The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1941-03-19
MORE ABOUT
REVENUE


of revenue from gambling, | at
tempted to make an estimate of the
probable revenue which the MILLION
DOLLAR GAMBLING BILL III. S
No. 1851 would bring. Taking the
schedule which the authors wrote into
the bill and the probable number of
places which would seek a license,
arrived at a total of $43,35000 which
the state would derive from HOUSE
licenses. Now let us look at the pro-
visions of the bill which would per-
NIT the several counties to derive
ing these newly legalized enterprises.
The wire" rooms, or as more COM
monty known, pool rooms; would be
required to pay the sum of $1,000 per
day when they are in operation. AS
Stunning that there are 300 racing days
in each year, that would make $4,000
for each place. There is no reason
to assume that more than one place
would be required in any of the cities
of the first or second class to transact
all of the business in that particular
line, so we will take these six cities
and multiply this number by $4,000
which would give us the sum of $751;
900 more for the state Golfers. There
is a provision for taxing horse races
1917 of the total purses paid, but as
there are few horse races in Montana
and the prizes are small the sum in
volved here is nil. Dog races, how
ever are taxed $500 per day which
would make the sum derived from
this source also negligible as they
could not operate under this handicap.
BEANO, BINGO, etc. would be
taxed $4,000 per year for each seat.
We will assume that there would be
Il of these places licensed throughout
he state with an average seating
of 100. My calculations
show returns from this source of $24,-
100. | base my estimate on the num-
1er of places on the following facts;
hat the returns from these enter
)rises are so exorbitantly large to
heir owners, that after continued OPP |
,ration for an extended period, there
would not be enough money left in |
Montana to enable even this number |
O operate longer. In fact they might |
III vanish, due to having taken al of |
he cream.
Adding this amount to those de- |
lived from wire" rooms and house"
licenses we have the grand sum of
$4,000 which would go to the state.
The various counties are empow-
red to tax up to 500 of the amount
t the state tax to be equally appor-
Toned, one-half to the county and the
ther half to the city within whose
orders these places are being oper-
ted. That would make $42,675 to be
ivided equally, or 21,387.50 for the
ounties and like sum for the cities.
low then, it is barely possible that
lany counties will not have licensed
ambling, but to make my point clear,
re will force half of them to take 1t.
dividing the vast 90 sum of SILL
$3.50 among twenty-eight counties
nd like sum among twenty-eight
tiles will give each of them less than
| 900 which will be far below the
0st of policing the various premises.
Furthermore, the bill bars bank ]
lights, cash clubs, etc. as being lot
,ries, but attempts to legalize base !
all pools, beano and bingo, although II
ie Constitution of Montana is very
1ecific on that point, Cart. XIX, Sec. II
which reads as follows: THE Leg /
lative Assembly shall have no power [
authorize lotteries. or gift enter I
Uses for any purpose, and shall pass Ii
WIS to prohibit the sale OF lottery /
gift enterprise tickets in this Z
ate" 10
Article XIX, Sec. gives in full the h
Lth of office which all elective offic- :
8 of the state of Montana are re-
tired to take before assuming their
tiles. 1t may be that ALL members q
the Legislative Assembly do not :.
Ike this solemn obligation lightly. u
Even though the bill is interspersed =
it'll sections to safeguard the gam :
ing public; some wag evidently !
ought that additional precautions ?
ere necessary before the ordinary !,
dividual could cope with the profess :,
onal gamesters. Hence the intro :
ction of the following resolution:
RESOLUTION NO. q
by ...-.-..-..--.--.-.--.... A
A resolution to the Governor of
ontana, the honorable members of is
e state board of education, the SUI o.
of public instruction, the u
incipals of all the various high y
hools public and otherwise, the W
of all institutions of higher
lrning in Montana urging of extend ST
z the education of Montanas youth Fl
certain fields of endeavor now be- p
2 legislated into our state econo- q
2; suggesting the means of meeting