It looks like a difficult road for casino industry in New Jersey as the opposition to new casinos is increasing with each day. The ever growing number of New Jersey residents opposing the construction of casinos in the northern part of the state has been troubling State Sen. Stephen Sweeney. However, a new poll shows support of lessening for plans to expand casinos in New Jersey beyond Atlantic City. The latest Fairleigh Dickinson University Public Mind poll released on Monday shows a slight majority supports a proposed constitutional amendment to dedicated gas taxes to the state’s transportation trust fund. As per the poll, 57 percent of the respondents oppose casino expansion while 35 percent support it. In January another poll found 50 percent were opposed and 42 percent in favour.
Now both the proposals will be on November ballot and if approved the casino question would authorise the construction of two casinos in separate counties in northern New Jersey that would cost at least $1 billion per casino. Even Gov. Chris Christie announced his support in March of a referendum to expand gambling to northern New Jersey.
As per the gas tax amendment, it would dedicate all existing and future tax revenue to the Transportation Trust Fund. This amendment was meant to coincide with a possible gas increase in the gas tax. At present New Jersey has the second lowest gas tax in the nation at 14.5 cents per gallon. Many transportation projects across New Jersey came to a halt on Friday for at least a week as the state looks for money to pay for the work. New Jersey Senate President Stephen Sweeney on Monday said that he plans to meet with Christie this week to discuss a possible compromise.
Sweeney told reporters that “I’m open to anything that gets this done, so long as it doesn’t break the budget,”
When asked if he is optimistic about the success of the casino measure, Sweeney said “Looking at polls? No. Hoping? Yes.”
New York Assemblyman Gary Pretlow, a Democrat who chairs the Assembly Racing and Wagering Committee, told NJ website:
“I’m not interested in creating a border war with New Jersey, but New York has a vested interest in gaming and we’re not going to allow one of our neighbours to take away from that.”
