The City Council of Cathedral City voted take no separate City position but to affirm the position of the League of California Cities Board of Directors on Propositions 26 and 27 at the Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2022, City Council meeting.
The League of California Cities Board of Directors gathered for a two-day board meeting in July to review progress on the 2022 State Action Agenda, vote on ballot measures, and consider recommendations to further the organization’s governance work.
The League of California Cities voted to take a neutral position on Proposition 26, the California Sports Wagering Regulation and Unlawful Enforcement Act. This ballot measure would legalize in-person sports wagering on tribal lands and specific horse racing tracks and allow roulette and dice games at tribal casinos. It would also impose a new 10% state tax on horse racing tracks based upon daily sports wagers.
Additionally, the Board voted to oppose Proposition 27, the California Legalize Sports Betting and Revenue for Homelessness Prevention Fund, for several reasons: It jeopardizes local tax revenues, fails to ensure that all California cities receive funding to address homelessness, lacks proper enforcement mechanisms commensurate with the substantial increase in virtual sports wagering, and creates an unlevel playing field between existing cardrooms and new market participants.
This proposed measure would authorize online sports wagering in California upon the payment of a multimillion-dollar licensing fee and periodic renewal fees. It would also impose taxes payable to the state, some of which would be required to be allocated to the Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention Program.
To learn more about the League of California Cities, please visit https://www.calcities.org/.
