New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has been cited as saying as saying that he would like to save the state's horse racing industry, but not with the use of state funds

.

In a report by nj.com, Christie also makes reference to the NJ Democratic Senators' proposal to save the state's gaming industry which was unveiled two days ago.

"I want horse racing to continue in New Jersey," the report quoted Christie as saying. "If there’s a model that doesn’t require government money, I’m sure we’ll be able to work it out. I appreciate the proposal the Democrats made. I think there’s a lot of similarities between the two (the Democats' proposal and the Hanson Report) and we’ll be able to work it out."

The nj.com article also contains a video report focusing on Christie and Atlantic City. Christie and Atlantic City residents offer very frank comments in the video, which has been embedded below.

"The northern part of the state has benefitted -- I think at times disproportionately -- from that CRDA (Casino Reinvestment Development Authority) money that was generated here (Atlantic City)," Christie said.

He went on to say, "For the most part in the last 30 years we've been a monopoly. We've been a monopoly on the east coast, and that monopoly has led us at times to be lazy, and to not adjust to the word that was changing around us."

In regard to making Atlantic City an attractive tourist/gaming destination once again, Christie took a shot at Las Vegas. "Nobody in their right mind wants to be in Las Vegas in July -- nobody," he said. "We need to have people coming here, where they would want to be."

In the video, a pair of Atlantic City residents -- with their personal opinions -- called a spade a spade.

"Atlantic City had the golden goose -- the goose that laid the golden egg, and they failed on it," Viola Craig, a resident of Atlantic City, said. "If you come over the parkway you think you've been somewhere that's been bombed. If you're not on the walkway, [and you] get down a couple of blocks and it looks like the devil's."

"This boardwalk used to be safe -- any time, day or night," said Atlantic City resident Terre Johns. "You never felt afraid to walk on the boardwalk and now you do. That has to change."

(With files from nj.com)

Related Story

• NJ Democratic Senators Announce Proposal For State Gaming Industry