Salvatore DiMasi

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The Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives
Salvatore F. DiMasi

Incumbent
Assumed office 2004
Preceded by	Thomas Finneran
Member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from the 3rd Suffolk district
Incumbent
Assumed office 1979

Born	August 11, 1945 North End, Boston, Massachusetts
Political party	Democratic
Profession	Laywer

Salvatore F. DiMasi (born 1945) is a Democratic politician from Massachusetts, who currently serves as Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives. He has held the position of Speaker since 2004, and been a member of the House since 1979. He went to college at Boston College and studied law at Suffolk University Law School.

DiMasi was born and raised in the North End of Boston, home to Boston's Italian-American community for over 100 years. Speaker DiMasi is the first Italian-American to be elected speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives. He lives in Boston with his wife and two children.

[edit] Casino gambling

In 2007, Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick submitted a bill that would allow the construction and operation of three resort-style casinos in the state. He argued that these casinos would generate $2 billion for the state economy and add $400 million in annual casino revenue and $200 million in fees per license to the state coffers as well as add $50 million to $80 million in sales, meal, and hotel taxes. He also touted that the casinos would create 30,000 construction jobs and 20,000 permanent jobs.^[1]^[2]

Patrick's proposed that the revenue generated would be spent to beef up local law enforcement, create a state gambling regulatory agency, repair roads and bridges ($200 million), gambling addiction treatment ($50 million) and the remainder would go towards property tax relief.^[3]^[4]

DiMasi strongly opposed the plan, questioning the governors projections on new jobs projections, revenues to be generated and was opposed to what he referred to as a casino culture saying: "Do we want to usher in a casino culture -- with rampant bankruptcies, crime and social ills -- or do we want to create a better Massachusetts for all sectors of the society?"^[5]^[6]

On March 20, 2008 the Massachusetts House of Representatives rejected Patrick's casino bill by a vote of 108 to 46.^[7] Despite the overwhelming vote, questions were raised by critics of DiMasi as to the tactics he used to win. These included allegations that he promised a subsequent vote on a bill that would allow slot machines at the state's four racetracks and the pre-vote promotions of six lawmakers who had been thought to support the bill, but either abstained or voted against the bill. Demasi denied that any promise had been made on the race track bill and denied that the promotions were connected to the casino bill vote.^[8]^[9]^[10]