Letter: Revenue from state builds casinos in China

Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2007 | 7:26 a.m.

On the front page of the Las Vegas Sun on Oct. 10, MGM Mirage Chief Executive Terry Lanni stated this about the teachers union proposal to raise the gaming tax: "That would be a big mistake for this state ... It would drive investment out of Nevada."

What does he mean, drive investment out of Nevada? Who is building those lavish casinos in China? I'm sure it's not the Chinese. It is a sham.

The people who gamble in the Nevada casinos might as well just write out a check and send it to Lanni and have him deposit it in the account that says China Casinos, because, as I see it, that's where the money from Nevada is going.

These casino operators should, as the old proverb states, take the bull by the horns and want to increase taxes only if it is "guaranteed" to benefit the schools. It would be a feather in their cap.

But, as with all the public entities, if the increase does happen, someone in Carson City will find a way to divert it to the administrative people and not to the teachers and students who most desperately need it, and we'll be back at first base.

So, Mr. Lanni, take the bull by the horns and persuade your fellow CEOs to back a tax that will be equitable to the casinos as well as the people of Nevada and keep the money here in Nevada.

Jim Cencer, Overton