Should Casinos Lift their Restrictions on Gamblers?

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - In Missouri, there are three additional propositions.

Proposition A lifts the $500 dollar loss limits at riverboat casinos.

Casinos say lifting restrictions on gamblers will draw more business to the area, make them competitive with Kansas casinos that will have no betting limits.

Casinos will be taxed at a higher rate. Casinos say the $105 million dollars more in money will go to benefit Missouri schools.

"We have hundreds of teachers and administrators across the stare that are part of the coalition to get it passed. When you think about it, it makes it critically important to the state of Missouri and over a billion dollars can be raised over the next decade,” Ameristar's Vice President Troy Stremming said.

But opponents say, “Only 19 cents of every dollar will be distributed. That means the increase in school funding is only one dollar 76 cents per student per month.”

When weighed against the harms of a massive expansion, it becomes clear why a "no" is justified.

Missouri voters will make the decision on three propositions listed below in the ballot box.

Proposition A

Shall Missouri law be amended to:

repeal the current individual maximum loss limit for gambling;
prohibit any future loss limits;
require identification to enter the gambling area only if necessary to establish that an individual is at least 21 years old;
restrict the number of casinos to those already built or being built;
increase the casino gambling tax from 20% to 21%;
create a new specific education fund from gambling tax proceeds generated as a result of this measure called the “Schools First Elementary and Secondary Education Improvement Fund”; and
require annual audits of this new fund?

State governmental entities will receive an estimated $105.1 to $130.0 million annually for elementary and secondary education, and $5.0 to $7.0 million annually for higher education, early childhood development, veterans, and other programs. Local governmental entities receiving gambling boat tax and fee revenues will receive an estimated $18.1 to $19.0 million annually.

Proposition B

Shall Missouri law be amended to enable the elderly and Missourians with disabilities to continue living independently in their homes by creating the Missouri Quality Homecare Council to ensure the availability of quality home care services under the Medicaid program by recruiting, training, and stabilizing the home care workforce?

The exact cost of this proposal to state governmental entities is unknown, but is estimated to exceed $510,560 annually. Additional costs for training are possible. Matching federal funds, if available, could reduce state costs. It is estimated there would be no costs or savings to local governmental entities.

Proposition C

Shall Missouri law be amended to require investor-owned electric utilities to generate or purchase electricity from renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, biomass and hydropower with the renewable energy sources equaling at least 2% of retail sales by 2011 increasing incrementally to at least 15% by 2021, including at least 2% from solar energy; and restricting to no more than 1% any rate increase to consumers for this renewable energy?

The estimated direct cost to state governmental entities is $395,183. It is estimated there are no direct costs or savings to local governmental entities. However, indirect costs may be incurred by state and local governmental entities if the proposal results in increased electricity retail rates.