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Atlantic City casinos ordered to close
Yahoo News ^ | ANGELA DELLI SANTI/AP

Posted on 07/02/2006 3:21:55 PM PDT by wagglebee

Atlantic City's casinos were ordered to close Wednesday, the latest casualty of a state government shutdown that entered its second day Sunday after the Legislature failed to adopt a budget by its July 1 deadline.

The head of the Casino Control Commission ordered gaming in Atlantic City to cease at 8 a.m. Wednesday — the day after the July Fourth holiday — if New Jersey fails to enact a budget by then.

Atlantic City's 12 casinos, which require state monitoring, have waged a court battle to remain open, and an appeals court was weighing the matter Sunday. There was no word on when a ruling would be made, courts spokeswoman Winnie Comfort said.

Gov. Jon S. Corzine said Sunday there was "no immediate prospect of a budget." State parks, beaches and historic sites also were expected to shut down Wednesday.

If the casinos shut down, the state would lose an estimated $2 million in tax revenue each day they stayed closed. Republican Assemblyman Francis Blee, whose district includes the casinos, said it was important for them to remain open.

"We will have tens of thousands of individuals, real people, that are going to be hurt by this," he said. "There will be bread-winners who are not bringing home a paycheck."

Corzine shut down nonessential government services Saturday after the Legislature failed to adopt a budget by its July 1 deadline, leaving the state without the means to spend money. Budget talks became heated this year as Corzine, a Democrat, proposed increasing the state sales tax from 6 percent to 7 percent to help overcome a $4.5 billion budget deficit.

Most Democrats in the Assembly and several Senate Democrats oppose the sales tax increase, fearing voter backlash and reserving any tax increase for property tax reform. Assembly Democrats proposed a series of alternatives, some of which Corzine accepted, but both sides remained $1 billion apart as the budget deadline passed.

About 45,000 state employees were furloughed Saturday. Corzine's order allows him to keep 36,000 state employees working without pay. Services such as state police, prisons, mental hospitals and child welfare were to keep operating.

The lottery and road construction projects were among the first to close. A state appellate panel on Sunday ordered horse tracks closed at the end of business Tuesday. It was not immediately known Sunday whether the horse racing industry would file further appeals to keep harness and thoroughbred tracks open past July 4.

Corzine was expected to meet in private Sunday with top Assembly and Senate leaders. Assembly Budget Committee members were called to the Statehouse and were discussing alternatives to a sales tax increase, panel chairman Lou Greenwald said.

The Senate is scheduled to meet on Monday, and Senate President Richard J. Codey has told senators to be ready to stay in session until a budget is adopted.

"Let's get on with getting this problem solved," Corzine said while touring a state police dispatch center in Hamilton on Sunday, emphasizing he couldn't "sign a bill that doesn't exist."

Republicans, the minority party in both the Assembly and Senate, have expressed frustration.

"I'm appalled that this reached this stage," said Senate Minority Leader Leonard Lance, R-Hunterdon. "It is very unfortunate that the Democratic governor and Democratic majorities in the Legislature could not achieve a budget in place by June 30, and now all the people of New Jersey suffer as a result."

Some lottery sellers — and many customers — were surprised to learn that the games were being put on hold until the budget impasse is resolved.

"People will be angry, but we can't do anything about it," said Umesh Patel, 40, owner of Deli Delight in Ewing. "I don't know how long it's going to be, so let's just see what happens next."


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Extended News; News/Current Events; US: New Jersey
KEYWORDS: atlanticcity; casinos; joncorzine; youvotedforthem
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To: monkeyshine
Corzine has found a way to balance the budget - don't pay state employees for a few weeks.

Like hell, the operations he is shutting down will cause them to increase the tax to 10% to make up for the lost revenue.

41 posted on 07/02/2006 4:00:56 PM PDT by mware (Americans in armchairs doing the job of the media.)
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To: wagglebee

"State parks, beaches and historic sites also were expected to shut down Wednesday."

Good move! You've got to be sure ordinary citizens feel the pinch. If you shut things down in a sensible fashion, lots of little people would quickly realize how little value government delivers.


42 posted on 07/02/2006 4:02:47 PM PDT by hauerf
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To: Brofholdonow
Does this mean he'll be "laying" off his various mistresses

No, they would be considered "essential" employees.

43 posted on 07/02/2006 4:04:13 PM PDT by wagglebee ("We are ready for the greatest achievements in the history of freedom." -- President Bush, 1/20/05)
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To: wagglebee

He's f**kin' shutting what?!? That motherf**ker. I'll get that f**kin' bearded half-a-freak. I'll f**kin' shut him down. That f**k. F**kin' degenerate politician f**k. This ain't right, I'm telling ya...*

Add appoximately 24 more uses of the word f**k.

44 posted on 07/02/2006 4:05:31 PM PDT by Darth Republican
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To: Bob

And just in time for the holiday as well!

I'm sure this will make Corzine extra popular....





...as a dart target.


45 posted on 07/02/2006 4:05:41 PM PDT by stands2reason (ANAGRAM for the day: Socialist twaddle == Tact is disallowed)
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To: oceanview
Horse tracks and lottery shut down, now the casinos.

Beaches,parks, and campgrounds are open through July 4th but they may be closed afterwards. 45,000 employees have been put on furlough. The Meadowlands will be shut down, so any events there will be cancelled

46 posted on 07/02/2006 4:05:51 PM PDT by mware (Americans in armchairs doing the job of the media.)
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To: wagglebee

10-5 Odds it stays open!!!


47 posted on 07/02/2006 4:06:16 PM PDT by TRY ONE (NUKE the unborn gay whales!)
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To: mware

"I Went to New Jersey and All I Could Do Was Get This Lousy T-Shirt"


48 posted on 07/02/2006 4:06:53 PM PDT by UnbelievingScumOnTheOtherSide (Give Them Liberty Or Give Them Death! - IT'S ISLAM, STUPID! - Islam Delenda Est! - Rumble thee forth)
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To: wagglebee

I haven't seen this posted in awhile but somehow this must be Bush's fault.


49 posted on 07/02/2006 4:07:13 PM PDT by OmahaFields ("What have been its fruits? ... superstition, bigotry and persecution.")
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To: UnbelievingScumOnTheOtherSide

I went to NJ and all I got was being able to pay the tolls.


50 posted on 07/02/2006 4:08:21 PM PDT by mware (Americans in armchairs doing the job of the media.)
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To: mware

if only all the beaches were shut over this whole weekend, that would have gotten alot of traction on this issue.


51 posted on 07/02/2006 4:09:02 PM PDT by oceanview
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To: WestVirginiaRebel
This is not good. The casinos were probably the cleanest businesses in Jersey.

Best post of the weekend nomination.

52 posted on 07/02/2006 4:09:49 PM PDT by OmahaFields ("What have been its fruits? ... superstition, bigotry and persecution.")
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To: UnbelievingScumOnTheOtherSide

ROFL!!


53 posted on 07/02/2006 4:10:04 PM PDT by stands2reason (ANAGRAM for the day: Socialist twaddle == Tact is disallowed)
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To: Darth Republican

It will be fun watching the union bosses destroy a 'Rat.


54 posted on 07/02/2006 4:10:57 PM PDT by wagglebee ("We are ready for the greatest achievements in the history of freedom." -- President Bush, 1/20/05)
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To: TRY ONE

Sunday, July 2, 2006

MONMOUTH PARK, MEADOWLANDS TO REMAIN OPEN THROUGH TUESDAY, JULY 4 FOR LIVE AND SIMULCAST RACING

Oceanport, N.J. - Monmouth Park Racetrack in Oceanport, and the Meadowlands in East Rutherford, will be open for live and simulcast racing through the last live Thoroughbred race at Monmouth on Tuesday, July 4.


55 posted on 07/02/2006 4:11:31 PM PDT by mware (Americans in armchairs doing the job of the media.)
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Most Democrats in the Assembly and several Senate Democrats oppose the sales tax increase, fearing voter backlash and reserving any tax increase for property tax reform. Assembly Democrats proposed a series of alternatives, some of which Corzine accepted, but both sides remained $1 billion apart as the budget deadline passed.

Am I reading this correctly? They don't want to increase the sales tax, but rather they are reserving tax increases for "property tax reform"?

Generally, "property tax reform" does not mean raising property taxes.

Maybe they speak a slightly different language in Trenton.

56 posted on 07/02/2006 4:15:42 PM PDT by Abby4116
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To: wagglebee

('cept he won't sing about a Democrat governor)
57 posted on 07/02/2006 4:16:42 PM PDT by UnbelievingScumOnTheOtherSide (Give Them Liberty Or Give Them Death! - IT'S ISLAM, STUPID! - Islam Delenda Est! - Rumble thee forth)
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To: Abby4116

they do that in much of the northeast - its a way to feed more money into the teachers unions. the property tax is primarily composed of school taxes, which have been rising 3x the inflation rate as teachers/administrators salaries and pensions zoom. the state raises broader based taxes, and kicks some of that money back to defray the impact of the school tax increases, to calm the sheeple from rebelling against the public education complex.


58 posted on 07/02/2006 4:19:33 PM PDT by oceanview
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To: Abby4116

When the 'Rats talk about taxes, LOWERING them is NEVER a real consideration.


59 posted on 07/02/2006 4:21:47 PM PDT by wagglebee ("We are ready for the greatest achievements in the history of freedom." -- President Bush, 1/20/05)
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To: balch3
The scourge of gambling needs to be stopped. If it takes a budget crisis, so be it.

Um, why does the "scourge of gambling" need to be stopped? Personally, I don't gamble - not even a lottery ticket. So, why should I care?

And just for argument, if a budget crisis is an acceptable costs of ending gambling, why wouldn't arson also be acceptable? (I may be sorry I asked that).

60 posted on 07/02/2006 4:22:37 PM PDT by Larry Lucido
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