Times are tough all over. People are getting laid off. Their houses are worth less than they paid, or even the amount they owe on them. Their retirement savings have collapsed. Their credit card debt is off the charts.
So, what is the response of their elected leaders here in progressive Massachusetts, home of undying empathy and compassion for “hard-working people” and “the most vulnerable among us”?
Take even more money away from them, through more taxes and more gambling.
Of course, it is all done in very genteel, civilized fashion. The Orwellian abuse of plain language is elevated to high art. The mayors — including Salem’s Kim Driscoll — and labor unions pushing for more taxes and more gambling, call themselves the Massachusetts Coalition for Jobs and Growth. Nobody is ever so gauche as to say the words “taxes” or “gambling.” It is “revenue” and “gaming.”
Everybody is well dressed and well spoken — well, maybe Boston Mayor Tom Menino isn’t so well spoken, but it doesn’t seem to matter. He keeps getting re-elected. All the talk is about services, about infrastructure, about education, about local aid to cities and towns.
Legislative leaders, including state Rep. Brian Dempsey, D-Haverhill, chairman of the House Economic Development and Emerging Technologies Committee, speak of “best practices” and keeping tourism money from wandering into Connecticut or New Hampshire.
Basically, you’re supposed to think of it as government giving you something.
You’re not supposed to think about where the money it gives you comes from. It wouldn’t work so well to figure out that you give them 10 bucks and they give you two or three, or less, back.
Here is the less euphemistic reality. There are more taxes coming at you from every direction. In the works right now (in the form of budget amendments filed by your representatives) are proposed new or increased taxes on meals, on hotel rooms, on liquor, tobacco, candy and soft drinks. Taxes on nonprofit organizations. Taxes on e-mail, Internet sales and online banking. Higher taxes on gasoline. Some legislators are pushing for increases in the sales and income tax, as well.
And, of course, you can almost see the dollar signs in the eyes of legislators considering the prospect of people voluntarily letting more than $1 billion get sucked out of their pockets by slot machines and/or casinos.
According to the “gaming” industry’s estimates, three resort casinos in Massachusetts would produce nearly $500 million in new tax revenue, create 10,000 construction jobs and 20,000 related jobs, and generate another $400 million in spinoff business.
Of course, that $500 million, if that much really is generated, will disappear like a puff of smoke into the pockets of public employee unions to make up for the allegedly huge sacrifices they made by deferring raises or taking one or two furlough days. It won’t provide any new or improved services.
And that is what this is all about. It is not about funding reform or really fixing our bloated, inefficient and crumbling transportation structure. It is about using taxes and predatory gambling (slots are generally known as the “crack cocaine” of gambling) to perpetuate business as usual.
Meanwhile, nobody wants to hear the voice of Richard Young, president of Casino Free Mass, who cites other studies showing that for every dollar the state gets from casinos or slots, it will have to spend another $3 dealing with “social costs” like increased crime, lost work time, bankruptcy and family disintegration.
Nobody wants to hear that the bulk of the money coming from gambling is coming from those who can least afford to lose it.
No, that will all be drowned out by voices like that of Senate President Therese Murray. “Ka-ching,” she said recently, moving her hand like a slot player. “We need the revenue.”
Of course, this recession will eventually end. But all these new and increased taxes and gambling palaces will remain. And the next time the economy tanks, and state and municipal budgets are twice what they are now, you will hear the same story.