Clark County teacher's union files petition to raise gaming taxes for more school funding
LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — On Monday evening, News 3 was the only crew present as the Clark County Education Association (CCEA) filed an initiative to raise taxes on the valley area gaming industry.
"It's going to raise about $350 million more a year into the state revenue," said CCEA Executive Director John Vellardita.
Currently, for non-restricted licensees, the state collects just over 6.75 percent monthly on any gross gaming revenue over $134,000. The petition requests to raise the tax percentage to 9.75 percent for any monthly revenue of over $250,000.
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The CCEA says right now, Nevada has the lowest gaming taxes in the nation, and even if the increase happens, we'd still be the lowest.
"I think it's time for gaming to up the ante themselves and pay a bigger share," said CCSD elementary school teacher Robert Hollowood.
The 3% increase would not apply to restricted licensees, for example, establishments with 15 or fewer slot machines won't be impacted.
"I'm a life-long Las Vegas native and I’ve seen our schools and our state services be chronically underfunded my whole lifetime, and I’m here to see that change," said Hollowood.
The CCEA tells us the extra money would go to the state’s general fund, and then a portion of it would go toward helping fund the Clark County School District.
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"The process is one where if it gathers enough signatures which is what we expect, it'll go before the Nevada legislative session in 2021. If they act on it then it becomes law, if they don't it gets kicked to the voters in 2022 and we expect the voters to support this on a very significant high margin," Vellardita explained.
The union also says they also plan to present a second petition for a tax increase later this week. They claim the two initiatives combined would amount to more than $1 Billion, which would go toward the state's K-12 education system.