N.J. voters to decide on use of veterans groups gambling proceeds

A measure to boost the minimum wage in New Jersey will not be the only question facing voters in the Nov. 5 general election.

Another constitutional amendment would allow veterans organizations to use profits from their raffles and bingo to pay the expenses of such groups.

A constitutional amendment is needed because of strict regulations on gambling in the Garden State.

Veterans organizations in New Jersey now are limited to using proceeds from their games of chance for education, religious, or community programs, said Robert McNulty of the New Jersey Council of the Vietnam Veterans of America.

They need some of the revenue to maintain their buildings, said McNulty, a member of the VFW post in Ventnor.

“We can’t pay for insurance. We can’t do building repairs or maintenance or upgrades. We can’t do utilities,” he said. “So we have to raise additional funds to pay our utilities, to pay our insurance, to do our maintenance and upkeep and so forth.”

Without that ability, McNulty said, some veterans groups might be forced to sell their meeting halls.