New Jersey lawmakers say they are working furiously to get a ballot question on expanding casinos outside of Atlantic City on the 2016 ballot.
The state’s constitution currently only allows casinos in Atlantic City and a successful referendum is needed to make the change.
According to a report by Bloomberg News, Democrats who control the New Jersey Legislature are in talks to get a measure on the November 2016 ballot.
“It’s going to happen; everyone’s convinced about that, and now it’s just about the final details,” said Assemblyman Ralph Caputo, a Democrat from Belleville in Essex County and a former 20-year casino executive.
The proposal lawmakers are discussing a plan that would redirect money from new casino taxes to aid re-development in Atlantic City, Sarlo told the news service. The number of new casinos and their locations are still under discussion, he said.
The question is whether to hurry to approve the referendum in the final weeks of the current legislative sessions and then set up a final vote by August, Sarlo said. A referendum can pass with simple majority votes in two straight years or with one three-fifths vote in one session, according to Bloomberg.
Advocates of the expansion say the state must keep pace with growing casino competition, especially in New York and Pennsylvania. Opponents feel it will be another nail in Atlantic City’s depressed fortunes.
Proposals for new casinos include locating them at the Meadowlands, Jersey City and Newark, allowing the casinos to tap the New York market.
