Backers of a casino bill are making last ditch efforts before Wednesday’s scheduled vote in the New Hampshire House.
The latest approach: a recent court ruling that challenges a tax on hospitals.
Representative Tom Schamberg, a Democrat from Wilmot, says gambling revenue could help fund a $185 million gap in the budget following a superior court decision declaring the Medicaid Enhancement Tax unconstitutional.
“Circumstances have changed, and we need to be mindful of what is lost and what is at stake if we don’t move towards budget adjustments right now,” says Schamberg.
Schamberg says the additional funding could also support social services in the state.
But opponents argue casinos would harm the state’s image and fall short of revenue estimates.
The Senate has already passed the bill.
The House voted down a single-casino bill last month by a 30-vote margin.
