If Missouri voters give their blessing, the Show Me State could have a casino near the Lake of the Ozarks. Amendment 5 will be on the election ballot in November, with state proceeds going toward early childhood education.

Proponents, like retired teacher Byron Clemens, said the tax revenue will benefit early childhood education.

“Evidence shows clearly the benefits to individual people,” he told KMOX Radio in St. Louis. “They’re more likely to graduate from high school, less likely to be incarcerated, more likely to have a job, more likely to have advanced education degrees, more likely to have an intact family.”

Clemens said there would be other benefits to the project.

“This also would give some high paying, good jobs in the construction of the casino, the hotel and the convention center,” he said.

There are doubts about the early childhood education promise, after the same thing was said years ago about lottery funds. Also, there’s opposition from the Osage Nation, which plans its own casino in the area.

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