Getting into the highlights of Christie’s State of the State

Sweeney’s announcement comes after the New Jersey Legislature green-lighted a new measure that calls for Atlantic City’s casinos to pay more money to the state instead of paying so much in taxes.

Proponents of new casinos say expanding casino gaming will recapture gambling revenue lost to neighboring states while creating millions of dollars in new investment and thousands of new jobs in the state.

Christie’s involvement should come in handy. It didn’t directly pander to national Republican primary voters.

“That’s what this is all about”, said Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee Chairman Paul Sarlo (D-Bergen).

New Jersey lawmakers hit the brakes on a ballot question regarding a legislative redistricting plan but are moving forward with proposals to ask voters to weigh in on casinos in northern New Jersey, paying for public pensions and using every cent of fuel taxes for transportation.

Under Assembly Speaker Prieto’s bill, only one of the new facilities should have been run by an operator that had already introduced its services within the state border.

The Senate president also said “that might have been fine in the heyday when casinos were booming and money was no object, but you can’t expect the state of New Jersey to step in when there’s decisions that have to be made locally first, there’s going to be a solution one way or another”.

Christie defended his time in office, highlighting the state’s achievements, but his approval rating is at an all time low.

But the movement on the casino-expansion proposal was to many the biggest development of the day.

“Addiction is an illness and is something we can beat”, Christie said.

Despite Monday’s announcement, north Jersey casinos still face a significant obstacle. Ultimately, Sweeney said he agreed with including that requirement.

About 40 percent of the 79,000 people in need of substance abuse treatment in New Jersey in 2014 didn’t get it, according to state estimates.

New Jersey foreclosure starts in the quarter were down 28 percent from a year ago, but scheduled foreclosure auctions increased 61 percent, and bank repossessions jumped 351 percent. “The amendment would allow certain persons to apply first for a casino license”.

“New Jersey’s best days do in fact lie ahead of it”, Christie says in the video preview. Each casino is to be located in a town that is at least 72 miles from Atlantic City. “To me, it’s all about compromise”.

Several other states have proposed similar measures, and the smoking age has already been raised to 21 in New York City.

“It’s like you have a house in foreclosure and you’re sitting on a pile of cash with assets you don’t want to sell”, he said.

Sen. Sweeney’s bill was passed by the Senate on Monday.

Christie said even at the time, he opposed taxpayer funding of Planned Parenthood, even though he sought a county office as a pro-choice Republican.

But it’s unclear when lawmakers will be able to work with the governor next on that issue and others as he now resumes a busy campaign in advance of upcoming votes in the key states of Iowa and New Hampshire.