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When the Massachusetts Legislature and governor approved casino gambling more than a decade ago, communities in Western Massachusetts, particularly those in the shadow of the MGM Springfield casino, were promised they would not be left behind.

A core component of that promise was the Mitigation Fund: a pool of casino tax revenue dedicated to helping communities manage the social and infrastructural impacts of casino development.

Today, that promise is in jeopardy.

For two consecutive budget cycles, state lawmakers have quietly redirected money from the Mitigation Fund to support statewide priorities, z

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