Gaming taxes up $1 million
Pub Date: 1/1/2007
First quarter Fiscal Year (FY) 2007 video gaming tax collections (July-September, 2006), released in mid-December, show the gaming business continues to increase tax payments to the state.
Quarterly tax collections came at just a tick under $15 million, totalling $14,989.052 and up almost $1 million. This compares to the $13,993,833 collected in the same quarter last year, and is up 7.11 percent.
Gaming business authorities have attributed the positive numbers to a robust state economy as well as to a heightened pace seen in equipment upgrades. The newest machines are considered advanced in terms of bonus options, graphic and audio quality and ergonomics, and are said by their manufacturers to yield much more entertainment for the player dollar.
Gaming machines yielded $56.9 million in tax revenue last year representing a substantial relief to payers of other types of taxes such as property and income taxes. Since 1990, video gaming has produced over $600 million in taxes collected.
Billings led the way by producing $177,533 more in taxes for the first quarter of FY 2007 than it did the previous year, up 7.85 percent. A total of $2,438,575 was collected in Billings. Missoula's booming economy yielded a $108,000 increase, up 9.7 percent to $1,229,290.
But that percentage increase was topped by Bozeman where tax collections were up $62,0863 or 14.3 percent to $502,590, yet neighboring Belgrade increased gaming taxes by $36,065 for a gain of 19.15 percent to $224,425.
Helena exceeded the previous year by $58,493 or 8.51 percent, sending the state $776,341. While Great Falls gaming machines produced $1,303,207, second only to Billings, its collections were disappointingly down $1,132.
Butte-Silver Bow machines produced $830,949 in first quarter taxes, up $51,217 or 6.55 percent. Kalispell saw its taxes increase $53,143 to $630,028 or 9.21 percent.
Havre machines generated $309,228 or $33,166 more than the same quarter last year, up 12.01 percent. Hamilton added $277,105 to state coffers, a gain of $29,206 or 11.78 percent. Miles City collected $236,165, up $20,437 or 9.47 percent. Sidney machines produced $192,298, up $12,024 or 6.67 percent.
A number of smaller communities saw gaming machine taxes decrease, including Broadview, East Helena, Three Forks, West Yellowstone, Grass Range, Bridger, Dodson, Richey, Brockton, Culbertson, Froid and Poplar.
Also seeing declines were Big Sandy, Geraldine, Kevin, Hardin, Melstone, Sheridan, Deer Lodge, Colstrip, Outlook, Westby, Plains, Thompson Falls, Flaxville, Baker, Big Timber, Ekalaka, Chester, Livingston, Wibaux, Ryegate, Superior and Troy.
The biggest percentage gain was seen by Powder River County, whose FY 2007 first quarter taxes collected were $250, but that beats by 13,057 percent the $2 it collected in 2006.
Source: The Montana Tavern Times, Feb., 2007, published monthly by Continental Communications, 125 W. Granite St., Suite 102, Butte, MT 59701.