Big Challenges... Real Solutions
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Texans are spending several billion dollars a year right across our state’s border in New Mexico, Oklahoma and Louisiana.
Big Challenges
For a number of years, Texas has been the best place in the country to invest capital, create jobs and realize the American dream. That distinction once went to the East coast, and later to the West coast. Even one of the worst global economic downturns in history cannot stop the optimism that is Texas. Texas’ success was not an accident, and our state will not stay on top without meeting the many challenges that it faces. Nobody wants to grow government or raise taxes. Everybody wants great schools and affordable college tuition for our children. We all know that we need a transportation infrastructure equal to the goods and services the Texas economic engine produces. The Texas of tomorrow will be largely defined by how well we balance these and many other interests.
Real Solutions
Economic growth and job creation are the most direct ways to meet our state’s challenges. Our proposal for a limited number of destination resort casinos means many thousands of high paying jobs, increased tourism, billions in new capital investment, along with a state and local tax revenue stream to help keep Texas competitive. Texans are already spending many billions of dollars on gaming each year. Much of it is going out-of-state and paying for other states’ public schools and highways. Casino parking lots right across our borders in Oklahoma and Louisiana are full of Texas vehicles. Texans are gambling over the Internet and at tens of thousands of illegal (and untaxed) eight-liner machines all across the state. We want to capture all this activity, regulate it, and make sure that Texas benefits from it.
Our Plan
Authorize a limited number of destination resort casinos. Places a constitutional amendment before Texas voters that would authorize up to eight destination resort casinos, and an additional eight licenses for slots at Texas tracks.
Lower school property tax rates. Dedicates money generated by a tax on gaming revenues to the Property Tax Relief Fund, helping to ensure that the legislature keeps the promise of lower local property tax rates.
Fund the TEXAS Grant College Scholarship Program. Dedicates other tax streams generated directly from these gaming facilities to fund college scholarships through the TEXAS Grant Program.
Allows three Indian casinos. Each of the three recognized Indian tribes in Texas would be able to operate a gaming facility on their tribal lands in accordance with state and federal law.
Our Goals
Let the voters decide. Our democratic system trusts the voters to elect legislators to serve in Austin who will enact their will. Poll after poll shows that as many as 85% of our state’s voters want to vote on the expansion of gaming. We should trust them to make the right choice.
Provide at least a billion dollars in state revenue for the upcoming biennium to help the state balance its budget. This would be mostly in the form of up-front fees from the companies winning the licenses to operate facilities.
Don’t feed the beast. Spend the revenues that are generated in a way that does not grow government, but instead lowers taxes and helps Texas remain competitive.
Create tens of thousands of direct jobs in the new gaming facilities. These are good jobs, with career paths, high salaries and benefits. And, they won’t cost the state one penny in incentives.
Require competition for the gaming licenses. Competition, not entitlement, is what will generate the greatest economic impact and benefit for the public. No one is automatically entitled to anything under this proposal, and anyone can compete.
Keep Texas dollars in Texas. World-class destination resort facilities will not only bring Texas gaming dollars back from adjoining states, but will significantly increase the flow of convention and tourism dollars into Texas.