We have a crisis in state funding. Instead of taking the road less traveled by and incrementally instituting legalized gambling perhaps NH should do what every other state does. Have an income tax!! But the repubs would rather try to make up the difference in funds by voting for mining on the moon or legalized prostitution. Unfortunately the intentionally misinformed electorate is willing to keep placing the tax burdon on home owners particularly seniors.
I think if they mine Helium 3 from the moon, it will fall from the sky. However, until that happens, the Republicans will have all kinds of revenue from the business of the mining process in the hotel for the miners, the tavern/casino and the brothel. This is the mining/gambling/free enterprise bill all in one with no new taxes.
Don't get your hopes up about an income tax. You're not getting your hands on it. Don't believe Jim Rubens' hype - if done right, gaming does NOT destroy states. If it did, why did Pennsylvania just adopt slots, and why do about a dozen other states have it?
As for the "dirty business," slots can now stay right where they are - in the back rooms of filthy bars, paying out 30-50%, if anything at all, as husbands pour their entire paychecks into the machines hoping for at least SOMETHING to come back. It never will.
Too bad he can't go and spend his $20/week and get a 95-98% payout at some facility here in NH, as thousands of seniors do already at Foxwoods and elsewhere, responsibily.
This bill is coming back next year - with strictly slot machines in state-owned facilities. It will pass because the right-wing moralizers are wrong and so are the lefty income taxers.
Stephen - I appreciate your hilarious use of the "other states are doing it, why shouldn't we" defense. You ARE aware that 49 other states have an income tax, aren't you??
Right now NH is funded on booze and butts - so by all means, let's add gambling. And after that, let's put Prostitution and Pimping 101 in our high schools, and the advanced courses in Tech Colleges. You wouldn't mind your daughter growing up to be a hooker would you? It would be for the good of the state, after all.
Susan, your logic is flawed here. Just because we do x, doesn't mean we MUST do y and z.
So if I say we should be competitive with other states who have allowed their horse racing industry to innovate or limited gaming to take place in the tracks, that doesn't mean we must have taxes just like other states, nor that we must allow gambling to the extent other states do.
And only one other state legalized prostitution - Nevada - so in that case, few are following their lead, and in any case, no state teaches it in their high schools, so I suppose that was your (failed) attempt at being hillarious.
Once gambling gets its cheaply shod food in the door, there will be no end to it. If you think it can be "controlled" here, you're deluding yourself.
Ever lived someplace where it was legal, Stephen? I lived on the California side of Lake Tahoe for 2 year. Casinos were 20 minutes away. Nothing like going in at 8 am to see old folks with oxygen tanks gambling away their Social Security checks.
Of course, the old folks won't have those checks to gamble any more. You'll have to rely on addicted youth, which may be problematic, given that they'll be working low paying service jobs and living in homeless shelters.
Why would we want to tax the rich? It's so much easier to balance the budget on the backs of the poor.
And FYI, Stephen - I am quite a droll raconteur. Sorry about your irony deficiency.
You are absolutely right susan.
Why do other state adopt slots?.... It is any surprise that so many states are turning to gambling. Even with their income and sales taxes they are strapped for cash because of the bush tax cuts to the ultra-rich. Does that tell you what kind of shape New Hampshire is really in or how much better our state could be!
I get so tried of this american exceptionalism. Some how we in NEW HAMPSHIRE will receive all the benefits and suffer none of the disadvantages of legalized gambling. I think in such a revenue starved state like new hampshire without a income or a sales tax we are MORE susceptible to the quick greasy gambling buck.
Rich people don't play slot machines in dirty bars. So our working class folks and seniors who are ALREADY shouldering an unfair share of the tax burden will also be those who cough up this "harmless" gambling money to the state.
We can continue to depend on taxation of “voluntary” vices that harm are community and prey on our most vulnerable or we can all come together and contribute a little bit for the betterment of all. I know what republicans would choose to do that is why we are in this mess.
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