Proposition 70


My take on Proposition 70 - NO

This is part of my ongoing series of posts on each of the Propositions we'll be voting on. Here is the original post, with my ground rules for evaluating propositions, my scorecard and links to each of my arguments.

Proposition 70 - No

This Prop would lock the Indian gaming tribes into a 99 year contract where they would only have to pay normal business taxes. Furthermore, it would allow them to pay no taxes whatsoever if any non-Indian gambling establishments were allowed in. This would essentially destroy any of the talks that Ahnold was going to have with the tribes, and instead would give them a guarantee that their monopoly would continue and would be taxed at a very low rate. Think about it - taxing a monopoly at the same rate you tax other businesses is a sweet deal for the monopoly.

This just seems like bad policy. Its like trying to do surgery with a sledgehammer, and it completely emasculates any hope of trying to negotiate with the tribes on gambling revenues. We are a cash strapped state, so lopping off a revenue stream seems like a bad idea.

Bottom line: Casinos have a big enough advantage already, we don't need to help them out.

Posted: Mon - November 1, 2004 at 07:50 PM | | | | | | |

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