Sales tax, gambling questions on ballot in November

vote graphicBy MIKE WILLIAMS

Patriot Publishing

Two local referendums will await voters on the ballot in November.

According to Leann Phillips, Director of Elections and General Registrar for the county, both her office and the Virginia Board of Elections have received the court orders requesting the addition of the two questions to be on the ballot.

Voters in the town of Pulaski will be able to vote on both – the much-discussed sales tax question and the also much-discussed offtrack pari-mutuel wagering question.

Voters outside the town will only be able to vote on the sales tax issue.

The Pulaski County Board of Supervisors last month approved a resolution requesting the Circuit Court to order a referendum on a 1 percent sales tax.

According to State Code, money raised by the tax is required to be used only for school capital projects (construction or renovation) of county schools.

Presently, the sales tax charged in Pulaski County is 5.3 percent. Of that amount, 4.3 percent goes to the state and 1 percent goes to the county.

The tax will expire on June 30, 2046.

The exact wording of the pari-mutuel question is:

“Offtrack Pari-Mutuel Wagering

Shall pari-mutuel wagering be permitted in the Town of

Pulaski at satellite facilities in accordance with Chapter 29 (§

59.1-364 et seq.) of Title 59.1 of the Code of Virginia?

( ) Yes

( ) No”

Passage of this question is necessary if the town is to become another location in Virginia for a Rosie’s Gaming Emporium.

Rosie’s Gaming Emporium is a subsidiary of Churchill Downs Inc., which is headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky. Churchill Downs Inc.  is best known as the home of the world-famous Kentucky Derby.

Rosie’s currently has eight locations in Virginia including New Kent, Vinton, Richmond, Hampton, Collinsville, Emporia, The Rose Gaming Resort and the new Roseshire Gaming Parlor in Henrico.

Phillips noted that November’s ballot promises to be long as there are three State Constitutional Amendment questions on the ballot as well.

Also on the ballot is the races for U.S. Senate and U.S. House as well as Pulaski and Dublin Town Council races.

According to TheBallotBrief.com website, here is the wording for the three statewide ballot questions and what yes and no votes mean:

1 – Remove Constitutional Same-Sex Marriage Ban Amendment

Repeal the provision defining marriage as between one man and one woman and prohibit the state from denying a marriage license to two adult persons based on sex, gender, or race.

A yes vote

Supports repealing the constitutional provision defining marriage as between one man and one woman and prohibiting denial of a marriage license to two adults based on sex, gender, or race.

A no vote

Keeps the constitution’s current language on marriage.

(YES supports this change · NO keeps current law)

 

2 – Right to Reproductive Freedom Amendment

Constitutional amendment

Provide a state constitutional right to reproductive freedom, defined as “the right to make and effectuate one’s own decisions about all matters related to one’s pregnancy”

A yes vote

Supports adding a state constitutional right to reproductive freedom, defined as the right to make and effectuate one’s own decisions about all matters related to one’s pregnancy.

A no vote

Leaves the constitution unchanged on this subject.

(YES supports this change · NO keeps current law)

 

3 – Voting Rights Restoration for Felons Upon Release Amendment

Constitutional amendment

Provide that persons convicted of felonies have their voting rights restored upon release from incarceration

A yes vote

Supports restoring voting rights to persons convicted of felonies upon their release from incarceration.

A no vote

Keeps the current process for restoring voting rights.

(YES supports this change · NO keeps current law)