Rep. Scott Pelath wants to take your money and give it to casinos

Why any corporate subsidies? Why subsidies, in particular, for gambling?!

From Lesley Stedman-Weidenbener in the C-J...


All Hoosier casinos...could qualify for state tax breaks during the next four years under legislation the House is set to vote on today.

House Bill 1729 would lower tax rates for the state's two horse track "racinos" and allow the state's other 11 riverboat casinos to deduct some of the dollars they spend on promotions from taxable winnings.

The bill's author, Rep. Scott Pelath, D-Michigan City, said it will give casinos "the tools to be competitive" in a difficult market.

Huh? Why do they need a subsidy any more than other producers? Some supporters say that gambling is a heavily-taxed industry. How about we quit picking winners and have even tax rates for all businesses?

But it isn't clear whether there's sufficient support in the House to approve the measure today -- the last day for the chamber to pass its own bills -- and send it to the Senate....

I hope not!