New Jersey residents have now been fighting their state’s push to allow two gambling enterprises to be built within their north counties, but a recent poll shows that the numbers are now actually starting to move away from opposition and towards support.

But even with that shift, there’s still a long way to get for legislators to make an impression on the support associated with majority of their constituents.

A survey by Fairleigh Dickinson University released this week shows 50 percent of brand New Jerseyans remain opposed to casino expansion, meaning Atlantic City’s brick-and-mortar monopoly would remain in tact, while 42 percent said they favor allowing the area that is northern to go forward. That’s a drastic modification from as recently as June, when 56 percent opposed expansion and simply 37 percent favored it.

‘The public continues to be skeptical,’ Fairleigh University Professor Krista Jenkins said. ‘Once the details of the legislature’s intentions become understood, the public’s opinions will be affected.’

Atlantic City Bankruptcy

The issue in deciding whether two gambling enterprises should be permitted to be built throughout the Hudson River from Manhattan is twofold.

Lawmakers in nj are looking for brand new sources of revenue to finance expenditures and debt that is escalating. Locating casinos closer to the many millions of new york and North Jersey residents would likely do just that, but it would presumably also drastically cut into Atlantic City’s already serious economy.

Local leaders in the seaside gambling resort town are seeking additional state aid, but State Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-District 3) recently introduced legislation for the continuing state takeover of Atlantic City’s funds. Governor Chris Christie (R) sided with Sweeney this week by vetoing three relief rescue packages.

‘ The governor will not ask the taxpayers to keep to be enablers in this waste and punishment,’ Christie spokesman Kevin Roberts stated.

Christie’s veto has led Atlantic City Mayor Don Guardian to jeopardize bankruptcy. That could possibly hurt the state’s overall credit rating and increase borrowing rates for Trenton.

To file for bankruptcy, their state legislature and Christie will have to approve the action, which appears very unlikely.

‘My goal is to save lots of Atlantic City also to avoid bankruptcy,’ Sweeney has stated.

Atlantic City is $240 million in financial obligation, $33.5 million short on its budget that is municipal owes the Borgata $160 million in home tax overpayments. Permitting the town to seek bankruptcy relief would allow Atlantic City to pay only cents on the dollar on those debts.

Spend Money to Lose Money

Leaders in Trenton recognize that competition from neighboring northeastern states has generated a struggle that is economic Atlantic City. Brick-and-mortar casino venues now surround what was when the sole gambling mecca of the East Coast, with Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware, and Maryland all now gambling-friendly jurisdictions.

The problem, at minimum into the minds of state lawmakers, is that neighborhood officials have done little to overhaul investing and adjust to the changing market.

Atlantic City produced $5.2 billion in revenue in 2006. It earned less than half that, just $2.56 billion, in 2015.

Sweeney thinks the city’s $262 million budget is negligent for an certain area with under 40,000 residents.

It’s shaping up to be always a rather exciting political year in New Jersey. Come November, not only will residents in the Garden State perhaps see their governor due to the fact Republican nominee for president (although that still looks like a long shot at this juncture), they’ll also likely be up against a series of decisions to make regarding how to rescue, or perhaps bid adieu, to Atlantic City as they’ve known it for many years.