We call on lawmakers to provide meaningful tax relief for Minnesota charities. Our posts pay more in taxes than they give to the charities they support, which leaves less revenue for us to support our communities. Last year, The American Legion Department of Minnesota worked with lawmakers on a bill (HF 2000, SF1949) that would have dedicated a percentage of legal sports betting state tax revenue to provide rebates to charitable gambling operations. The bill died in the final hours of the 2024 session. We commend the authors for the progress they made last year, as it brought us closer than we have been in more than a decade to getting much needed tax cuts. Let’s get this measure across the finish line in 2025. We support lawful purpose expansion to 50 percent of annual gambling revenue for Congressionally chartered veterans service organizations to complete much needed capital repairs for our aging buildings, as part of the sports begging bill. We also ask for an increased amount posts can spend on meals recognizing veterans. The $5,000 annual cap on how much posts can spend from gambling for meals held in recognition of military service is no longer reasonable. This amount was set by the Legislature in 2002. It is MS 349.12, Subd. 25(17).  We feel this figure should be $15,000 so that it meets modern day cost of meals for present and future needs. Let’s do right by our veterans and make this simple change.