Forthcoming statute law inward MO will offer to growth the state’s cassino admission fee past at to the lowest degree a dollar, with the added revenue sledding to reinforcement veterans’ breast feeding homes.
State Rep. Dave David Lewelyn Wark Griffith (R-Jefferson City) on Mon told the MO Veterans Commission that he will once more innovate legislating inward the President Jefferson City capital letter that seeks to increase the say admittance taxation that the riverboat casinos pay. D. W. Griffith believes it’s time to increase the $2 admission tax, which has remained unchanged since Missourians legalized riverboat gambling through and through a statewide ballot referendum inward 1992.
Griffith, who filed a similar eyeshade during the 2021 legislative session that failed to summon support, says the commonwealth needs to improve fund its vii veterans breast feeding homes. A $1 increase to the gambling casino admittance assess could lift material new revenue.
The admittance fee currently supports the Veterans Commission Capital Improvement Trust Fund, which during the state’s 2023 fiscal year received more than $11.24 million. The accounting entry assess also supports the Missouri River National Guard, scholarship assistance, and the Compulsive Gamblers Fund.
The state’s 21% task levied on gross gaming revenue primarily supports K-12 public education.
Entry Revenue
Casinos don’t straits along the entry fee to their patrons but instead pay off the admittance tax direct to the state. The state’s 13 riverboats counted 14.7 meg sponsor entries inwards FY2023. Entry numbers hold steadily declined o'er the past tense decade, with the boats counting more than 22.2 gazillion admissions inwards 2014.
The Missouri River Gaming Association, which represents the state’s casinos, is opposed to Griffith’s proposal. The merchandise grouping says the increased fare testament resultant inwards reduced working capital advance projects and fewer incentives for players. Staffing levels could also be impacted, the casino interests say.
Griffith says if lawmakers aren’t willing to budge on increasing the $2 fare, another alternative is to legalize sports betting and enjoyment those taxes for veterans’ nursing homes. a bipartizan invoice to allow the state’s riverboats to contain sportsbooks and also partner with online sportsbook platforms stalled earliest this yr after gaining sustenance inward the House.
House Bill 556 passed the get down chamber past a 118-35 vote. But the measure was filibustered by res publica Sen. Denny Hoskins (R-Warrensburg).
Hoskins is supportive of legalizing sports betting but says any further elaboration of gaming in the tell must also include a regulatory fabric for controversial “no-chance” gaming machines that are plebeian inward convenience stores, gaseous state stations, restaurants, and bars.
Hoskins inwards June proclaimed his candidacy for Show Me State secretary of state, but that election isn’t until Nov. 5, 2024, significance he’ll likely ease live inwards the Senate next March when the General Assembly convenes.
Veterans Nursing Home Funding
Missouri operates heptad nursing homes reserved for veterans. The Veterans Commission, a building block of the Missouri River Department of Public Safety, says it’s struggled inward recent years to adequately staff the facilities, which has led to reduced bed counts.
However, the St. Joe Louis Post-Dispatch reports that efforts past Gov. Mike Parson (R) to increment salaries for state employees have got resulted inwards a hiring surge at the nursing homes. Thomas More nurses and medical staffers feature allowed the breast feeding homes to increment their bed matter by nearly 14% since June.
The salary increases feature been I of the largest benefits to our recruiting,” Show Me State Veterans Commission HR Director Paul Imhoff told the media outlet. “We’ve seen some ripe outcomes.”
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