|
|
Posted: 5/12/04
Vandeveer ëpassesí on casino vote
A bill for a White Earth/Red Lake casino that could have placed a casino somewhere along the northwest metro I-94 corridor was rejected by the House Tax Committee by a 13-9 vote on May 6. District 52A Rep. Ray Vandeveer, R-Forest Lake, a tax committee member, ěpassedî or didnít vote on the bill in committee. Rep. Peter Nelson, R-Lindstrom, voted for the bill. Rep. Bill Haas, R-Champlin, the bill author, described the defeat as a setback and said he didnít know why the committee members whose support he was counting on voted against the bill. In committee, Haas styled his metro casino bill as an opportunity to help 32,000 tribal members. It is estimated the tribes could gain $65 million a year apiece with a metro casino. The state was projected to gain $86 million by 2007 in gambling revenue from the casino, with its 20 percent cut of the casinoís net revenue. Later, Vandeveer said the reason he passed is because he personally does not support gambling. However, he wants the tribes to come to the table and talk with the idea of having them contribute revenue to the state. ó T.W. Budig, ECM Capitol Reporter
Top of Page
|
|
