Senate committee to discuss casino pilot bill Monday
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A bill to remove sports and internet gaming figures from casino payment in lieu of taxes calculations and to cut the 2022 PILOT payment to $110 million will be discussed in a Senate committee Monday.
Sponsored by state Senate President Steve Sweeney, it is the Senate version (S4007) of a bill sponsored by Assemblyman John Armato, D-Atlantic, introduced in May to great concern from Atlantic County officials who said it would hurt taxpayers.
“We will obviously end up back in court,” County Executive Dennis Levinson said in response to Sweeney’s bill moving in the Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee. “I’m going to fight for the taxpayer.”
PILOT payments are shared with Atlantic County and the local school district.
According to the bill text, the changes are intended to prevent financial difficulties for casinos as they rebound from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Once again, the casino industry interests are being placed before those of the hard-working middle class families and retirees of Atlantic County,” said state Sen. Vince Polistina, R-Atlantic. “A last-minute push to try and sneak this bill in is exactly what was attempted in May and is a prime example of the type of legislators the voters rejected on Nov. 2.”
Sweeney was voted out of office after 18 years but has weeks of a lame duck legislative session to push through bills he favors. His office declined to comment.
