Nebraska voters decided 6 ballot measures yesterday and all 6 of them passed by comfortable margins.
Decades of efforts to open the state up for casino gambling finally paid off for supporters as Measure 429, a constitutional amendment allowing casinos at licensed horse tracks passed 65-35.
Two companion measures that needed 429 to pass also passed. Measure 430, creating a gaming commission to oversee gambling, also got 65% while 431, a 20% tax on gambling revenue, got 69%.
70% of the gambling tax money is earmarked for property tax relief with 25% going to the city and/or county of the race track, and 2.5% each for the state general fund and the Compulsive Gamblers Assistance Fund.
Also on the ballot by petition was Measure 428, capping the fee and interest rate for payday loans at 36%. It cruised to a big victory with 83% support.
Two constitutional amendments sent to the voters by the Legislature and both passed.
Amendment 1 removes a little-known provision allowing slavery or involuntary servitude as a punishment for those convicted of crimes. It passed with 68%.
Amendment 2 extends the maximum repayment period for TIF – tax-increment financing – bonds from 15 years to 20 years in areas designated at extremely blighted. It got 61%.