by Carol Hodes, for the SBOA of New Jersey

Manalapan, NJ — It was not a scientific poll but the majority of those who responded to the question of whether there should be a casino in Bergen County supported the idea, according to the Star-Ledger’s www.nj.com website.

The vote was 61 percent in favor and 39 percent opposed. The site did not disclose how many votes were cast.

“We put the question to NJ.com users last week when the proposal was being discussed, and although there were concerns about traffic and the social impacts of the presence of a casino, many were in favor of it,” the website reported. “More than sixty percent of respondents to our unscientific poll said they supported bringing casino gambling to Bergen County.

“State Sen. Paul Sarlo (D-Wood-Ridge) has been a longtime booster of a Meadowlands-based casino, and New York’s push to expand their gambling footprint has some feeling an increased sense of urgency, but (State Senate President Stephen) Sweeney said he’d reached an agreement with Sarlo to give Atlantic City five more years before bringing casinos elsewhere in the state,” the website noted.