Casino Hearing Today

A scaled-down bipartisan proposal to revive gambling will have its first public hearing today. It comes a year after a bill to allow expanded gaming in New Hampshire passed the Senate but died in the House.

House Bill 593, sponsored by Rep. Edmond Gionet (R-Lincoln) would establish two casinos — “at least 100 miles apart” — offering video poker, slots and table games. The House Ways and Means Committee will consider how the bill proposes permitting the casinos, plus how it would distribute the state’s proceeds to offset the state education property tax and contribute to the highway fund.

According to language in the bill, cities and towns would have to approve a gaming location. A $10 million one-time fee would be assessed to any table game licensee, and as much as $363 million annually would be used to offset the education property tax. That money would come from the state receiving 49 percent of the net machine income. The highway fund would also receive eight percent of all table game revenues. As of Feb. 21, no fiscal analysis of the bill had been provided by the Legislative Budget Assistant.

Sen. Lou D’Allesandro (D-Manchester) is an HB 593 co-sponsor and a long-time advocate for expanded gaming in New Hampshire. In 2010, D’Allensandro led the successful bid to gain Senate approval for the bipartisan bill he sponsored, Senate Bill 489, which supporters said could have raised as much as $150 million in licensing fees alone from six casinos. But gaming foes said the estimated revenues and potential numbers of high-paying jobs were overstated and that out-of-state casino operators would benefit the most. The House defeated the measure by a 212-158 vote.

Last May, Governor Lynch’s Gaming Study Commission released a detailed, long-awaited report on the benefits, costs and consequences of expanding gaming in the state.

“Expanded gaming would generate additional revenues and economic activity, but it would also generate additional societal and economic costs,” the report’s executive summary said. “A fully informed decision about expansion requires a business model analysis that accounts for both benefits and costs. Such an analysis should center on the state’s long-term interests, not just short-term financial or other needs.”

>> Tuesday, Feb. 22, public hearing on HB 593, House Ways and Means Committee, Legislative Office Building, Room 202, 3 p.m.

This Daily Dispatch was written by Michael McCord.

Posted by Hilary Niles on Feb 22 2011. Filed under Commerce, economy, Education, funding, gambling, Government, jobs & unemployment, Money, Property, roads & highways, state budget, taxes, taxes, tolls & taxes, tourism, Transportation, Weekly Briefing, Work. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry