New Jersey slots campaign needs you

A statewide grassroots campaign in New Jersey to get video lottery terminals installed at Meadowlands Racetrack continues to chug along, and its organizers are asking for financial help from horsemen.

The next step in the campaign is a series of radio ads across Garden State stations, which is scheduled to begin Monday, April 26. Campaign organizer Mike Gulotta is asking those with an interest in saving the Meadowlands and New Jersey harness racing to contribute to TrotPAC, harness racing’s political action committee in New Jersey. TrotPAC’s website www.trotpac.com.

The goal is to raise at least $60,000 in contributions to cover the entire cost of the ad campaign. Two ads -- at 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. -- will run on 11 New Jersey radio stations Monday through Friday, for a total of 440 ads over four weeks. The ads will highlight state tax revenue the slots will provide, jobs that will be added and instances in neighboring states that have benefitted from expanded gaming.

The upcoming radio campaign comes on the heels of a proposal made earlier this week by a group of casino industry executives to put $600 million in the upcoming state budget in exchange for installing 5,000 video lottery terminals -- and taking over track operations -- at the Meadowlands.

“The proposal is getting a lot of press,” Gulotta said. “We want to make the people of New Jersey aware of all the benefits of putting a casino facility at the Meadowlands, so we can compete with our neighbors in New York, Delaware and Pennsylvania.”