Scratch that trip to AC
Well – the unthinkable has happened. The twelve casinos in Atlantic City have shut their doors for the first time in 28 years (how much would it suck to be down a few hundred bucks when they escort you out?). As a result of a budget fight in Trenton, the state inspectors have been ordered to stay home. Considering the disagreement between the governor and the legislature is over the need for increased tax revenues – the shuttering of the casinos seems a bit strange. Sort of like declaring your support for more funding for firefighters and proving your committment by burning down your own garage.
Not really that strange when you consider that the casinos now have to lobby their friends in the Assembly to compromise on the budget, so they can open their doors again. Not to mention, no budget no government, that’s the law in NJ.
Well, “no government” isn’t accurate. There is a whole slew of employees that are exempted from any shutdown or interruption in the budget at large. Considering the casinos actually pay the salaries of the monitors – and considering the revenue they generate – *not* exempting them has no other purpose than to play a game of political chicken. It’s certainly not good for the people of New Jersey.
Perhaps one would do best to understand the full issue happening in NJ, although on a blog about DC I’m not sure how that goes.
Methinks that the current budget stalemate due to the Assembly not even attempting to bring forth a new budget, or address any of the now two immense compromises offered by the Governors office. Which of course is now moot because a budget deal has been reached, a game of chicken, which frankly worked. No doubt necessary with a state as far in debt as New Jersey and an Assembly committed to continuing to fatten their pockets.