This is my take on new State House legislation to prevent a taxpayer-funded bailout of casinos:

I congratulate State Representatives Matthew Beaton (R – Shrewsbury) and Kimberly Ferguson (R – Holden) on filing a recent bill to protect taxpayers from having to bailout casinos, if the newly expanded gaming bill fails in Massachusetts.

I wholeheartedly support them in their efforts.

It would be a mistake for our state to pick winners and losers in private business. We saw that blatantly in the case of Marlborough's Evergreen Solar, a start-up whose failure cost state taxpayers $58 million.  

That is why I find it ironic that this latest legislation also has the support of my 2012 opponent, Jamie Eldridge, who championed the state investment with Evergreen Solar in the beginning.  His willingness to gamble with our state's money in cases like that is even more unacceptable in the context of declining Local Aid, and a contracting tax base that is strangling our municipalities and schools. 

There is more than the issue of expanded gaming at stake here. What should be our proper priorities in a tough economy and mounting fiscal crisis? (For example, I for one would rather save the original Medicare program for seniors facing bankruptcy instead of trying a Massachusetts Medicare-for-All Plan like Mr. Eldridge prefers).  

No matter what Casino Gaming may hold for Massachusetts going forward, I am much more concerned about the "gaming" of the taxpayer who is always on the hook for wasteful spending at a time when exploding debt threatens any Recovery.

We need to stop taking a dollar from local taxpayers and returning 63 cents and calling it a good deal:  Municipalities and residents are being handed the bills for the Legislature's failures on jobs, transportation and education.

As a former teacher and state transportation official, I believe it is crucial for the Legislature to protect taxpayer funds, accelerate infrastructure and MBTA projects, and in rare cases, to make shrewd public investments. Especially, at a time when home values continue to fall, causing further strain on our local budgets and residents' wallets.