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PS Committee Hearing Transcript for 02/26/2019

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1 February 26, 2019 aa PUBLIC SAFETY AND SECURITY 10:00 a.m. COMMITTEE PUBLIC HEARING CHAIRPERSON: Representative Joe Verrengia SENATORS: Bradley, Champagne, Hwang, Osten, Winfield REPRESENTATIVES: Allie-Brennan, Barry, Camillo, Dauphinais, Fishbein, Fusco, Genga, Hall, Hayes, Morin, Orange, Simmons, Sredzinski, Vail REP. VERRENGIA (20TH): Good morning everyone, and welcome to today’s public hearing of the Public Safety and Security Committee. Before we get started, I am going to refer to the assistant clerk to go over some safety rules. CLERK: All right. In the interest of safety, I would ask you to note the location of access to the exits in this hearing room. The two doors through which you entered the room are the emergency exits and are marked with exit signs. In an emergency, the door behind the legislators can also be used. In the event of an emergency, please walk quickly to the nearest exit. After exiting the room, go to your left and exit the building by the main entrance or follow the exit signs to one of the other exits. Please quickly exit the building and follow any instructions from the Capital police. Do not delay and do not return unless and until you are advised that it is safe to do so. In the event of a lockdown announcement, please remain in the hearing room and stay away from the exit doors until an all clear announcement is heard. 2 February 26, 2019 aa PUBLIC SAFETY AND SECURITY 10:00 a.m. COMMITTEE PUBLIC HEARING REP. VERRENGIA (20TH): Okay. Thank you. And, can I ask that we shut the doors because it’s difficult for us to hear? We are working on an overflow room to accommodate everyone, so the -- the way it’s gonna work today is we are going to reserve the first hour of this hearing for legislators and other public officials, and then after that we will go to the public list, and then we will go back and forth. We have a lot of speakers today, a lot of people signed up. We are going to hold to our time limits of five minutes on the elected officials and three minutes on the list of public officials, and we’re going to hold to that for any opening comments you may have and then followed by any questions or answers. My co-chair, Senator Bradley is -- will be here a little bit late, but he is on his way. He wanted me to convey that to everyone. So, without further ado, the first on the list is Senator Formica. Welcome, Senator. SENATOR FORMICA (20TH): Good morning, Mr. Chairman. REP. VERRENGIA (20TH): Good morning, Senator. Welcome. SENATOR FORMICA (20TH): Senator Osten, Senator Hwang, Representative Sredzinski, members of the Public Safety Committee, good morning. I’m here to testify in support of SB-11, which is AN ACT CONCERNING THE AUTHORIZATION OF A CASINO GAMBLING FACILITY IN EAST WINDSOR, and to testify in support of SB-17, AN ACT AUTHORIZING SPORTS WAGERING, INTERNET GAMBLING, AND INTERNET KENO. Senate Bill 11 seeks to finalize a process to facilitate the opening of the joint venture of East Windsor Casino Project previously approved by a bipartisan majority in the state legislature. That bill had a requirement for the Secretary of the 3 February 26, 2019 aa PUBLIC SAFETY AND SECURITY 10:00 a.m. COMMITTEE PUBLIC HEARING Interior to weigh in regarding their approval, a requirement that SB-11 seeks to remove as unnecessary. This is a Connecticut issue, Connecticut revenues, Connecticut jobs, and politics in Washington shouldn’t play any part in this particular decision. I urge the committee to approve this bill to get Connecticut back to work. The joint venture has spent millions of dollars in preparation of this site, on this project, and should be allowed to complete the construction and open the casino. Senate Bill 17 seeks to provide the two currently operating casinos with more tools by which to compete with our border states with the allowance of sports and internet gambling as well as internet Keno. These are activities that are going on around us and should be a natural addition to our highly successful resort, gaming operations, and will comply with the existing compact. Connecticut needs the jobs. We need the revenue. We need to support our partners in this activity, and both of these bills would provide that, and I urge the committee to act favorably on both SB-17 and SB-11, and I thank you for the opportunity this morning to address you, Sir. REP. VERRENGIA (20TH): Thank you, Senator. Any questions? Senator Osten. SENATOR OSTEN (19TH): Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Thank you very much Senator Formica. Last year we sat side-by-side talking about the MMCT Casino, the joint venture between two tribal nations. Do you have any idea how long the two tribal nations have been here in Connecticut? SENATOR FORMICA (20TH): I happen to do business in that part of the state, and the first casino, the 4 February 26, 2019 aa PUBLIC SAFETY AND SECURITY 10:00 a.m. COMMITTEE PUBLIC HEARING Mashantuckets, arrived somewhere in 1991-92 at a time when Electric Boat was downsizing their facility, and they provided needed jobs to balance off and diversify the economics of Southeastern Connecticut. The Mohegans opened their casino a few years after that. SENATOR OSTEN (19TH): And, that’s about the casino, but even the tribal nations themselves; how long have they been here in Connecticut -- the tribal nations -- as tribal nations pre-casino gambling? SENATOR FORMICA (20TH): I misunderstood your question. My apologies, Senator. Centuries. SENATOR OSTEN (19TH): So, they have been partners with the state of Connecticut since Connecticut’s inception; would it be fair to say that? SENATOR FORMICA (20TH): It would, yes. SENATOR OSTEN (19TH): And, so we have two tribal nations who are used to not being necessarily given the same respect as other areas, so would it be fair to say that they have worked around that and not only does East Connecticut respect it’s tribal nations, it considers them good friends and good partners? SENATOR FORMICA (20TH): I would -- I would agree, and Eastern Connecticut certainly embraces the opportunity and partnership that we have with -- with both of the tribes there. SENATOR OSTEN (19TH): So, I remember in conversation with you that your very profitable business in East Lyme, one of the best restaurants in the area or I might say, is actually received more business as a result of the two gaming institutions; would that be fair to say? 5 February 26, 2019 aa PUBLIC SAFETY AND SECURITY 10:00 a.m. COMMITTEE PUBLIC HEARING SENATOR FORMICA (20TH): Well, I think, you know, the arising tide lifts all boats, and all of Southeast Connecticut is seeing an influx in business as a result of the opportunities that were created first, I think, going way back to the bingo hall and then as the resorts developed, but I think more importantly was the diversification of the economy in Southeastern Connecticut as Electric Boat downsized to about 6000, these groups came up, and we were able to stabilize Southeastern Connecticut, so the entire -- the entire Southeastern and Eastern part of Connecticut have -- have done very well as a result of the trickle-down effect from the economic opportunities provided by these two of the largest resorts in the world. SENATOR OSTEN (19TH): And, you are chair of the tourism caucus; is that true? SENATOR FORMICA (20TH): Yes. SENATOR OSTEN (19TH): And, as chair of the tourism caucus, how has -- how have the gaming institutions impacted tourism in the whole state of Connecticut but Eastern Connecticut in particular? SENATOR FORMICA (20TH): Well, certainly, as the -- the operations grew in the early 90s and began to prosper, it -- it really -- it really alongside Mystic became the tourism destination in Connecticut, and as a result of that, other opportunities grew, and tourism, industry has -- has spread and flourished throughout Connecticut as people became more aware of our great state, and obviously, driving up the two main interstates, 91, 95, people get an awareness of how wonderful this state is, and the tourism caucus that -- that we cofounded a few years ago, which you remember, has worked in a bipartisan manner to support all corners 6 February 26, 2019 aa PUBLIC SAFETY AND SECURITY 10:00 a.m. COMMITTEE PUBLIC HEARING of the state of Connecticut, but we have to identify those main attractions, and certainly, it’s Mystic and these resort casino that are amongst the biggest. SENATOR OSTEN (19TH): So, in addition to the work that has been done on the tourism caucus, which is really a great impact on -- on the state of Connecticut. I believe it’s $3 dollars for every $1 dollar of investment that we can count on in tourism in Eastern Connecticut; is -- is that a fair statement? SENATOR FORMICA (20TH): State dollars invested return $3 dollars in tax revenue to the state for every dollar the state invests. It’s a much higher multiple for businesses and -- and attractions. SENATOR OSTEN (19TH): And, this -- the bill that we have before us today -- both -- both bills are both supported on a bipartisan, bicameral basis; is that true? SENATOR FORMICA (20TH): Yes, they were when they were passed in the legislature last session. SENATOR OSTEN (19TH): And, even this session, we’ve expanded our -- our support of this in a bipartisan, bicameral basis? SENATOR FORMICA (20TH): Yes, the entire Southeastern delegation has been a leader in a bipartisan way and that is spread throughout the legislature.
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