The leading Republican at the statehouse is threatening new taxes for Iowa’sland-based casinos if they press their court case with the state. Thissummer, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled the state could no longer tax theracetracks in Altoona, Council Bluffs and Dubuque at a higher rate than theriverboats. Now, the tracks are suing for the extra taxes they paid since1997. House Speaker-elect Christopher Rants of Sioux City says if thecasinos win, he’ll look for a way to collect that money in new taxes. Rantssays legislators can be “pretty creative” and might consider taxing squarefootage or even the number of machines in the casinos. Rants is from SiouxCity, a river town with a riverboat casino. Rants says he has nothingagainst the racetrack/casinos, but he insists he won’t let the state sufferin order to pay some casinos back taxes.Rants says education or humanservice programs shouldn’t have to “feel the pinch” if the casinos insist onbeing paid back. Rants says he’s angry the casinos are asking for $100MILLION when the state should be spending that money on other priorities.Rants says the racetrack casinos agreed to the higher taxes years ago inreturn for the legislature’s approval of slot machines at the tracks. Rantsaccuses the tracks of “being greedy” and he says the legislature willretaliate with more taxes on the tracks if the tracks win their latestgo-round in court…………
