Dan Carden, Times of Northwest Indiana
INDIANAPOLIS | Sometime soon, the Indiana House is likely to see a gaming free-for-all with amendment proposals and votes that could split the political parties and cut across usually aligned interest groups.
With only one gaming-related proposal still alive as the 2010 General Assembly nears its end, representatives have only until Wednesday to convince the full House that their proposals should be included in Senate Bill 405.
State Rep. Charlie Brown, D-Gary, wants a land-based casino for Gary in the final version of the legislation. Brown said he has been working with House allies to write an amendment that can attract enough support to be approved.
The Majestic Star at Buffington Harbor in Gary currently operates on two state gaming licenses. State Sen. Earline Rogers, D-Gary, said the Majestic Star could continue to operate a Lake Michigan casino on one of those licenses while also being allowed to open an inland casino elsewhere in Gary on the other license.
Other possibilities include having the Majestic Star return one of its licenses to the state in exchange for land-based gaming or allowing all Indiana riverboat casinos to go land-based after paying a $50 million fee.
However, Gary lawmakers are not alone in seeking changes to Senate Bill 405. Racino owners want a fix for what they call "double taxation," where casino revenue that's paid directly to horsemen is included in the total revenue used to calculate the taxes a racino pays the state.
The Casino Association of Indiana, made of up 12 Indiana casinos, wants the state to re-examine its entire casino taxing structure. Executive Director Mike Smith told a House committee last week that Indiana casinos "pay the highest taxes in the country."
Even Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller has an interest in the legislation. Zoeller wants the state to require disclosure of how money paid by casinos to local governments or other agencies through local development agreements is being spent.
How state representatives may ultimately vote on any or all of these possible proposed amendments is anyone's guess.
State Rep. Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis, the Republican leader, said he can't predict how members of his party will vote. They will each individually have to consider their districts, their needs and the good of the state, Bosma said.
"My encouragement to members of our caucus was to think about it, struggle over the decision over the weekend and seek local advice," Bosma said. "I haven't made my own mind up, honestly, yet."
If the House does approve a land-based casino for Gary, or any of the other possible changes, representatives and senators would meet in a conference committee to work out differences in the two versions of the legislation. That process could include stripping out the House changes to satisfy recalcitrant senators.