McCullough vows to join jitney groups' casino fight

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Casino news source: Press of Atlantic City - http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com

McCullough vows to join jitney groups' casino fight
By PETE McALEER Statehouse Bureau, (609) 292-4935
Published: Friday, August 17, 2007

State Sen. James "Sonny" McCullough jumped into the battle between jitney operators and Harrah's Entertainment on Thursday, vowing to introduce legislation that would prevent casino companies from offering free transportation to customers.

McCullough's bill would mirror legislation introduced in January by Assemblyman Jeff Van Drew, D-Cape May, Cumberland, Atlantic, that bars owners of three or more Atlantic City casinos from providing shuttle service between their businesses. McCullough, R-Atlantic, questioned whether Van Drew was trying to move his bill, noting that he had not sought a Senate sponsor and was not able to get it scheduled for a hearing.

"The Jitney Association came to me feeling like they had exhausted all their avenues," McCullough said. McCullough called the competition from casinos "unfair" and said it would destroy the livelihood of jitney workers.

Jitney Association President Manny Mathioudakis said his group last met with Harrah's about six weeks ago.

"I appreciate what Sonny McCullough is doing and also Jeff Van Drew, because he started the whole thing from the beginning," Mathioudakis said. "Hopefully, everybody will come together. This is really hurting the Jitney Association and all of Atlantic City."

Van Drew said the focus of his legislation was to get Harrah's to the bargaining table.

"This is a heavy lift, and it is going to be an exceedingly heavy lift for the freshman senator," Van Drew said, noting he had several meetings with Harrah's and the Jitney Association. "There is, quite frankly, limited support for this legislation. We all need to work together."

Also in the fray is McCullough's opponent, Assemblyman Jim Whelan, D-Atlantic, who said he plans to meet with executives from Harrah's next week in hopes of brokering a deal.

"I'm not sure what the solution is," Whelan said. "Hopefully, we can come to a resolution that both sides can live with without legislation. If we can't, then maybe we'll have to do legislation. Clearly, we have to protect the jitneys. The jitneys move an awful lot of people who go to work every day in this town. They've been unsubsidized mass transit for 100 years, and their view is this will have a Draconian impact on their bottom line."

A Harrah's representative said the company had not heard from McCullough on the jitney issue. "We are disappointed that the senator did not seek to meet with us to hear both sides of the story," spokeswoman Alyce Parker said.

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