Revive abandoned gaming tax hike

Thomas S. White, Henderson

Wednesday, June 18, 2008 | 2:02 a.m.

Now let’s see if I have this right. The teachers union starts out trying to get the gaming tax raised to make up for the shortfall in the state’s budget for schools. The union collects some signatures but then makes a deal with some casinos to push for a room tax hike instead of a gaming tax hike. The people who sign the petition are left high and dry on raising the gaming tax.

Of course, the casinos argue they cannot afford the tax increase even though they are paying much higher tax rates in other parts of the country. Then we see in Monday’s Las Vegas Sun that the casino executives made many millions in 2007 and that the trend is expected to continue, even with gambling revenues dropping.

Are Nevadans crazy or just out of touch with reality to allow the low gaming tax rate to continue while the state goes into bankruptcy?

Furthermore, tax revenues should be placed in the state’s general fund so they can be used where needed rather than for a specific purpose, which then continues in perpetuity. On this issue I agree with MGM Mirage Chief Executive Terry Lanni, whose position was set forth in Tuesday’s Sun. Let’s fix the tax shortfall by raising the taxes on the businesses who can most afford it — the casinos.