NH House to Vote on Expanded Gambling on Wednesday May 22

After reaching out to constituents in Hampton last week for your views on expanded gambling I received 64 direct replies.  Granted not a large sample, but a sample never the less.   Fifty percent (50%) of your who responded were in favor of expanded gambling; 44% were opposed and 6% were "unsure".  

On Wednesday May 22,  the New Hampshire House of Representatives will be voting on Senate Bill (SB 152) which would license one “high end, highly regulated” casino for a one-time $80 million licensing fee and future tax revenues equal to 30% on up to 5,000 slot machines and14% on up to 150 table games.  The bill comes to the floor of the full house with a recommendation of "inexpedient to legislate" from the special joint House Finance and Ways and Means Committee that reviewed and evaluated the bill that was passed in the Senate.

Wednesday promises to be a very long day.  Seventeen (17) amendments to SB 152 have been prepared.  The House will consider these IF the recommendation of inexpedient to legislate is overturned.  I intend to vote against the recommendation of inexpedient to legislate so that a full debate of the amendments and the bill can take place. 

I will attending a session in Concord tomorrow - Monday, May 20 - where proponents and opponents of the bill and the amendments will present their respective positions.  While I am still undecided I am beginning to feel that the jobs and revenues that a well regulated casino could add might be the kind of economic "shot in the arm" that our state needs to jumpstart our economy and provide the resources needed to restore vital human services and invest in the kind of long-term economic growth that we need. There are risks and it will be important that we recognize these and address as many of them as we can if we decide to move forward. 

A summary of the bill and the amendments that will be offered are included in the May 17 edition of the House Calendar and Journal.  To access that go to: http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/house/caljourns/calendars/2013/HC_39.pdf

Please continue to share your thoughts on this - and other - important issues will me and others in our community. 

Thank you very much.