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State Sen. Vince Polistina, R-Atlantic, speaks with labor union members rallying against smoking in casinos Wednesday at his office in Egg Harbor Township.
State Sen. Vince Polistina, back right, talks with Pete Naccarelli, foreground, about workers’ desire to ban smoking in the Atlantic City casinos.
William Douville holds a sign in support of the United Auto Workers union during the rally Wednesday at Sen. Vince Polistina’s office in Egg Harbor Township.
EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP — Saying he still supports their efforts to end indoor smoking in Atlantic City casinos, state Sen. Vince Polistina invited activists to rally inside his office instead of outside in frigid temperatures Wednesday.
Members of a local United Auto Workers union representing casino dealers and the group Casino Employees Against Smoking’s Effects were there to tell Polistina how disappointed they were that he is drafting a compromise bill rather than continuing to push for passage of a blanket smoking ban.
“You want to build smoking rooms to be staffed by volunteers,” said Pete Naccarelli, a dealer of 27 years who works at Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa. “We are going to be ‘voluntold’ to go in.”
Several experienced dealers told Polistina that casinos will manipulate workers to staff smoking rooms, especially by targeting immigrants and younger people afraid to say no, and by arranging part-timers’ schedules so people who won’t work them will not get hours.
“I was with you from the start … stood with you at the rallies, stood with you in Trenton,” Polistina said. “I agree with the fact that we should not have smoking in any indoor facility anywhere in the state of New Jersey.”
The casino smoking ban bill (S264/A2151) had been set for hearings in November and December before the Senate Health Committee but was removed for lack of support, even though the majority of members had at one time co-sponsored it.
The casino industry opposes a smoking ban, saying it would lose customers and revenue if smoking were banned while still being allowed in casinos in nearby states.
The Casino Association of New Jersey has said the impact of a smoking ban could be 20% to 25% of casino revenue being lost, according to a statement released in March.

State lawmakers are considering moving on legislation to end smoking in the resort’s casinos during their lame-duck session.
A Stockton University poll found 62% of New Jerseyans favor such a ban.
If the original bill is reintroduced and comes up for a vote during the current legislative session, which got underway this month, he will still vote for it, Polistina said. But he said support in the Democrat-dominated Legislature evaporated during the lame duck session this fall.
Currently, smoking is permitted on 25% of a casino floor in Atlantic City.
“Knowing we lost a huge segment of the Legislature, particularly the South Jersey Democratic delegation … I was still trying to get to a point where we can eliminate smoking on the casino floor,” Polistina said of the proposed compromise bill, which has not yet been introduced.
The rally attendees repeatedly said they will not support a compromise, but Beverly Perna Quinn, president of UAW Local 88 at Tropicana Atlantic City, said she would support building an open-air smoking room separate from the casino, with no slots or table games in it and no staff entering it.
“We get training once a year to identify compulsive gamblers,” Perna Quinn said, adding they are more likely than others to commit suicide after losing a lot of money. “One sign is they never leave the table.”
They also are more likely to be smokers, she said.

“If they (legislators) care about humanity, about people instead of money, they would say these are the people who need help,” Perna Quinn said.

With a bill to ban smoking in casinos seemingly stalled in the Legislature, state Sen. Vince Polistina said Wednesday he plans to propose a new bill he said would not ban smoking but would remove casino workers from secondhand smoke exposure.
Pausing for five to 10 minutes to smoke may help a compulsive gambler break the addiction long enough to regain control, she said.
“You say we lost, but what’s this loser mentality?” Naccarelli asked Polistina. “You’re our representative. We want you to say, ‘We are going to pass this thing. Let’s get it done.’”
There is still enough support to give the bill another try, Naccarelli said, but if there is a compromise bill competing with it, some of that support will move to the compromise.
“These are people who put pregnant women and a guy with cancer on a smoking table,” said one attendee. “They do not care. They have no empathy.”
Perna Quinn said her casino would not allow dealers to open a craps game an hour late to attend a co-worker’s funeral.
“I have to believe people have empathy,” Polistina countered. “They just believe the economic rationale.”
Casino lobbyists have told legislators that casinos will close and jobs will be lost, Polistina said, and lawmakers believe them.
“Bring them into a room like this and let them hear people’s stories,” said Carolyn Rush, a Democrat running to challenge U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-2nd.

The candidates for state Senate and Assembly in the 2nd District debated Thursday night at Stockton University and stayed civil with each other even as they argued over allegedly unfair political ads and their accomplishments.
Polistina said the lack of a united message from Atlantic City has also hurt the cause.
“When you have Local 54 on one side and the UAW on the other, the mayor (Marty Small Sr.) on one side and me on the other, people throw their hands up,” Polistina said.
Small and Local 54, which represents cocktail waitresses and back-of-the-house staff, do not support the smoking ban.
UAW represents dealers and has joined with CEASE to support the smoking ban.
Perna Quinn said no one has polled cocktail servers, who have told her they favor a smoking ban.
After the meeting, Polistina said he would consider what he heard but still thinks some type of compromise will be needed to get a bill to pass.
On January 17, 2024, in Egg Harbor Township at the offices of the Second Legislative District, State Senator Vince Polistina speaks with labor union members from various unions rallying in support of casino workers seeking to end smoking in casinos.
On January 17, 2024, in Egg Harbor Township at the offices of the Second Legislative District, State Senator Vince Polistina listens to complaints about Atlantic City city ordinances by William Douville, who was rallying with fellow union members in support of casino workers seeking to end smoking in casinos.
On January 17, 2024, in Egg Harbor Township at the offices of the Second Legislative District, State Senator Vince Polistina listens as Pete Naccarelli, who has worked in the casino industry for 27 years, begs the Senator to do more to help create a permanent smoking ban in the casinos.
On January 17, 2024, in Egg Harbor Township at the offices of the Second Legislative District, Tropicana worker and President of Local 88, Beverly Perna Quinn states what she is hearing from State Senator Vince Polistina is that no changes are going to happen unless comprises are made during a labor union rally supporting casino workers seeking to end smoking in casinos.
State Sen. Vince Polistina, back right, talks with Pete Naccarelli, foreground, about workers’ desire to ban smoking in the Atlantic City casinos.
William Douville holds a sign in support of the United Auto Workers union during the rally Wednesday at Sen. Vince Polistina’s office in Egg Harbor Township.
On January 17, 2024, in Egg Harbor Township at the offices of the Second Legislative District, State Senator Vince Polistina speaks with labor union members from various unions rallying in support of casino workers seeking to end smoking in casinos.
On January 17, 2024, in Egg Harbor Township at the offices of the Second Legislative District, UAW International Representative Patrick Astor speaking with State Senator Vince Polistina during a labor union rally supporting casino workers seeking to end smoking in casinos.
On January 17, 2024, in Egg Harbor Township at the offices of the Second Legislative District, UAW representatives Sharon Masino and Assistant Director for Region 9 Raymond Jensen Jr. speaking with State Senator Vince Polistina during a labor union rally supporting casino workers seeking to end smoking in casinos.
On January 17, 2024, in Egg Harbor Township at the offices of the Second Legislative District, UAW International Representative Patrick Ashton speaking with State Senator Vince Polistina during a labor union rally supporting casino workers seeking to end smoking in casinos.
On January 17, 2024, in Egg Harbor Township at the offices of the Second Legislative District, State Senator Vince Polistina speaks with labor union members from various unions rallying in support of casino workers seeking to end smoking in casinos.
On January 17, 2024, in Egg Harbor Township at the offices of the Second Legislative District, State Senator Vince Polistina speaks with labor union members from various unions rallying in support of casino workers seeking to end smoking in casinos.
On January 17, 2024, in Egg Harbor Township at the offices of the Second Legislative District, State Senator Vince Polistina speaks with labor union members from various unions rallying in support of casino workers seeking to end smoking in casinos.
On January 17, 2024, in Egg Harbor Township at the offices of the Second Legislative District, State Senator Vince Polistina speaks with labor union members from various unions rallying in support of casino workers seeking to end smoking in casinos.
On January 17, 2024, in Egg Harbor Township at the offices of the Second Legislative District, State Senator Vince Polistina speaks with labor union members from various unions rallying in support of casino workers seeking to end smoking in casinos.
On January 17, 2024, in Egg Harbor Township at the offices of the Second Legislative District, State Senator Vince Polistina speaks with labor union members from various unions rallying in support of casino workers seeking to end smoking in casinos.
On January 17, 2024, in Egg Harbor Township at the offices of the Second Legislative District, UAW International Representative Patrick Ashton speaking with State Senator Vince Polistina during a labor union rally supporting casino workers seeking to end smoking in casinos.
State Sen. Vince Polistina, R-Atlantic, speaks with labor union members rallying against smoking in casinos Wednesday at his office in Egg Harbor Township.
On January 17, 2024, in Egg Harbor Township at the offices of the Second Legislative District, State Senator Vince Polistina speaks with labor union members from various unions rallying in support of casino workers seeking to end smoking in casinos.
REPORTER: Michelle Brunetti Post
609-841-2895
mpost@pressofac.com
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State Sen. Vince Polistina, R-Atlantic, speaks with labor union members rallying against smoking in casinos Wednesday at his office in Egg Harbor Township.
State Sen. Vince Polistina, back right, talks with Pete Naccarelli, foreground, about workers’ desire to ban smoking in the Atlantic City casinos.
William Douville holds a sign in support of the United Auto Workers union during the rally Wednesday at Sen. Vince Polistina’s office in Egg Harbor Township.
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