In a likely preview of next year?s legislative session, supporters and opponents of gambling clashed at the state?s annual tourism conference in Bretton Woods Thursday. NHPR?s Trish Anderton reports.
THE DEBATE OVER GAMBLING HAS BEEN EXTREMELY HEATED IN THE PAST, AND YESTERDAY?S PANEL DISCUSSION WAS NO EXCEPTION. GAMBLING SUPPORTERS ARGUED THAT NOW, MORE THAN EVER, VIDEO SLOT MACHINES OR A CASINO ARE NEEDED TO PLUG CRITICAL HOLES IN THE STATE?S ECONOMY. BERLIN MAYOR BOB DANDERSON SAYS THERE?S GREATER NEED THAN IN HIS CITY, WHERE THE SHUTDOWN OF A KEY PAPER MILL COMPLEX HAS COST MORE THAN 800-JOBS.
We need something quick. We need something fast. We need a destination. We need people who will buy meals. We need people who will stay overnight. We need people who will gamble.
DANDERSON MADE THE CASE FOR A CASINO IN BERLIN, WHICH HE SAID WOULD CREATE JOBS AND GIVE A BOOST TO RELATED INDUSTRIES LIKE SKIING. STATE SENATOR LOU D?ALLESANDRO, A DEMOCRAT FROM MANCHESTER, ARGUED ON BEHALF OF ALLOWING VIDEO SLOT MACHINES AT THE STATE?S RACETRACKS AND GRAND HOTELS. D?ALLESANDRO SAYS HE AND SOME ALLIES HIT ON THE IDEA OF VIDEO GAMING AS A WAY TO HELP THE STATE?S STRUGGLING HORSE RACING INDUSTRY.
Our basic premise was this: What could we do to A: enhance revenues, B: create jobs, C: save open space and C: do all of this within the confines of what New Hampshire does best?
BUT OPPONENTS ARGUE ANY PROFITS FROM GAMBLING WOULD BE WIPED OUT BY THE COSTS OF PROBLEMS LIKE INCREASED GAMBLING ADDICTION, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, EMBEZZLEMENT, AND DRUNK DRIVING. STATE SENATOR CLIFTON BELOW, A DEMOCRAT FROM LEBANON, SAYS AS ACCESS TO GAMBLING INCREASES, THE RATE OF ADDICTION ALSO GOES UP.
Right now people may travel to vegas or connecticut. it?s a weekend thing or an all day trip. When you bring it into nh its something people can do it every day after work.
CRITICS ALSO QUESTION GAMBLING AS A DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY. THEY ARGUE IT CASINOS AND SLOTS SIMPLY TAKE CUSTOMERS AWAY FROM OTHER BUSINESSES LIKE RESTAURANTS AND MOVIE THEATERS. REPUBLICAN STATE REPRESENTATIVE CHRIS REID OF DOVER SAYS HE?S TALKED TO PEOPLE IN THE AREAS SURROUNDING CASINOS IN CONNECTICUT.
And they?ve said this: we now have 25-thousand cars going down our main drag, those 25-thousand cars go by our businesses, they go by our restaurants, they don?t stop, the restaurants on that strip are going out of business. That money is going to the casino promoters, not to the local economy.
THE DEBATE OCCASIONALLY THREATENED TO DEVOLVE INTO A SHOUTING MATCH, AS EACH SIDE ACCUSED THE OTHER OF CITING BOGUS STUDIES. IN THE END, ONE KEY FACT REMAINS: GAMBLING SUPPORTERS WILL HAVE THEIR WORK CUT OUT FOR THEM IN THE NEW HAMPSHIRE HOUSE, WHICH HAS TRADITIONALLY OPPOSED EXPANDED GAMBLING. IN 1999 A VIDEO SLOTS BILL FAILED IN THE HOUSE BY TWO TO ONE. DEMOCRAT SUSAN ALMY OF LEBANON IS HOPEFUL THAT OPPOSITION WILL STAND.
The question is always when you have a major emergency as we may have developing in our revs, are people going to frantically reach for plum dangling in front of eyes, even though its poisoned. I do think the house will probably hold against it.
BUT SENATOR D?ALLESANDRO BELIEVES THE TIDE IS TURNING.
I think pulse of house has changed dramatically. The econ events happening in the country will have a pronounced effect on attitude of legislators. // this proposal had legs in legislature before. I believe its position is enhanced as of today.
THE LEGISLATURE WILL HAVE SEVERAL GAMBLING BILLS TO CHOOSE FROM NEXT YEAR, INCLUDING ONE VIDEO SLOTS BILL FROM D?ALLESANDRO AND ANOTHER FROM HIS REPUBLICAN COUNTERPART, SENATOR TED GATSAS; AS WELL A CASINO BILL FROM REPUBLICAN REPRESENTATIVE JOHN GALLUS OF BERLIN. FOR NHPR NEWS I?M
