CONCORD - Senate President Tom Eaton said Monday that he supports legalizing betting on video slot machines at the state’s four racetracks to help balance the next two-year state budget.
The Keene Republican told reporters he is also open to the idea of giving slots to resort locations to allow them to compete for entertainment dollars against the two Connecticut casinos that have lured thousands of residents over the past several years.
Manchester Democratic Sen. Lou D’Allesandro is writing legislation that proponents say could generate up to $200 million-a-year in profit for the state.Polls have shown a majority of the state’s residents support expanded gambling over increases in state taxes to deal with the state’s two-year budget deficit, which some believe could approach $300 million.
“I think we still have to look at that option,’’ Eaton said.
The plan would be modeled after one D’Allesandro offered three years ago, Eaton said, which authorized 3,900 machines at the four tracks - led by 1,200 at Rockingham Park in Salem.
The Senate leader’s district includes Hinsdale, home of a dog track that under the 2002 bill would have gotten 900 machines.
Last year, discussion over expanded gambling fell apart due to opposition within the Senate Republican caucus.
“I would hope we can get a majority to vote for it,’’ Eaton said
Two years ago, the Senate approved the proposal, but the House of Representatives killed it by better than a 2-1 margin.
House Speaker Douglas Scamman, R-Stratham, has been a longtime opponent of slot-machine gambling bills and continues to hold that view.
“Nothing has changed,’’ he said.
Gov.-elect John Lynch has said he would support such legislation only if he became convinced by “overwhelming evidence’’ that it did not erode the state’s quality of life.
Eaton rejects claims from a broad-based coalition that expanded gambling would lead to increased crime and soaring welfare costs.
The same predictions were made erroneously back in 1965 when New Hampshire led the nation and created the first lottery, he said. |
