Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick has sent a letter to his legislative leaders, telling them that after meeting with a no-gambling group called 'United to Stop Slots in Massachusetts,' his position was that while not in

accord with their desire to ban any expansion of gaming in the commonwealth, “the conversation confirmed in my mind that slot parlours, racinos or any form of convenience gambling is not something I can support.”

He went further, urging house speaker Robert DeLeo and senate president Therese Murray, both slots proponents, to meet with the group. The governor said one of the ideas proposed by the gaming opponents was “a fresh, independent and transparent analysis of the benefits and costs of expanded gaming.”

He thought there might be merit “in updating the forecasts of economic benefit and human impact on which we relied when the administration filed its proposal last year.”

Who, pray tell, might be called upon to create such a beast? Apparently, the stop gambling group had a persuasive spokesman, but DeLeo was not impressed.

“I’m not sure we need a totally new study,” he said. “I think we can update what we have now. We all realize the economic situation we find ourselves in.”

(Harness Tracks of America)