Florida slots committee turns tense

A Florida legislative committee discussing a passed proposal that would lower the tax rate on slot machines at racetracks in the state turned contentious and eventually led to the senator who sponsored the bill storming out of the meeting.

Senate Democratic leader Steve Geller drafted the bill that would reduce the tax rate from 50 percent to 35 percent. The bill was earlier passed by the Senate Finance and Tax Committee, but Geller objected that the bill he proposed wasn’t drafted properly, which led to confusion and his anger.  

According to reports, Geller’s plan has the seven pari-mutuel racetracks in Broward and Miami-Dade counties guaranteeing the state about $41 million yearly. However, if one site makes more money and can pay more in taxes, while another generates less money, the latter could use the surplus of the former to compensate for what it owes. That track would still at some time pay its share to the state.

Geller says his plan would guarantee approximately $287 million a year by 2012. He said his bill would prompt the remaining pari-mutuel sites in the two counties that don’t have slots to install them quicker since they would have a lower tax rate.

The one senator that voted against the bill said she objected because the amendment was a hand-written one and filed the morning of the meeting. Sen. Ronda Storms also said the amendment was too difficult to understand, noting that one gambling lobbyist for Gulfstream Park even voiced his objection.

« Back