Inquirer Editorial: Con job to build North Jersey casinos could kill Atlantic City

Most New Jersey voters probably haven't witnessed a street hustle up close, so they need to pay attention to the con that some top elected officials are trying to pull off.

Gov. Christie, Senate President Stephen Sweeney, and Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto want voters to approve a constitutional amendment on Nov. 8 to allow casinos in North Jersey. They claim money will then flow to save Atlantic City, save horse racing, create jobs, and help seniors.

So far, voters aren't buying the casino shills' pitch. A Rutgers University poll showed 59 percent would reject the ballot question. That has prompted casino proponents to abandon their advertising campaign, saying the question is a loser.

All one has to do is look at Atlantic City's intransigent poverty to see casinos don't fix economies; they foster dependencies. The seaside town lost five casinos in three years, which caused the surrounding communities to have one of the nation's highest mortgage foreclosure rates. The city's government is on life support, hoping to fight off a state takeover.

North Jersey casinos would make things worse by taking business away from Atlantic City. But politicians would rather grab whatever cash they can from gamblers than balance budgets on sound policies. This latest scheme is sure to backfire. North Jersey casinos planned for Jersey City and the Meadowlands won't have very long winning streaks, given expected competition.

Atlantic City's gambling profits have already been skimmed by casinos in Pennsylvania and Delaware; adding North Jersey casinos will make it worse. What will the state do then to avoid the fiscal fallout? Ask voters to approve slot machines at state parks?

New Jersey has structural fiscal problems that keep growing because there hasn't been a responsible consensus in the Statehouse to address them. Christie and too many legislators are afraid to cut services or raise taxes, so they keep borrowing to pay bills.

What's needed is an economic strategy that may include spending cuts and tax increases, along with a viable plan to create jobs. That won't happen until Trenton remembers how to get past party labels to offer smart solutions to complex problems.

Casinos are no alternative to the hard work governments should be doing. That states across the nation are promoting gambling is at odds with their responsibility to protect citizens. Casinos get most of their income from local, repeat customers. Too many wind up damaging their physical and mental health, draining their personal incomes, and relying on public assistance.

If the polls are right, odds are the casino referendum will fail. But don't leave that to chance. Vote NO on Nov. 8. Put a wooden stake in this idea's heart, and maybe politicians looking for an easy buck won't try to revive it.