NH House kills five gaming bills

Norma Love

Friday, Feb. 1, 2002 | 10:03 a.m.

CONCORD, N.H. -- The House rejected an emotional plea Thursday from Berlin area lawmakers to let the city have a casino to revitalize its economy.

Representatives also easily voted down four other proposals to expand gambling in New Hampshire.

"The band on our Titanic is playing. We're nose down in the water and moving the deck chairs around isn't going to help," pleaded Berlin Republican John Gallus, prime sponsor of the casino bill.

"We live up there and we're asking you to do us a favor today and give us a chance to do something for ourselves," said Rep. Lawrence Guay, R-Gorham.

City officials had argued gambling was the fastest way to revitalize an economy devastated by the closing of paper mills in Berlin and Gorham. They said the casino would make Berlin a resort destination and create badly needed jobs.

But Rep. Christopher Reid, R-Dover, said a casino would not save Berlin.

"We shouldn't be throwing an anchor to a town that's treading water," he said.

Gilford Democrat William Johnson compared Berlin's argument to one made years ago in New Jersey to put casinos in Atlantic City. The casinos are surrounded by crime-filled neighborhoods, not the booming businesses promoters predicted, he said.

The House voted 234-102 to kill Gallus' bill.

Representatives killed a bill to allow video slot machines at the state's horse and dog tracks by a similar margin -- 217-130. The three other plans were killed without debate. They called for the state to set up state-owned casinos, allow off-track betting and create electronic gambling districts to include racetracks, commercial bingo halls and grand hotels.

Supporters of the race track bill argued gambling revenues would help the state deal with a looming financial crisis to pay for education in the next budget. They also said it would produce enough money to lower two business taxes and the state's education property tax.

The bill would have authorized 3,900 slot machines at the Rockingham Park horse track in Salem and greyhound tracks in Hinsdale, Seabrook and Belmont.

The two sides differed on how much money it would mean for the state. Supporters argued the state would net at least _$56 million while opponents countered that didn't take into account social costs for increased crime and demands for other services.

"Gambling has never paid off what its promoters promoted in the beginning," said Rep. Alf Jacobson, R-New London.

Rep. Susan Almy, D-Lebanon, said the revenue estimates couldn't be trusted because they came from the race tracks. Massachusetts probably would legalize the machines, draining revenues from New Hampshire, she added.

Supporters said it only made sense to ask the experts in the field for estimates of income from the machines. They also pointed out that people can gamble now at New Hampshire supermarkets by buying lottery tickets. Adding video slot machines at race tracks would be far more restricted, they noted.

"It's not that big of a stretch from what we're doing now," said Rep. Kenneth Weyler, R-Kingston.

Rep. Elizabeth Hager, R-Concord, said it wasn't the same type of gambling. Video slots are done repetitively in isolation, she said.

"Video slots are intensely addictive," she said.