Opinion

News on Gaming Commission

Attorney General Maura Healey’s investigation revealed that the Massachusetts Gaming Commission has been violating the State’s Open Meeting Law by conducting public business during closed-door member lunches on a regular basis.

Healey’s report clearly stated “Discussion of matters related to the operation of the Commission appears to have become a regular part of these lunches.”

The AG recommended the Commission received Open Meeting Law Training which they are looking forward to scheduling.

It’s hard to swallow that the Commissioners did not realize that they were violating the State’s Open Meeting laws.

The Commissioners who make over $100 thousand dollars a year with many perks available to them are simply not the experts they are said to be. They are political hacks who threw the dice and got caught.

One of the many shady things the Commission has done is adding members with anti-casino interests to the Gaming Policy Advisory Committee, the report indicated.

While the AG’s office advised “caution” on Commissioners’ lunches and other reported Open Meeting Law violations, the appointed group should be given a retirement luncheon with no party.

Talk about being out to lunch.

Michlewitz is a truly dedicated  state representative

There was a lot of encouragement for State Representative Aaron Michlewitz to seek the Senate seat that will become open in a special election now that former Senator Anthony Petrucelli has announced he will not seek re-election.

Many thought Michlewitz, a very popular North End Democrat, would enter the race. Obviously he has cleared up his intentions not to run and chose to remain in the House of Representatives where he serves as the Chairman of Financial Services.

While Michlewitz would have been a front runner to capture the Senate seat, he made his choice based on the challenge and important work facing his district and his status in the House.

It is not clear who or if Michlewitz will endorse a candidate or not but he is certainly a re-election candidate for the House.

The Review feels that Michlewitz would have been a great Senator, however, currently he is a valuable Representative to his district and can move up the ladder in the House.

Michlewitz is a dedicated State Representative that truly cares about the district he publicly serves.

MassDOT responds to tunnel noise problem

MassDOT’s quick response to Fulton Street residents related to noise problems stemming from the Callahan Tunnel and other street issues is commendable.

The transportation agency made acceptable recommendations to hopefully resolve the problem that has been plaguing residents.

Plans are ready to start by the time this column is published and MassDOT will evaluate the fix-it problem sometime in February.

RMV denies vanity plates appropriately

The State Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) can deny any vanity plates for a variety of reasons and they should be able to do so.

Left uncontrolled, vanity plates will get out of hand, especially with vulgarity and other offensive sayings or expressions that shouldn’t be allowed on state plates and/or roads.

Inappropriate vanity plates that depict sexual, racial, gun, ridicule, superiority, religion, supremacy, general or political affiliation are not acceptable.

Based on all of the above mentioned, the RMV has and continues to fairly judge and assess the vanity plate requests properly.

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