New Jersey Legislature introduces casino relief bills, but Atlantic City lawmakers have concerns Michelle Brunetti Post, Press of Atlantic City · May 6, 2020 at 6:58 am Assemblymen Vince Mazzeo and John Armato, D-Atlantic, have major concerns about casino relief legislation introduced Monday by leading Democrats, saying the bills will divert funds from programs needed by the community. Mazzeo and Armato were not part of the group that created the bills with Senate President Steve Sweeney, D-Gloucester, Cumberland, Salem, even though they are of the same party and their district includes Atlantic City. And in an unusual twist, State Sen. Chris Brown, R-Atlantic, was part of the creation of the legislation, working across the aisle. The bills, designed to help casinos survive the COVID-19 pandemic, would give casinos temporary relief from a variety of taxes and fees, and offer state loans to cover their May and August payments in lieu of property taxes to Atlantic City.
