Friday
Oct282011
Bettencourt statement on Gaming Legislation
Friday, October 28, 2011 at 07:11AM 
The following statement was issued today by House Majority Leader D. J. Bettencourt following the 14-7 OTP/A vote of the House Ways & Means committee on HB 593, relative to video lottery and table gaming:
"As someone who has represented the people of Salem in the NH House, it certainly should come as no surprise that I support this responsible expanded gaming legislation. It will not only create jobs, cut business taxes and increase the revenue stream into our state, but it is also in complete compliance with the NH Republican Party platform. While I have I have yet to get a concrete temperature of our caucus on this issue, the recent actions in our neighboring states of Massachusetts and Maine should certainly give cause to those who have opposed gaming in the past to perhaps reevaluate their position.
To my knowledge this is the first time that a gaming bill has received a favorable recommendation from a House policy committee, which demonstrates that the reevaluation process for some has already commenced. If NH does not take action now, we could see a decimation of our lottery income with no alternative left to make up for the lost revenues. Once we hear from Governor Lynch and what his intentions are, we can then begin to truly evaluate the chances for the success of this legislation. Until his intentions are known, and we become more comfortable with the views of our caucus, this will remain a vote of conscience for Republicans."
Reader Comments (9)
I do not understand making it a crime worthy of a $20,000 or over one year in jail. Why discriminate against 20, 19 and 18 year old young adults?
– C. dog drinks home brew and gambles away his life nightly
Want to gamble at a casino? Please go to Ma. or Vegas or Pa.
Want to gamble in NH? Please start a small business or invest in one.
Casinos are a loser for State revenue. As soon as they bring in the PROMISED revenue the lobbyists buy up the legislature to cut the state take.
Just like sports stadiums. Promises never pan out.
If the Grate State of NH were truly a place where the common folk could live free, then die, why the prohibition on gambling? Isn't that a matter of choice? Isn't allowing the choice a matter of conscience? Why have the Grate State pry in its fingers to take a slice of my pie, silently? Sounds like MA-MA Land to me. Maybe we should change the moniker from The Granite State to The Granny State.
– C. dog can decide whether to gamble or not all by himself; he's a big dog now
Gamble away.
Just don't make the state a partner for a promised cut we will never see and spending which will start before the casino is built.
Don't have the state or city fund arenas or stadiums.
Buy all the lottery tickets you want. The odds are the same.
√ No Grate State funding of arenas, stadiums, and other large structures to pen sheople for entertainment purposes
√ No partnership interests "granted" to Grate State for any sinful activities
Now, why not add to that list no fiat monopolies taken by the Grate State to sell booze and gambling stakes? Why not let little "g" granny walk down to her local pub to drop a sawbuck on the Patsies to not cover the spread against the Steel Curtain? Hell, the odds are orders of magnitude better than lotto tickets.
– C. dog lost big on Billy's boys this weekend – "where's my bailout?"
No problemo commander.
And remember - the sanctioning of a casino or casinos by the Grate State only LIMITS COMPETITION so the two can split the proposed revenue the Grate State will never see.
Who would build casinos side by side and share the limited market share unless Uncle Lynchie kept the riff raff out?
Wanna bet$
Ain't fascism great? At the heart of it lies the kernal of cash, and how to monopolize economic activities such that the pols and tycoons split the spoils.
– C. dog