Our neighbors to the north actually conducted an Independent Analysis of Gambling!
Beacon Hill has ignored calls for an Independent Cost Benefit Analysis even though the Governor, Attorney General and others support it.
The ugliness of casino politics
As reported in the Nashua Telegraph, House and Senate negotiators now have a state budget which does NOT require slot casinos. Both bodies are expected to vote on this budget in a June 9 special session.
But the failed budget conference committee process which forced the legislature into special session has opened a disturbing window into the ugliness of slot machine politics. If slot casinos are legalized, the bullying and uncivil behavior that shocked witnesses to the conference committee proceedings will become SOP. The gambling industry will become the dominating state house special interest and will use these tactics to muscle the legislature almost every session to get lower tax rates, more machines, more casino locations, lower age limits, and whatever else Las Vegas wants from New Hampshire.
Proliferation cannot be stopped
The Governor’s gaming study commission in its May 20 final report found that – without a constitutional amendment – it will be impossible to limit gambling casinos to a single location. There is no limited gambling. The choices are: (a) eventual statewide saturation, or (b) no slot casinos.
Casino license revenues are iffy, at best
Listen to Lou D’Allesandro quoted during Senate floor debate by the Concord Monitor: “D'Allesandro acknowledged during discussion of his gambling proposal that it would "not be wise" to spend gambling license money immediately, since that money would have to be refunded if a licensee were unable to go ahead with building a casino.”
The promised 39% tax rate will drop
This rate and the resulting revenue projection must be considered high, as the rate will likely drop closer to the 25% in Connecticut and as proposed for Massachusetts. The national average casino tax rate is 22%.
Negative net regional economic impact
The Governor’s gaming study commission report projects $60 million in annual costs among NH residents and $228 million in social costs for MA residents if just the proposed Salem casino were legalized. Bi-state costs therefore total $288 million per year, making the Salem casino a net economic loser for the region, with costs exceeding tax revenues.
10,000 additional gambling addicts
The Commission report’s midrange estimate for increased Problem and Pathological (P&P) gamblers from the proposed Salem casino: 10,000 NH residents. These are new and additional gambling addicts, only ten percent of whom even attempt to access addiction treatment programs. Each of these people will damage the lives of 5-10 additional family members, friends, and business associates. The lives of many will be devastated by divorce, bankruptcy, and family violence. About 1,000 of these people will attempt suicide as a result of their gambling addiction.
[Remember that Toyota recalled 8,000,000 vehicles because 89 people were killed.]
1,200 additional serious crimes
The Commission’s report finds that serious crimes in the regions surrounding casinos, including rape, aggravated assault, and various types of property crimes, would increase by 9 to 30%. The proposed Salem casino would increase these serious crimes by over 1,200 per year in NH. This is why every NH Attorney General for the past three decades and the NH Association of Chiefs of Police oppose legalized slot casinos.
Revenue drain from existing NH businesses
Even pro-gambling business leaders are becoming aware of the fact that casinos would cannibalize the NH economy. “It's going to suck all the business out of Manchester,” businessman Steve Talarico told the Union Leader in describing the impact of a Salem casino on the Manchester economy.
Negative impacts on communities surrounding casinos
The Governor’s gaming commission found that: “Areas around some proposed gaming sites will face added fiscal pressures due to a range of community impacts, including housing, schools, and other infrastructure requirements, due to the possible influx of workers to staff the facilities. Such impacts will add to already severe pressures on state and local budgets, though additional revenues from gaming could help mitigate such pressures. While host communities to a gaming facility may see the greatest positive economic impact, communities surrounding the facility will receive less economic benefit while bearing additional law enforcement and other costs. Many localities and regions of the state currently lack sufficient planning capacity to anticipate and handle the potential costs of such development impacts. While the state requires affected communities to be notified about projects of regional impact, surrounding communities are not necessarily given a seat at the table to discuss impacts or a share of the revenues to help offset impacts.” (Page 19)
Low casino wages increase pressure on social service budgets
You’ve heard casino industry promises of high wages. Fact: the most recent Bureau of Labor Statistics data disclose that gambling industry median wages including tips is $10.92 per hour.
Public opinion is split on casino gambling
You’ve heard about the gambling industry’s polls. The independent ARG (March 31) poll asked: “Do you favor or oppose a bill that would allow slot machines and table games at six casinos in New Hampshire?”
· By 40 to 43 percent (oppose-support), voters are split almost down the middle on slot casino legalization, even after 3 solid years of Millennium’s “free money from the sky” advertising and PR campaign.
· By 48 to 40 percent, women oppose slot casinos.
· By 63 to 19 percent, Republican voters oppose slot casinos.
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