Mass. Speaker says voters should weigh in on casino proposal

BOSTON -- House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi says he'd support a proposal to let residents vote this fall on whether to allow casino gambling in the state.

DiMasi, a staunch casino gambling opponent, also said he'd reconsider the gambling issue next year.

The shift by DiMasi revives the casino gambling debate just two months after House lawmakers defeated a plan by Gov. Deval Patrick to license three resort style casinos in Massachusetts.

The governor says it would create tens of thousands of jobs and hundreds of millions in new revenue.

DiMasi issued the statement as the Senate prepared to debate a Republican-sponsored amendment to add Patrick's casino plan to their version of the state budget. DiMasi said he was worried that would create a budget impasse.

The casino gambling ballot question proposed for the fall is nonbinding.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)