By Michael Aron
Chief Political Correspondent
The North Jersey casino constitutional amendment passed the Senate 31 to 6.
Supporters believe two new casinos in two different northern counties will keep casino tax revenue in the state and create jobs.
“I believe New Jersey is a first class state and National Golf location will be a first class casino,” said Sen. Ray Lesniak.
“In the north, no longer do those buses go to Atlantic City. They go to Bethlehem in the West. They go to Yonkers in the east. We need to capture that universe,” said Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto.
Legislators from the Atlantic City area voted against the amendment. Even though the new casinos would send revenue back to Atlantic City, they say the overall impact would be damaging.
“This will mean the closure of one, two or possibly three more casinos in our area. It is sad. It is sad to see us in the highest number of foreclosures in Atlantic County,” said Sen. Jeff Van Drew.
“This is going to be bad for New Jersey. We are chasing the pot at the end of the rainbow. It’s not there,” said Sen. Jim Whelan.
“This ship has sailed, it’s over with. The gaming industry is done. We’re over-saturated and by putting more in North Jersey it’s not going to help anybody,” said Assemblyman Vince Mazzeo.
Atlantic City Mayor Don Guardian brought a contingent with him, to lobby against the North Jersey bill and against a state takeover bill that the Senate also approved this afternoon. He warns the new host communities up north that casino gambling can be detrimental to an area.
“I’d like to know if North Jersey people are going to be happy having an extra half hour commute in the morning and in the afternoon on roads that were built in 1920s from a transportation fund that has no money to replace the bridges that are out of date. I don’t know if they’re willing to accept the amount of prostitution, the amount of drugs, the amount of crime with a sin entertainment like casinos,” Guardian said.
The measure was also approved 54-16-3 by the General Assembly. Constitutional amendments bypass the governor and go straight to the ballot, so voters will decide in November whether to expand gambling or not.
“We’re all assuming that our vote here is going to make this happen. We have a selling job to do to make this pass. Most of the polling that I have seen says the people from my area are not a sure thing to approve this,” said Sen. Gerald Cardinale.
“I don’t know. I hope they will. I hope that it will be successful but it depends on the campaign that takes place between now and November,” said Assemblyman Ralph Caputo.
A recent Eagleton poll had the public against casino expansion 51 to 44. Both sides anticipate heavy marketing campaigns this fall.