Atlantic City Casino's Shut down
my2hands
Posts: 17,117
Is anyone on here affected by this? I find it interesting that the media is focusing on the casino's being closed, when it appears the whole state is shutting down?
By JOHN CURRAN, Associated Press Writer
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. - New Jersey's casinos ushered the last of the gamblers away from slot machines and tables Wednesday, and janitors locked the doors behind them as a state government shutdown claimed its latest victims.
In the first mass closure in the 28-year history of Atlantic City's legalized gambling trade, all 12 casinos were under state orders to lock up.
Atlantic City's casinos are lucrative for New Jersey. They have a $1.1 billion payroll, and the state takes an 8 percent cut — an estimated $1.3 million a day. But as a stalemate over the state budget entered its fifth day Wednesday with no deal in sight, even they had to shut down.
With no state budget, New Jersey can't pay its state employees, meaning the casino inspectors who keep tabs on the money and whose presence is required at casinos are off the job.
State parks and beaches were also closed Wednesday because of the lack of staff.
"It's like last call at a bar. It's a little bit eerie," said Michael Trager, 36, of Cincinnati, was playing a video poker machine at 10 minutes to 8 a.m. when an attendant told him to conclude his bet. "They said, 'That's it, you gotta cash out. We're closing.'"
The doors to the Boardwalk side of Caesar's were locked by janitors. An announcement came over the public address system telling gamblers the casino was closing.
"It's history," said Andy Trechock, 41, of Depford, as he stepped away from a slot machine at Bally's Wild Wild West casino.
The problem started when the Legislature missed its July 1 constitutional deadline to pass the budget amid a fight with Gov. Jon S. Corzine over his proposed boost in the state sales tax.
Without a spending plan, Corzine ordered state offices shut down Saturday and all non-essential state government operations closed, and he furloughed more than half the state's employees. Only about 36,000 people in vital roles such as child welfare, state police and mental hospitals remained on the job, and they were working without pay.
Corzine planned to address all 120 state lawmakers to discuss the impasse Wednesday morning.
The dispute between the governor and his fellow Democrats who control the Legislature centers on his plan to increase the state sales tax from 6 percent to 7 percent to help overcome a $4.5 billion budget deficit in his $31 billion spending plan. Experts say the proposal would cost the average New Jersey family $275 per year.
Atlantic City Police Chief John Mooney worried that the sudden evacuation of the casinos could lead to problems in the streets and to labor unrest. If the shutdown continues, casino workers who aren't being paid could make trouble, he said.
"This is a state-created disaster," Mooney said.
Up to 15,000 casino employees would be thrown out of work by the closings, and that number could double if the casinos remain closed through the weekend, according to Robert McDevitt, president of Local 54 of UNITE HERE, a labor union that represents rank-and-file casino hotel workers.
The gamblers were well aware of the loss for the city.
"They're going to lose a lot of money," said Jerome Harper, 42, of Philadelphia, who was playing the slots at Resorts Atlantic City. "It's bad. Why close it down when you could just do your job and put the budget together? That's what they're paid for."
By JOHN CURRAN, Associated Press Writer
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. - New Jersey's casinos ushered the last of the gamblers away from slot machines and tables Wednesday, and janitors locked the doors behind them as a state government shutdown claimed its latest victims.
In the first mass closure in the 28-year history of Atlantic City's legalized gambling trade, all 12 casinos were under state orders to lock up.
Atlantic City's casinos are lucrative for New Jersey. They have a $1.1 billion payroll, and the state takes an 8 percent cut — an estimated $1.3 million a day. But as a stalemate over the state budget entered its fifth day Wednesday with no deal in sight, even they had to shut down.
With no state budget, New Jersey can't pay its state employees, meaning the casino inspectors who keep tabs on the money and whose presence is required at casinos are off the job.
State parks and beaches were also closed Wednesday because of the lack of staff.
"It's like last call at a bar. It's a little bit eerie," said Michael Trager, 36, of Cincinnati, was playing a video poker machine at 10 minutes to 8 a.m. when an attendant told him to conclude his bet. "They said, 'That's it, you gotta cash out. We're closing.'"
The doors to the Boardwalk side of Caesar's were locked by janitors. An announcement came over the public address system telling gamblers the casino was closing.
"It's history," said Andy Trechock, 41, of Depford, as he stepped away from a slot machine at Bally's Wild Wild West casino.
The problem started when the Legislature missed its July 1 constitutional deadline to pass the budget amid a fight with Gov. Jon S. Corzine over his proposed boost in the state sales tax.
Without a spending plan, Corzine ordered state offices shut down Saturday and all non-essential state government operations closed, and he furloughed more than half the state's employees. Only about 36,000 people in vital roles such as child welfare, state police and mental hospitals remained on the job, and they were working without pay.
Corzine planned to address all 120 state lawmakers to discuss the impasse Wednesday morning.
The dispute between the governor and his fellow Democrats who control the Legislature centers on his plan to increase the state sales tax from 6 percent to 7 percent to help overcome a $4.5 billion budget deficit in his $31 billion spending plan. Experts say the proposal would cost the average New Jersey family $275 per year.
Atlantic City Police Chief John Mooney worried that the sudden evacuation of the casinos could lead to problems in the streets and to labor unrest. If the shutdown continues, casino workers who aren't being paid could make trouble, he said.
"This is a state-created disaster," Mooney said.
Up to 15,000 casino employees would be thrown out of work by the closings, and that number could double if the casinos remain closed through the weekend, according to Robert McDevitt, president of Local 54 of UNITE HERE, a labor union that represents rank-and-file casino hotel workers.
The gamblers were well aware of the loss for the city.
"They're going to lose a lot of money," said Jerome Harper, 42, of Philadelphia, who was playing the slots at Resorts Atlantic City. "It's bad. Why close it down when you could just do your job and put the budget together? That's what they're paid for."
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Comments
The majority of people are always better off when taxes are low, and government is small and non invasive.
Maybe new Jersey could go ahead and raise the sales tax to 23 percent send a rebate check for money spent on life essentials taking any unfair burden of of the poor who don't pay tax now, and eliminate the income tax.
I'm sure shutting down the casinos is doing wonders for the budget.
and how much does it cost to drive on all those turnpikes and toll roads?
When Florio did it, people went nuts. It's not going to happen again.
Cutting wastefull spending is the best solution, but you have to look at it realistically. New Jersey is a state that has long been mired in corrupt politicians who can not control the budget. I believe that Corzine may be our best shot at, at least, attempting to correct this problem. I support his sales tax increase simply because it is the best option we have at this point in time. If he is able to turn this ship around we can always fight for a repeal of the tax increase. As I stated earlier people in NJ hear the words tax increase and they go nuts not even realizing the minimal effect it will have on us individually. people need to realize what the alternative would be, and increase in property tax, gas tax, or tobacco tax. The percentage increase for each of the alternatives would be greater than 1% because you would be tapping into far fewer residents than a simply sales tax. I would much rather pay an extra cent on the dollar on my purchases than have my already sky high property taxes increased or the price of gas go up even higher than it already is. The tobacco tax wouldn't affect me because I don't smoke. The state legislature is doing more harm than good by refusing to approve this tax increase because New Jersey stands to loose $1.3 million dollars a day for each day that the casinos are closed and that is just revenue from the casino itself. They will loose more because people will not go down to Atlantic City and stay at the hotels or spend money at the resturants and shops if the casinos are closed. Add to that the amount of money they stand to loose from having the state lottery closed down as well. All this for a one cent on the dollar tax increase.
That's my point people are over reacting. A 1% sales increase is nothing compared to what people would have to shoulder if they increase property taxes or the gas tax.
yeah, I added to my post after that. Closing the casinos in Atlantic City is doing far more harm than a 1% increase in the sales tax would. I think people are simply saying when does it stop? The funny thing is ok, so people hate a 1% increase, do they hate that more or do they hate not having a freaking job because the legislators are too scared of losing thier jobs. I think my vote in this case would again be against the incumbant who wrecked the government. It sure would be better if the whole thing was a sales tax though.
we are at 7 already down here I think. It's not so bad, just don't be stupid and buy a vehicle like I did.
I noticed your addition after I had already posted. I agree with you that the politicians who created this mess should be out of a job come next election. They are basically ruining the state because they want to keep their jobs.
I absolutely agree people are over-reacting, just like they did when Florio did it. But thowing a tax around, whether it be a sales tax, income tax or property tax is not the solution to everything.
and that in itself is why I detest politicians. The above is an example of why the next time some asshole says it's a public service, they should be run out of town on a rail.
Public Service is what the people who work for DFACS do.
You are right it's not, but at this point in time it may be the best solution we have. I'm not saying I like the idea, but I like the alternatives even less. Just look at the effects of not approving the sales tax. The state legislature was given ever opportunity to come up with a better alternative and they where unable to and still they refused to approve the increase leading us to a state wide government shut down that is costing the state millions of dollars per day in lost revenue and even worse leaving state employees without a pay check.
Completely agree with you. I am utterly disgusted with our state legislature right now, not that I wasn't disgusted before. Even though they may feel that their actions are saving their jobs I believe otherwise.
It is pretty ballsy of Corzine to shut it down, I'll give him that. Also, he has a point when he says that the legislature didn't offer any alternatives to the 1% increase when they rejected it.
It's really ballsy of him. It puts pressure on the legislature to either approve the increase or find a viable alternative as fast as possible. He has stated that he wants a viable alternative and not some patch work remedy that will only prolong the decision to this time next year. I give him credit for doing the unpopular thing in order to fix the state's problems.
A friend of mine is a State Trooper and he is working without pay. He will eventually get paid once they agree on and approve a budget but untill then no pay check. My cousin's brother-in-law is a corrections officer and he is in the same boat. He has to report to work but will not be receiving a paycheck untill this is settled.
I hope they all loose their jobs, the politicians that is, when they are up for re-election.
This situation is very similar to an episode of The West Wing. President Bartlett shuts down the federal government when he and the Republican-controlled congress can't reach an agreement on the federal budget.
Except in this case, both the Gov and the majority of the state legislature are Dems.
- 8/28/98
- 9/2/00
- 4/28/03, 5/3/03, 7/3/03, 7/5/03, 7/6/03, 7/9/03, 7/11/03, 7/12/03, 7/14/03
- 9/28/04, 9/29/04, 10/1/04, 10/2/04
- 9/11/05, 9/12/05, 9/13/05, 9/30/05, 10/1/05, 10/3/05
- 5/12/06, 5/13/06, 5/27/06, 5/28/06, 5/30/06, 6/1/06, 6/3/06, 6/23/06, 7/22/06, 7/23/06, 12/2/06, 12/9/06
- 8/2/07, 8/5/07
- 6/19/08, 6/20/08, 6/22/08, 6/24/08, 6/25/08, 6/27/08, 6/28/08, 6/30/08, 7/1/08
- 8/23/09, 8/24/09, 9/21/09, 9/22/09, 10/27/09, 10/28/09, 10/30/09, 10/31/09
- 5/15/10, 5/17/10, 5/18/10, 5/20/10, 5/21/10, 10/23/10, 10/24/10
- 9/11/11, 9/12/11
- 10/18/13, 10/21/13, 10/22/13, 11/30/13, 12/4/13
I agree...i can't stand Corzine...he has that corporate mentality. I didnt vote for him.
That corporate mentality is what the state needs. By my comment I meant the legislature. They where given every opportunity to come up with an alternative solution and they where unable to. So just because they are afraid of not being re-elected they throw the state into turmoil, that's really keeping their constituents best interests at heart. Corzine is no hero, but he may be the best governor we have had in a long time simple because he is not a career politician and is willing to do the unpopular things that need to be done to fix this states problems.
How many more times can the public continue to bail out wasteful government spending by just raising taxes because its "easier.?"
It may be easier, and make more sense in the short term- but it gives the government No incentive to be less wasteful.
i think i have to agree with you on this one
I agree to an extent. Corzine has proposed to slightly increase next years budget but by far this is the smallest increase in many many years. His budget proposal does have several initiatives to cut waste through out the state but he is also allocating more money for DYFS which badly needs the funds to higher more social worlkers to handle the case load. He is also allocating more money to port and mass transit security which he must since the federal government either will not or cannot.
typical partisan response which accomplishes absolutely nothing
I was pointing out the difference in the tv show and reality - but thanks for putting your two cents in.
- 8/28/98
- 9/2/00
- 4/28/03, 5/3/03, 7/3/03, 7/5/03, 7/6/03, 7/9/03, 7/11/03, 7/12/03, 7/14/03
- 9/28/04, 9/29/04, 10/1/04, 10/2/04
- 9/11/05, 9/12/05, 9/13/05, 9/30/05, 10/1/05, 10/3/05
- 5/12/06, 5/13/06, 5/27/06, 5/28/06, 5/30/06, 6/1/06, 6/3/06, 6/23/06, 7/22/06, 7/23/06, 12/2/06, 12/9/06
- 8/2/07, 8/5/07
- 6/19/08, 6/20/08, 6/22/08, 6/24/08, 6/25/08, 6/27/08, 6/28/08, 6/30/08, 7/1/08
- 8/23/09, 8/24/09, 9/21/09, 9/22/09, 10/27/09, 10/28/09, 10/30/09, 10/31/09
- 5/15/10, 5/17/10, 5/18/10, 5/20/10, 5/21/10, 10/23/10, 10/24/10
- 9/11/11, 9/12/11
- 10/18/13, 10/21/13, 10/22/13, 11/30/13, 12/4/13
i knew that would get ya