The Globe has an interesting article on the Casino Bill that’s been filed today. The morning DJs were all over this, and here’s my $0.02.
On the one hand: A casino in downtown Boston is a bad idea. Remember the Boston of the 70s and 80s? Remember the Combat Zone? I don’t want that back, do you? There is a correlation between increased crime and casinos. Is Boston ready for more police? Are we so decimated by poor leadership and wayward spending that the only recourse is to legalize gambling?
On the other hand: The Big Dig, the Turnpike Authority…. Boston spends money (recklessly) like no other city I can think of. A casino might just be a quick fix and steady source of income to help us get out of the red, maybe even fix our roads, and keep us above water. Yes, there will be more crime, prostitution, gambling (duh), but we can hire more cops and take care of that. Hell, the Massachusetts lottery is legal, and very profitable, why not legalize gambling … which is basically legal anyway.
What do you think? Should there be legal casinos in Massachusetts? Will it hurt or help?
