The Jersey City mayor today visited Atlantic City and met with city leaders and residents.
Mayor Steve Fulop is expressing some new hesitance to support an expansion of casino gaming into northern New Jersey, after spending more than a year touting the idea as a way to boost the economy and create new jobs.
Fulop visited Atlantic City today to talk to city officials and residents about the impact of casinos on the city and has come away much more pessimistic about the positive benefits of a casino in Jersey City, he said.
"I'm not so sure today that this is in the best interest of our city," he told The Jersey Journal in a phone interview today.
Voters in November will decide whether the state constitution should be changed to allow casino gaming outside of Atlantic City. One proposed location has been a lot near Liberty State Park, and Fulop has been supportive of the idea as recently as last month.
Today, Fulop said his discussions with Atlantic City leaders -- he met today with its council president, Marty Small -- and residents have cooled him to the idea of a Jersey City casino. It's not clear anymore that casinos can bring an economic boost and jobs without bringing along crime and broken promises of economic development, he said.
He said he will spend the next few weeks mulling it over and will announce before November whether he still supports casino expansion. If he decides not to, he told the media in Atlantic City today, he will campaign against the referendum.
"I'm not reluctant to say that sometimes I make a mistake and my position can change based on new information," he told The Jersey Journal.
Recent polling on the casino expansion idea has revealed residents statewide are generally split on the issue, though more voters disapprove. A March Rutgers-Eagleton poll found 49 percent of New Jerseyans think casino gambling should remain limited to Atlantic City, up 6 percentage points from a previous poll, while 44 percent believe it should be allowed elsewhere.
Matt Hale, who teaches political science at Seton Hall University, said politicians generally get into trouble when they appear to change their core beliefs. Gov. Chris Christie's presidential run was hurt by perceived changes in his beliefs on abortion, gun control and immigration, Hale noted.
Fulop's position on casinos doesn't rise to that level, he said.
"On the other hand, North Jersey construction unions like casinos and if Fulop abandons them that could spell trouble," Hale said.
Fulop is expected to seek the Democratic nomination for governor next year. He has courted union support statewide.
It's not clear whether more North Jersey Democrats will begin to shift their position on casino expansion. Assemblyman Raj Mukherji, D-Jersey City, a Fulop ally, said he remains in support, though he left himself wiggle room to come down against one in Jersey City specifically.
"I believe to keep New Jersey's gaming industry viable and recapture the billions in gaming revenue we have lost to neighboring states, casino expansion to North Jersey is necessary," Mukherji said. "As to where they should be located if the voters approve it, ultimately local mayors and citizens are best equipped to weigh the potential jobs and economic impact against other factors. I have faith that whatever Mayor Fulop decides will be best for our city."
Terrence T. McDonald may be reached at tmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @terrencemcd. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.