Gambling initiatives in Nebraska excluded from November ballot
Secretary of State Robert B. Evnen’s office found issues with the language of the initiatives
In a press release on Tuesday, Nebraska Secretary of State Robert B. Evnen announced that the three measures taken to legalise casino gambling will not be on the November ballot as the language used in the initiatives was considered “misleading and confusing”.
The initiative would have allowed games of chance only at racetracks; established a Nebraska Gaming Commission to regulate games of chance; and the provisions for property tax relief that would only come into effect if the first initiative expanding gaming was enacted. According to the release, “Evnen found this to be an effort at logrolling, which the Nebraska Supreme Court has repeatedly prohibited.”
“The Constitutional right to bring forward initiative petitions for a vote of the people is fundamental to our state governance and is to be zealously protected… Part of the protection of the right of initiative is to assure that such petitions are neither misleading nor manipulative,” the release reads.
The three measures would have changed Nebraska’s constitution to allow gambling and created two laws to regulate and tax the industry. If passed, some of the tax revenue would be funneled into a state property tax credit.
The executive vice president of the Nebraska Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association, Lynne McNally, supports the gambling petitions, said more than 475,000 signatures were obtained by the group, supporting the changes.
McNally also stated, “The secretary of state specifically is denying Nebraskans their constitutional right to make a decision on this issue.” According to prognoses by supporters of the change, 4,500 new jobs would be created upon the approval of gambling expansion and approximately $300 million per year can be expected as gambling revenue – boosting the state’s coffers with tax revenue.
Governor Pete Ricketts doesn’t support the gambling expansion, as according to him “The fresh tax revenue is not worth given that gambling brings harm in the form of bankruptcies, destroying families and relationships.” And wrote on his column that topic titled “Gambling with Nebraska: A Losing Bet” said “By keeping Nebraska casino-free, our state has minimised the social harms associated with problem gambling,”
Court review of Secretary Evnen’s decision appears likely. The Secretary is required by statute to certify the November ballot by September 11.
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