Tax breaks for casinos in Mississippi proposed
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By Gene Koprowski
Posted: 2008/03/27
A bill giving tax breaks to casinos to build non-gambling amenities passed the Mississippi state Senate this week, essentially assuring that it will become law soon.

 
The state House of Representatives had earlier passed its own version of the legislation.
 
Proposed by Rep. Diane Peranich (D-Pass Christian), the legislation provides tax breaks to casinos that invest more than $10 million on non-gambling developments, and covers "theme parks, water parks, cultural or historical centers, motor speedways or other large, non-gambling tourist attractions."
 
The bill also provides incentives for hotel investments of more than $40 million, as well as golf courses with investments of more than $10 million.
 
The Senate amended the House's version of the bill and the two will have to agree to the changes before it is signed into law by Gov. Haley Barbour (R).
 
Senate Tourism Chairwoman Lydia Chassaniol (R-Winona) said she was thrilled the bill passed both houses.  She said the expansion of gambling is "really an economic issue."
 
Sen. Billy Hewes (R-Gulfport), Sen. Tommy Gollott (R-Biloxi), and Sen. David Baria (D-Bay St. Louis), backed the bill in the Senate.
 
Casinos are driving the recovery from Hurricane Katrina and are pumping out some $250 million in state tax revenue each year, experts say.
 
The bill allows a casino to recoup up to 30 percent of the project's value over a 10-year period, by giving it access to a percentage of the sales tax the project creates. Coast senators said the incentives would likely cause "much investment" on attractions in the state from casino groups.
 
Some senators said they don't believe casinos are interested in building other attractions to keep people out of the casinos, but others said that he and many South Mississippians go to casinos to eat or see shows and never gamble.
 
"People can buy Playboy for the interviews, too," said Sen. Gary Jackson, (R-Kilmichael) who is also a Baptist pastor.

The Senate vote Wednesday was 34-16 and the only member of Mississippi's delegation, who lives in the southern part of the Southern state, to vote against the measure was Sen. Billy Hudson (R-Purvis).
 
In addition to the legalized casinos in Mississippi, there are a number of American Indian tribes that operate as sovereign nations and do not have to adhere to state law, and which have an array of casino properties, according to experts.

© Copyright 2008 Online Casino Crawler This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.





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