Thursday, January 04, 2007

For the second time in less than a year, state lawmakers have let the clock
run out on simulcasting rights for the state's four racetracks. At least one
of the tracks - Suffolk Downs - planned to close today because the off-track
betting rights expired at the end of the day yesterday, and other tracks may
go dark as well. The Legislature could still reach a resolution during their
last informal meetings tomorrow before the current two-year legislative
session ends. But some damage already has been done to a struggling industry
that can ill afford to lose its key source of revenue - even for a couple
days. Leaving such a controversial issue to be handled in informal
sessions - when one lawmaker can block a bill - only raises the likelihood
that the legislation won't be passed in time. A similar scenario played out
last spring, when three of the four tracks closed down for nearly a week
after lawmakers failed to reach a simulcasting extension agreement by a
March 31 deadline.
Instead of coming up with a more permanent solution that would satisfy the
four tracks, state lawmakers have continued to grant temporary extensions in
recent years. There was some hope that a measure to allow slot machines at
the tracks would alleviate their dependence on simulcasting. But resistance
in the House proved to be too stiff for that bill to pass. The track owners
aren't entirely blameless, either. They view each other as competitors
instead of coming up with a consensus that can satisfy all of them. In
particular, the owners of Raynham Park and their legislative champion, Rep.
David Flynn of Bridgewater, have been holdouts, pushing for significantly
expanded simulcasting rights at Raynham when such a move risks simulcasting
for everyone. There's no good reason why lawmakers on Beacon Hill waited
until the last minute. They have been well aware of the Dec. 31 deadline
since it was first set last spring. This isn't about whether gambling is
good or bad. The state already runs the biggest gaming operation in
Massachusetts - the Lottery - with nearly $4.5 billion in annual revenue.
Besides, the Legislature long ago decided that betting on horse and dog
races at regulated racetracks is legal. No legal industry should face this
kind of uncertainty due to the inability of government to act in a timely
manner. While it's not an engine of growth like the state's life sciences or
financial sectors, the racing industry still provides for hundreds - if not
thousands - of jobs. The Legislature should stop gambling with those jobs.
It's a bet that they've lost for the second time in a row.