Slots & Taxes: What our legislators are saying (part 8)

(Posted 2 Nov 2007)

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Companies rail against tax package; Combined reporting, hikes in sales and income levies will drive businesses out of state, some say.
Gazette, 2 Nov 2007 (Shay).

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But that total could rise to as much as $58 million annually if the corporate tax rate is increased 14 percent, from 7 percent to 8 percent, said Sen. Paul G. Pinsky (D-Dist. 22) of University Park, an advocate of combined reporting.
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Clergy lobbies against slots; Referendum could result in the gambling machines coming to Laurel Park.
Gazette, 1 Nov 2007 (Izadi).

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‘‘The Laurel racetrack is one of the most likely locations,” Sen. Jim Rosapepe (D-Dist. 1) of College Park told a group of residents during Laurel Mayor Craig Moe’s Oct. 24 town hall meeting.

At the meeting, Rosapepe asked who was for and against a slots bill. The room was almost evenly split, as it was during a West Laurel Civic Association meeting a week earlier. But Rosapepe asked a third question at that meeting: Who didn’t care one way or another, and some residents raised their hands.

‘‘There are really three positions,” he said. ‘‘A number of people don’t care.”
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Any slots bill is likely to include funds to help gambling addicts and address other potential problems that slots could bring, Rosapepe said. If the bill ‘‘is going to protect Laurel,” he said he could vote for it, although he said it’s likely to pass the Senate if it gets there.