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State Representative Mike Benson
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-4378
For more information contact: Jason Wenisch 651-296-2317
NEWS RELEASE
LAWMAKERS UNHAPPY WITH DECISION TO EXPAND GAMBLING TO PAY FOR VIKINGS STADIUM
ST. PAUL - With a vote on a new Vikings stadium likely to take place in both the Minnesota House and Senate in the coming days, a number of state lawmakers are blasting the decision to expand gambling in Minnesota in order to cover the state’s portion of proposed construction costs.
“I strongly support the Vikings staying in Minnesota, and I support building a new stadium, but there are ways to accomplish this goal without turning to gambling proceeds,” said State Representative Mike Benson (R-Rochester). “With thousands of Minnesotans already devastated from the social impacts of gambling, why would we want to exacerbate this problem?”
“In addition to the costs to our state by expanding gambling, the Commissioner of Finance has testified that this is a regressive tax,” said State Senator David Hann (R-Eden Prairie). “Paying for a professional football stadium with a tax on those least able to afford it is a terrible idea.”
Money from electronic pull tabs, electronic bingo and tipboard games would be used to pay the state’s $398 million share of the stadium cost, and the bill author states $42 million per year would be needed to pay debt service on the bonds. Some lawmakers say this could result in 25,000 new gambling devices being placed in our neighborhoods.
Benson said there are a number of other ways to pay for the state’s share of stadium costs, and is disappointed those revenue streams are being ignored.
“As a society, we need to ask ourselves if we really want to introduce a new generation of Minnesotans to the addiction of gambling,” Benson concluded.
News Items
- LAWMAKERS UNHAPPY WITH DECISION TO EXPAND GAMBLING TO PAY FOR VIKINGS STADIUM - (Posted: 2012-04-26 00:00:00)
- REP. BENSON: VOTER IDENTIFICATION DECISION NOW BELONGS TO MINNESOTA VOTERS - (Posted: 2012-04-05 00:00:00)
- REP. BENSON DISAPPOINTED WITH COMMISSIONER’S DECISION TO RELEASE CONVICTED PEDOPHILE - (Posted: 2012-02-08 00:00:00)
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