Thanks, lawmakers, for rejecting casinos

Thanks, lawmakers, for rejecting casinos
Steve Duprey, Concord
For the Monitor
April 6, 2012

Thank you to all of the members of the New Hampshire House, of both parties, who had the sound judgment to vote against the casino gambling bill. It was, and is, a bad idea for New Hampshire and, despite what the lobbyists for the industry say, it is not supported by a majority of New Hampshire citizens.

The recently defeated bill would have altered the character of New Hampshire forever, would have picked who got to be the winners and losers economically, and would have added substantial burdens to law enforcement and social services. Does anyone seriously doubt that gambling plays a role in making Nevada one of the most dangerous states to live in?

More significantly, it would have destroyed the New Hampshire brand that our state maintains as one of the best places in the country to bring a family for a vacation - steeped in natural beauty, history and wholesomeness. That brand is priceless and has been built over decades. It would be lost if we were to become another gambling outpost.

Opposition to casino gambling is an important part of the Republican Party platform, and I particularly thank those elected Republicans who honored our platform by voting no.

I also want to thank Gov. John Lynch both for his steadfast opposition to gambling and also for his past efforts to study the potential impacts of gambling on our state. His work brought some much needed, unbiased, reason to the discussion. It is ironic that our governor, a Democrat, stood more in agreement with this part of our platform than some of our elected Republicans.

Finally, this will be an important issue in the upcoming election for governor. Voters as well as editorial boards like that of the Monitor should carefully quiz the candidates to see where they stand on this defining issue.

STEVE DUPREY

Concord