FORMER CASINO CONTROL COMMISSION CHAIRMAN – STEVE PERSKIE – ENDORSES TRENTON’S BAD BET, JOINING OPPOSITION TO NEW JERSEY GAMING EXPANSION

Former Casino Control Commission Chair & State Lawmaker Expresses Concern Over Lack Of Transparency & Taxpayers Bailing Out Trenton After Another Failure

Newark, NJ – Former Assemblyman, State Senator and Casino Control Commission Chairman Steven P. Perskie, who authored the 1976 Constitutional amendment bringing casinos to New Jersey and the 1977 legislation establishing the state’s regulatory system, today endorsed Trenton’s Bad Bet, lending opposition to gaming expansion in New Jersey a powerful, new ally.

“Casino expansion is a bad idea that would devastate the state’s economy by causing billions in lost economic revenue, increasing home foreclosures and losing tens of thousands of jobs,” Perskie said. “Proponents of casino expansion have lacked transparency in their proposal for North Jersey casinos as we still do not know what the tax rates would be, where the casinos would be built or who would build them.”

Transparency has been an ongoing issue as the cryptic referendum provides only a requirement that casinos would have to be built at least 72 miles outside of Atlantic City. Beyond that, no exact location has been provided and no tax rate has been agreed upon, making it impossible to know what revenues would look like or what programs, state funds or constituency would purportedly benefit from casino expansion.

“As someone who played an integral part in the New Jersey casino industry from its inception, I know how detrimental casino expansion in North Jersey would be for the state,” Perskie added. “I am voting to protect the New Jersey taxpayers and voting NO on Question One.”

For more information about the Trenton’s Bad Bet, or to follow the group’s social channels, make donations, and find other opportunities to get involved, visit the group’s web site: www.TrentonsBadBet.org

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About Trenton’s Bad Bet:
Trenton’s Bad Bet is a diverse collection of concerned New Jersey community leaders, unions, businesses and residents that will work to oppose the New Jersey Casino Referendum that seeks to expand gaming into North Jersey.

Committee Contact:
Trenton’s Bad Bet
(201) 870-0548
[email protected]
www.TrentonsBadBet.org