New Jersey residents have already been fighting hawaii’s push to allow two casinos to be built inside their northern counties, but a recent poll shows that the numbers are actually starting to shift away from opposition and towards help.

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

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

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

Atlantic City Bankruptcy

The problem in deciding whether two casinos should be allowed to be built throughout the Hudson River from Manhattan is twofold.

Lawmakers in New Jersey are looking for new sources of revenue to fund expenditures and escalating debt. 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.

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

‘ The governor is not going to ask the taxpayers to carry on to be enablers in this waste and abuse,’ Christie spokesman Kevin Roberts said.

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

To file for bankruptcy, their state legislature and Christie would need to accept the action, which seems very unlikely.

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

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 taxation overpayments. Permitting the town to seek bankruptcy relief would allow Atlantic City to pay for only pennies on the dollar on those debts.

Spend Money to Lose Money

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

The problem, at minimum within the minds of state lawmakers, is that regional officials have done small to overhaul investing and adjust to the changing market.

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

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

It’s shaping up to become a rather exciting governmental year in New Jersey. Come November, not only will citizens into the Garden State perhaps see their governor while the Republican nominee for president (although that still looks like a shot that is long this juncture), they will also likely be faced with a number of decisions to make regarding exactly how to rescue, or perhaps bid adieu, to Atlantic City while they’ve known it for decades.