North Jersey Casino Ballot Question Longshot For November: Report

Resistance from South Jersey lawmakers means that the chances of getting a statewide referendum on the November ballot are all but dead, according to reports.

The deadline to get an a question on the ballot asking if the state’s Constitution should be amended to allow a casino to be built in North Jersey is Aug. 3, but lawmakers would have to pass it with three-fifths majority in both the state Assembly and state Senate, NJ.com reported.

Before that can happen, the amendment would have to lay on their desks for 20 days and a public hearing would need to be held, meaning, the process would have to start this month, the website reported.

Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto (D-Hudson) supports putting the matter before voters this year, but Senate President Stephen Sweeney has made it clear that he wants to wait until next year, according to the report.

There are plans to develop casinos in the Meadowlands and Jersey City and lawmakers have also said one could be built in Newark.Officials have previously said the resistance for a North Jersey casino has been “contrived” by South Jersey lawmakers.

The alleged competition hurts the chances of the bill advancing and going to the voters, state Senator Richard J. Codey previously said.

State Assemblyman Ralph Caputo (D-Essex) is co-sponsoring a resolution with Valerie Vainieri Huttle (D-Bergen), and Raj Mukkerji (D-Hudson) to introduce the amendement to allow casinos into the three counties they represent.

Hard Rock International and Meadowlands Racing and Entertainment have said a casino at the Meadowlands, one of the casino’s three possible landing spots, could bring in as much as $400 million in state tax revenue and create up to 10,000 jobs.

Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco recently said he strongly supports bringing a casino to the Meadowlands.

Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco recently said that building a casino in the Meadowlands “makes sense” for Bergen County and North Jersey.

Governor Christie said he supports a casino being built in North Jersey, but only if tax revenues are shared with the eight remaining South Jersey casinos.