Lawmakers say that New Hampshire’s fragile budget needs an influx of cash from the legalization of casinos in the Granite State.
Two casinos would raise money without raising taxes, something that is close to anathema in the state whose official motto is “leave free, or die” and might as well be “tax free, or die.”
Rep. Katherine Rogers addressed that last week when she declared, “I don’t have a passion for gambling. I do, however, have a passion for revenue,” and added, “Across the board, all of us would have had a different budget if there had been more revenue.”
Building support for a gaming bill in the House is vital, since while it has passed several times over the years in the Senate, it has always died in the House. Last year, however, it was only killed by a one-vote margin.
The Senate voted to send the bill to the House last month.
The two casinos, if passed, would be able to raise money almost immediately through a licensing process that would charge $120 million in licensing fees. The proposal would authorize two casinos, one with 3,500 slots and the other with 1,500 slots. The larger casino could be open by 2018 and would earn an estimated $135 million during its first year.
Casinos could only be located in communities that want to host them. Host communities and counties would share tax revenues and surrounding communities would also get their share. The state’s general fund would get the lion’s share of the tax revenues, about $90 million.
Others are wary about the state being dependent on an unreliable revenue stream. Neal Kurk, chairman of the House Finance Committee, declared, “If your objective is to create a revenue source that grows with the economy, this is not the one for us.”
A subcommittee of the committee is now studying the bill and will make a recommendation later in April. A vote by the House is likely early next month.
One supporter who testified before the Committee last week was Edward Callahan, president and general manager of Rockingham Park. Millennium Gaming has an option to buy the park and operate it as a racino.
Opponents to the proposal who also testified included the League of Women Voters, Casino Free NH, and the Granite State Coalition Against Expanded Gambling. They say that gaming revenue is not sustainable and that casinos could easily collapse, as has happened in New Jersey.
Governor Maggie Hassan has said she supports one casino, but has not said whether she would sign a bill that authorizes more than one.
