E-Tab Letter to Senate
April 15, 2010Dear Minnesota Representative,
Again this year there is a discussion on how to address the state deficit. Regardless of how you felt about Governor Pawlenty's 2009 use of un-allotment, there was then and now an option for a different revenue source. Legislation that converts paper pull-tabs to electronic pull-tabs (only in sites that currently have paper pull-tabs) will bring over one billion dollars per biennium into the Minnesota state budget.
This one billion dollars is above and beyond millions of dollars in additional sales taxes (by businesses that pay 100% of sales tax to the state), thousands of new jobs, income taxes from 3,000 businesses throughout the state, and 200 million dollars per biennium to Minnesota Charities.
Additional casinos will not enhance revenue for small businesses in Minnesota or Minnesota's hospitality industry.
Did you know that in 2009, Oregon (a state with nine Native American casinos and 69% of the population of Minnesota) transferred $571,000,000 after all expenses to its general fund? Applying this same formula to our state's population, it would mean generating 1.64 billion dollars per biennium for Minnesota.
Whether your major interests are education, health & human services, state infra-structure, retaining the Minnesota Vikings, or no increase in taxes, there is a revenue choice – electronic pull-tabs.
Please feel free to call me with any questions.