Pierce pushes for slots at AZ racetracks

Phoenix, AZ - May 13, 2011 - Arizona Senate Majority Whip Steve Pierce, R-Prescott, wants the Legislature to consider allowing slot machines and other types of gaming into horse and dog tracks as a way to boost revenue. Pierce penned this opinion piece on the idea, which has the backing of Turf Paradise and other race tracks:

This past session was one that had many interesting turns. We created the Arizona Commerce Authority, which makes the state more competitive in bringing new businesses to the state and expanding existing ones. We passed a package of tax cuts, phasing down the corporate income tax, eliminating payroll and property taxes for Arizona companies selling products out-of-state, and cutting property taxes for Arizonans. We passed the first balanced budget in five years, saved the state’s retirement system, saw demonstrations with the now infamous bullhorn, and made cuts, cuts, and more cuts.

For the third year, these cuts were significant. The Legislature’s primary mission is to pass a balanced budget, and we finally did it with no gimmicks, no new rollovers, and no new borrowing.

I believe we have to continue to make reforms that make the state leaner and more efficient, and this session has given us a great start. Now, we need to start looking for additional revenues.

Because the Republican caucuses in both the Senate and the House believe that raising taxes is not an option, we have to look toward new sources. So, what might those be?

One source of revenue we could look at is the concept of racinos, an idea that has been brought up and discussed heavily within our Legislature in the past. Never before did we want to consider the expansion of gaming in the state. However, times have changed and drastic situations call upon us to reconsider this issue. Our economy is in shambles and the state debt is catastrophic. We owe $1.1 billion on a mortgage of the Capitol, another $1 billion in education rollovers, and yet another $1 billion in the state’s deficit. How will we ever be able to rebuild our infrastructure, our parks, fund education, and keep AHCCCS alive without looking for other sources of revenue? We have to find more funding for Arizona without damaging our frail economy, and we should consider gaming as a means to do this. Recent studies show that with the implementation of racinos, we could make close to $300 million for the state’s General Fund in the first year alone, and could grow to $1 billion/year in the next few years.

Some naysayers claim that we should not permit gambling in Arizona. Clearly, they are not aware that we already allow it. For example, you can buy lottery tickets in the DES cafeteria right now. Take a drive down just about any major freeway and eventually you will see the enormous casinos on which the Indian tribes now have a monopoly...


Read more: Phoenix Business Journal