I think there are approximately 1,200 licensed charitable gambling organizations in the state of Minnesota. During the year of 2017 these organizations paid to the state $70 million in tax revenue. Of the $70 million I believe approximately $30 million went to pay for the new stadium. Some of these organizations paid as high as 50 percent taxes on the money they raised and many paid 32 percent. Most of them pay higher taxes then most corporations in the state. I am a board member of the Ideal Community Service Organization and I think we pay approximately 32 percent and we are a small operation that helps fund many area organizations that need our help. We help area food shelves, high school trap shooting, college scholarships for area high school grads, area fire and police, Boy Scouts and many other organizations that need funds to help the community. The state is taxing these organizations to death and some are ceasing to exist when they send more funds to the state than to their communities. These organizations helped build the new stadium and are paying a higher rate of taxes than the billionaire Wilf brothers who own the Vikings. Please help us and contact your area legislators who represent you in St. Paul and let them know what these organizations do for your community and to help reduce their tax burden. If things don't change we won't be here to help the communities, and for sure the state or the Wilf brothers won't fund the food shelves and other organizations that need this revenue to exist.
Ron Engblom
Breezy Point
