TALLAHASSEE · Legislators on Tuesday came up with a new twist in how millions of dollars of taxes
on gambling profits may be distributed if Broward and Miami-Dade county voters give the go-ahead to
Las Vegas-style slots.
Instead of going directly into public schools, the money could go to programs as diverse as
private-school vouchers and the state's new pre-kindergarten program that begins this fall. But the
talks are just beginning and it's a reminder that, going into the March 8 referendum, South Florida
voters will have no concrete idea how the tax money will finally be spent.
Amendment 4, approved last November by state voters, promised that any tax money would
"supplement" public education.
A massive advertising campaign by proponents suggested slots could raise more than $400 million for
the public schools in the first year. And the general impression left with voters was that the money
would likely be divided among the state's 67 school districts on a per-student basis.
But that may not be how it works out.
"The amendment said to `supplement,' and we need to get creative," said Rep. Frank Attkisson,
R-Kissimmee, chairman of the House Business Regulation Committee, where the House version of
the slots legislation will originate. "Why wouldn't we want to look at supplemental programs?"
Among the possibilities: enhancements to the voucher and the Bright Futures college scholarship
programs; financial rewards for the state's best-performing schools; teacher pay incentives; funding
for the voter-mandated universal pre-kindergarten for all Florida 4-year-olds.
"One of the goals I have is that this Legislature does not get criticized for doing what the lottery did in
the early years," said Attkisson.
When voters approved the lottery in the mid-1980s, the extra money it raised was supposed to
supplement public-school programs. But legislators instead took the money and used it to replace
other tax dollars that had been funding education. Only in recent years have legislators funneled
lottery proceeds into enhancement programs such as the Bright Futures scholarships.
Senate Regulated Industries Chairman Dennis Jones said he believes the important thing is to get the
money into school-related programs, but that decision on the Senate side will likely be made by a
budget committee, not his.
"As long as it goes to education, I can't say pre-kindergarten is any better than funding teacher
salaries that will put us into the upper quartile," said Jones, R-Treasure Island.
If the slots referendums pass, Attkisson would like to see the state set up a trust fund to collect taxes
raised off the machines and establish broad categories for funding. Then the Legislature in 2006 could
decide exactly where to put the money.
If voters approve the slots referendums, both committees are expected to have bills developed in the
early part of the legislative session, which begins March 8. The bills will dictate how the state should
regulate the machines, how many hours and days they can operate, and at what rate the state should
tax them.
Jim Horne, a former state education commissioner who has become the leading spokesman for the
slots proponents, said he hopes state legislators do something that aligns with what the voters
expected.
"Clearly the voters feel these dollars will be distributed in a fair and equitable way," he said.