Nevada budget deficit

Gaming regulators seemed to float the idea of lowering the minimum gambling age from 21 to 18 at a recent conference.  In a move that could boost gaming revenues, we would be the first state to help close the budget deficit by introducing young adults to wagering.  

Such a move would require a legislative change in the next session and the signature of the Governor.

One irony of the move is that a gambling age of 18 would allow high school seniors to help pay for their own high school education with gaming losses.

Always on the front lines of the news, Jon Ralston is reporting in his blog that State Treasurer Kate Marshall has found the $20 Million in cuts to get them to that needed $900 million mark.

The letter from Marshall to the Governor is posted on Ralston's blog:

http://www.lasvegassun.com/blogs/ralstons-flash/

AP's Brendan Riley is reporting that Gov. Gibbons' chief counsel, Josh Hicks, has been working with the staff of Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto in order to soften the impact of a Supreme Court hearing that could push the $900 million budget deficit closer to $1 billion.

The court ruling opens a tax loophole that makes complimentary food provided to customers and employees non-taxable.

The timing on this could not be worse for the Governor, but his quick action to reach across party lines for a solution may keep the budget deficit under $1 billion.