A new poll finds New Jersey residents are almost evenly split in a plan to allow new casino construction in the state outside of Atlantic City.
The state legislature is expected to approve a referendum to go before voters in November to allow construction of two new casinos in the state. The referendum will not specify where they are to be built, but will likely state that the casinos be built at least 72 miles from Atlantic City. The Meadowlands and Jersey City are seen as the lead contenders.
However, a Rutgers-Eagleton poll found support for the idea to be divided in the state and that slightly more residents are against the idea than for it.
Asked if casino gambling should be permitted in other parts of the state, 49 percent said it should not be while 44 percent said that it should, according to an analysis by NorthJersey.com.
The split was similar when considering demographics such as political party, race, gender, and age lines.
The highest margin of support for new casinos was 51 percent of those aged 35 to 49, and the lowest was 37 percent of residents over age 65.
Residents also indicated that new casinos may not help their surrounding area with 45 percent saying that “residents in areas where new casinos will be built” would be hurt by the expansion versus 34 percent who said it would help those areas.
A majority of 55 percent of respondents, however, said that New Jersey tourism would receive a boost if casinos are built outside Atlantic City.
Another aspect of the poll asked whether the state should takeover Atlantic City’s troubled finances. About 44 percent of respondents said the state should intervene while 52 percent said the city should “handle these issues on its own.”
The statewide poll was conducted by surveying 801 adults from Feb. 18 to 23. The margin of sampling error was plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.
The poll results come after another contentious legislative hearing on the referendum plan, this time before a state Assembly committee. The referendum plan has now had five public hearings in Trenton.
During this hearing, state Assemblyman Ralph Caputo—a proponent of the plan—said the tax rate for the new casino would be between 40 to 60 percent on revenue. Critics of the plan have charged that the referendum should spell out the exact tax rate to allow voters more information to make a decision.
However, Caputo’s estimates are higher than some past proposals. The tax rate is also significantly higher than taxes on Atlantic City casinos, which pay 9.25 percent on revenue.
The bill is bitterly opposed by South Jersey politicians afraid the new casino will destroy what’s left of Atlantic City’s casino business. Proponents say the new construction is the only way for the state to stay competitive as casino gambling continue to expand in the Northeast.
The bill is expected to before the full state assembly by the end of March.
