We, the undersigned New Hampshire residents, urge the legislature to pass legislation requiring host community agreements for casinos in our state.
Unlike virtually every other state with legalized gaming, New Hampshire currently provides no mechanism for municipalities to recover the significant costs casinos impose on their communities. Local taxpayers are left shouldering the burden of increased demands on infrastructure, police and fire departments, emergency medical services, and the social services needed to address addiction, homelessness, and related impacts.
Host community agreements are a fair and proven solution. They ensure that casinos contribute directly to the communities they affect, rather than shifting costs onto local residents and municipal budgets.
We call on our legislators to act now and implement host community agreements for New Hampshire casinos. Our communities deserve the same protections and resources that every other gaming state already provides.