepticism toward Gov. Deval Patrick's casino plan, and circumvent House leaders, the longest-serving member of the Legislature is trying to schedule a public hearing in the next two weeks for the owners of the state's four racetracks.
House Dean David Flynn, citing a little-known rule of the Legislature, wants a quick hearing on the potential revenues from expanded gambling, which is proposed under Patrick's call for three casinos. The House chairman of the Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets, Flynn said he would invite Patrick to the committee hearing, which he hopes to hold before Nov. 17.
The governor's plan has met resistance in the House, lead by a skeptical Speaker Salvatore DiMasi.
This week, a joint hearing of two committees led by anti-casino lawmakers, Reps. Daniel Bosley, D-North Adams, and Ruth Balser, D-Newton, focused on gambling addiction. Patrick aides were forced into acknowledging the administration had no firm estimate for the unintended costs of opening the state to resort-style casinos.
"The governor will be pleased," Flynn, D-Bridgewater, told the News Service. "No one's carrying his water on this. There's a vacuum. I've been here forever, and I'm tired of it ... We need the money."
Patrick's plan does not provide for slot machines at the state's racetracks, a decision that cost his proposal support in the Legislature, where lawmakers who represent tracks are fiercely protective. With the casino bill's odds seeming to grow longer in the three weeks since it's been filed, the administration has been consulting lawmakers for advice about how to assemble a thus-far elusive coalition.
Flynn, who served in the House from 1964 to 1972 before returning in 1999, frequently represents the interests of the Raynham-Taunton dog track's owning family, the Carneys, and has said he is open to casinos – though not necessarily a supporter of the Patrick proposal.
Another long-serving House member with an undecided stance on Patrick's plan, 2nd Assistant Majority Leader Byron Rushing, D-South End, approved of Flynn's plan, calling it evidence of the open process he said should attend the Patrick proposal.
"I think we should talk about this forever," Rushing said.
Wednesday's hearing on the governor's bill brought Patrick aides before lawmakers to discuss the legislation's least appealing prospects, gambling addictions and its impacts on state coffers. The bill sets aside portions of casino revenues for funding anti-addiction and public safety programs.
In a statement, Flynn said, "The opponents have had their 'negative hearing' ... Now it's time to [put] together a comprehensive hearing to get all pro-gaming sides together and hopefully agree on some realistic revenue and time estimates."
But Flynn acknowledged that his public hearing would "do the impossible – getting all of this state's wagering interests talking on the same page about the same issue – tax revenue." Flynn said he would ask delegates from federally recognized Indian tribes to appear as well.
The corner of often-Byzantine legislative guidelines Flynn cites, Joint Rule 1F, reads, "The joint committee shall consult with the various agencies of the executive branch and the office of the treasurer and receiver-general relative to project expenditures, availability of funds, the sale of new bonds and the resultant debt obligations, federal reimbursements and other related funding and bonding issues."
A pair of June hearings on gambling bills scheduled by two different committees, one led by Bosley, were canceled this year.
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Lanesborough Town Meeting to Vote Budget, Bylaws & Vehicle Purchases
By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — Tuesday's annual town meeting includes a $14 million operating budget, new short-term rentals, accessory dwelling units and sign bylaws, and free cash article appropriations.
Voters will gather at Lanesborough Elementary School on June 9 at 6 p.m. to decide on 20 warrant articles.
The fiscal 2027 budget is up a little over 10 percent. Some of the main increases are the Mount Greylock Regional School District and McCann Technical School: the McCann assessment is up more than 30 percent based on factors including enrollment and the school renovation project, and Mount Greylock's is up 11 percent.
Article 11 is for the town to vote to approve from free cash the sum of $16,298.48 for the McCann Technical School roof and window replacement project so as not to impact the budget. Article 3 is appropriate $7,586,284 for Mount Greylock Regional School assessment.
Another notable increase was in life and health insurance, showing an increase of about 26 percent.
Ambulance Director Jen Weber is planning 24-hour coverage, which means more staff and a hike in her budget. One of the articles asks the town to appropriate $234,100 to operate the Ambulance Enterprise Fund for salaries and expenses.
Many town departments are looking for new vehicles. The Fire Department is looking to replace its outdated 1996 fire engine. There are two articles related to the truck at a total of $813,366. Article 12 would transfer $225,000 from free cash into the Fire Truck Stabilization Fund; Article 13 would transfer $605,000 from the fund and authorize the borrowing of $208,366.08.
The total includes a $100,000 contingency cost to cover any additional costs if a 2026 model-year chassis cannot be secured before new emissions standards go into effect in 2027.
The board at its last meeting moved the $225,000 transfer to come before the borrowing article, changing the stabilization number. If the $225,000 is not voted on, then they will amend the next article's number on the floor, subtracting the $225,000. This shows the borrowing number significantly lower.
Article 17 asks for the transfer of $80,000 from free cash to replace a police cruiser.
Police Chief Rob Derksen's aim is to replace one vehicle every other year, meaning the oldest vehicle gets replaced about every 10 years.
He stressed that if delayed this year, the town may have to double up in a future year to get back on schedule, and that paying later usually costs more. The article will ask for $80,000 from free cash, the vehicles used to be funded by the BHRD.
Lastly, the Highway Department is looking to replace a 2014 International dump truck that will be a total of $330,000 and will take two to three years to receive.
Money will be used from last year's approval of $250,000 from free cash for the replacement of a 2012 highway front-end loader that was underspent $49,261. Town meeting is being asked to approve a transfer of $53,274.85 from free cash and the use of $227,464 from funds from the Sale of Town Real Estate to fund the balance.
Other free cash proposals include $1,200 to purchase software to support tracking and ongoing maintenance schedules of town-owned vehicles; $42,000 for the replacement of the Highway Department's storage shed roof, $200,000 to reduce the tax levy.
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