Discussion is heating up in the State House about legislation to ban agreements not to compete. I filed with Senator Pat Jehlen a complete ban on these agreements and Rep. Lori Ehrlich has filed a bill that would limit them.
Economy
casinos, consumer issues, convention center, development strategy, housing, industry regulation, inequality, intellectual property, net neutrality, non-competition agreements, olympics, poverty and assistance, turnpike air rights development, work
Casinos are not inevitable
One of the arguments sometimes made in favor of licensing casinos is that Indian tribes in Massachusetts will get full casino licenses under federal law no matter what we do. This appears to be false.
Economic benefits of casinos
The one clear argument in favor of building casinos is job creation. The creation of construction and low skill jobs is real. As to the revenue benefit for the state, the numbers are unclear.
Economic development strategy — sequel to the casinos issue
Massachusetts has been losing manufacturing jobs for decades and some segments of our labor force are giving up on work.
Affordable Housing
Brief statements on freedom to marry, death penalty, choice, sex education, stem cell research, criminal justice issues, affordable housing
Saying no to Casinos
It’s over for this year. The House voted down the Governor’s casino proposal by a margin of 106 to 48 this evening.