8 Comments on “What does it take for Trenton to move on VLT’s?”

1. 
   James Hogan said at 9:28 am on August 19th, 2011:

   I emailed Joe the same but maybe another MMM reader can help me out too.

   As a neighbor to MP, I’ve been following the VLTs for several years now and there is something I’m just not understanding, and maybe the answer is more complicated than [an email answer or in this case a blog comment] can provide but here goes…

   The new owner of MP seems to favor VLTs/slots, you guys in Oceanport favor VLTs, the state representatives for OP (say they) support VLTs, I’d be pretty sure that voters in and around OP support VLTs and certainly the patrons at MP will support VLTs…. so just who/what prevents the new (private) owner from just buying a few machines and setting them up? I mean, I understand that there is some regulatory agency/auditing agency in existence (if the government should be an auditor or if thieving casinos will suffer the consequences in the free-market is a different debate) to make sure the machines are fair/not ripping off the players, but is it a state law, a state agency… the Gov himself… who won’t allow VLTs at MP to happen?

   It’s just another one of the things that just don’t make sense to me about government. Government presumably represents the people and serves the public welfare and interests, but in this case the public seems to be getting the short end of the stick and then the private investors/private sector park owners/horse owners/horse trainers/etc end up get shafted by (presumably) some government regulations that I can’t tell who supports… it’s like if there was a law that said “Women can’t drive on Friday” and all of these same players — you guys at the local level, the folks at the state level, the voters all around us, etc said “this is bad, women should be able to drive everyday!” the law would be changed and we’d all be happy and move forward. I’d really be curious to understand just who or what the problem is rather than the high level “Atlantic City won’t let it happen” because again AC mayors and AC casino owners don’t seem to be voters (or likely patrons) at Monmouth Park and again from what I can see, the elected folks are on board.

2. 
   Joseph Irace said at 9:45 am on August 19th, 2011:

   Jim-

   In this case, it is up to the Legislature to approve a casino in the State anywhere but in Atlantic City. The powers that be in the Assembly (John Burzichelli) and the Senate (Steve Sweeney) refuse to even let the matter come before the full body for a vote. Yes, they do have that much power!

   Senator Sean Kean said that if it did come to a vote “we’d probably get a majority, if not a super-majority (in support), to save horse racing in the state of New Jersey.”

   As long as Sweeney and Burzichelli are in control, we are resigned to the status quo. We are all hoping that we don’t read about more farms and open space going away before the leaders realize that the status quo is not the answer.

3. 
   Bob English said at 10:45 am on August 19th, 2011:

   Great piece by Joe…..and Jim, your analysis pretty much sums up the frustration most people are feeing since this should be a “no brainer” that would help the state and its taxpayers immensely.

   The closing of Perretti Farms should make people realize that the states entire equine industry is at stake along with the threat to tens of thousands of acres of open space.

   Everyone who feels strongly about the issue should be urging their legilsatures to publically insist on a vote in both houses of the State Legislature.

   For more info and links to some great articles, please check out the link below to a Facebook page and remmeber to press “like” once you are on it.

   https://www.facebook.com/pages/Save-New-Jersey-Horse-Racing-Allow-VLTs-at-the-Meadowlands/129193943805073

4. 
   JerryW45 said at 12:05 pm on August 19th, 2011:

   Forgive me, what is a VLT?

5. 
   Joseph Irace said at 12:50 pm on August 19th, 2011:

   Jerry-

   VLT’s are Video Lottery Terminals. They are slot machines in simple terms.

6. 
   Joe said at 9:35 pm on August 19th, 2011:

   I worked for the NJSEA for more than a decade and I can tell you for a fact that there was an opportunity in 2002 to get VLTs in at the Meadowlands and Monmouth and both Jim McGreevey and egomaniac George Zoffinger blew it. They tried to cover their tracks by cutting a deal with the casinos that was essentially “payola” for 4 years to keep the VLTs from going in. The holdup – as usual – is short-sighted Democrats who would rather pocket campaign cash from Casino lobbyists than do what is right for the people of this state.

7. 
   Joe said at 9:37 pm on August 19th, 2011:

   BTW, a decade ago when McGreevey and Zoffinger blew it, I recall reading that NJ had more racehorses living in the state than any other on the east coast including Kentucky!

8. 
   it's always about getting themselves re-elected, said at 5:27 pm on August 23rd, 2011:

   and it’s gotten worse since the McGreevey days, as accurately stated above.. plain and simple: if the horses and trainers, and jockeys, and everyone else who works hard in,with, or for the industry were able to register and vote, the legislators would suddenly care and be all over it, with nicely- groomed horses pictured on their damn re-election brochures and mailers!.. if we don’t get past this “what’s in it for ME-only?” mentality, all around, we will be doomed, worse and sooner than ever.. and, is disgusting that we have to be north vs. south, district vs. district, majority vs. minority, in this state..with all the money spent/wasted, why not put it on the Nov. ballot for once, instead of just these innane spending/bond issues I’ve been voting NO on for many years!.. as with gay marriage, and many other topics, I say,let the VOTERS decide, NOT the self-serving, short-sighted, “ruling-class” legislators!!!..so sick of them all!