Share
Casinos in Nevada pay one of the nation’s lowest tax rates on their gaming revenue. That might change in the near future if the results of a poll regarding a Nevada casino tax increase are accurate.
The or lack thereof might ultimately prove a moot point, however. The state’s court system could have as much say as voters, as it will likely decide whether they even see the issue on the ballot this fall.
Poll shows for Nevada casino tax increase
Recently, the Nevada Independent and OH Predictive Insights conducted an online survey of ed voters in NV last month. According to Jacob Solis of the Independent, a ballot measure to hike the casino tax rate went over quite well.
A group of 755 respondents chimed in on the proposal. 59% of them said they would vote for it. Another 25% said they would vote against it and a further 16% of the people who participated said they were unsure.
The poll has not shared any demographic information. For that reason, it’s hard to tell whether the 755 respondents truly represent an accurate sampling of the state’s voter base. If it is, though, that suggests a likely success for the proposal.
The ballot measure came from one of the teacher unions in the state, the Clark County Education Association. The proposal would raise the rate by 3%, or from 6.75% to 9.75%. The funds from the increase would go to augment public education dollars.
The labor organization that pushed for the ballot measure has since withdrawn its . Thus, as popular as the idea might be, that’s all it might ever be. That is unless the current NV Secretary of State gets her way.
Withdrawn may not mean withdrawn measures
Last year, the NV legislature put more funding for education in the state’s current budget by raising taxes on the mining industry in the state. That satiated the CCEA, and since then, neither party has taken any action on the measure.
The NV Secretary of State, Barbara Cegavske, is trying to resuscitate the ballot measure. She has challenged the constitutionality of withdrawing the CCEA’s petitions. Ultimately, the state’s Supreme Court might decide whether the withdrawal followed the proper procedure.
If it does make it to the ballot, it’s unclear which way the CCEA will try to sway voters. While it has formally withdrawn its petitions, it might not begrudge even more funding. Additionally, this poll suggests it would be a popular policy.
It’s true that NV casinos have it easy as far as tax rates go compared to their counterparts in the rest of the country, but few other casino landscapes see such fierce competition within such small radii.
If NV casinos don’t want to see their tax rates increase, their best hope might be for this measure to never see the ballot. Polling suggests it will by a wide margin.
