NJ Legislative Committees Okay Voter Referendum On Expansion Of Gaming
By David Madden
TRENTON, N.J., (CBS) -- A pair of legislative committees in New Jersey have approved a measure that would put a question on next year's general election ballot to change the state constitution to allow two casinos in the northern part of the state.
Atlantic County Republican Chris Brown led opposition to the measure in the Assembly Judiciary Committee. Many suggest proponents of the change are rushing this through. "All of the studies that I have reviewed and everything that I've indicated is that it is ill advised, ill informed and ill timed right now," Brown told colleagues.
The main sponsor of the amendment in the Assembly, North Jersey Democrat Ralph Caputo, says the change is needed to stem other states like Pennsylvania and New York from siphoning off customers.
"The only way we're going to be able to save the gaming business in this state is allowing the voters, as they did in 1976, to make a decision about where they want to have gaming in this state," Caputo said.
Both the assembly judiciary and senate budget committees advanced the measure, which will allow for their full bodies to decide in mid-January. A second vote required by law would come later in the new year. A referendum would be scheduled next November to coincide with the Presidential election when voter turnout would almost certainly be high.
The move comes as Atlantic City struggles to re-define itself after 4 casino closings and the loss of some 10,000 jobs in 2014. "If we have casinos in other parts of the state, we potentially could lose an additional 14,000 jobs," said Joe Kelly, President of the Greater Atlantic City Chamber of Commerce. "That's 2 to 4 more casinos potentially closing."
The legislative is moving through a number of constitutional amendment questions.
The Assembly Judiciary committee also approved three more constitutional amendments for voter approval. One requires full quarterly payments into the state pension fund. Another allocates gas tax revenues exclusively to state transportation needs. The third changes the legislative redistricting process.
The pension amendment has been approved in a senate committee.