IMPORTANT
NOTICE!!!!
There is a gaming
committee hearing scheduled at the State Capitol, room 112, 8:30 AM, Wednesday,
June 6th. This is a meeting which can determine the future of a Revenue
Bill which will impact our industry. Representative Lou Lang has
asked that we have as many horsemen in attendance as possible in order to
impress upon the committee members the importance of the Legislation.
Please make every effort "to be there" and encourage others to
attend. WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE !!!
LEGISLATIVE
NOTES 5/31/07
HB25 did "pass" on the Senate Floor late Thursday
evening. Your IHHA was able to effect several changes which were
beneficial to our industry. This bill provides for impact fees (payments)
from existing and all new casinos/riverboats into harness purses, using
best available estimates, as follows:
Years (1)
(2)
(3) and forward
$13-14
million
$16-18 million
$25 million +
# All payments to begin IMMEDIATELY upon
signing of bill
# Recapture to be ELIMINATED IMMEDIATELY upon signing
of bill.
This bill will be sent on to the
LEGISLATIVE NOTES 5/29/07
Your IHHA, lobbyists, and friends are working with Legislation in
attempting to create a fair and equitable gaming bill which
provides maximum benefit to our members. We will only support a
vote for a bill which includes ELIMINATION
OF RECAPTURE, PROTECTION OF LIVE RACING, SIGNIFICANT
ADDITIONAL DOLLARS FOR PURSES and other issues of concern to our members and
industry. Senate Bill 11 is the current vehicle which is
being considered, and we (Your IHHA) have given testimony
indicating that amendment is needed in order to cause it to be workable and
acceptable. We are working with leadership in both houses and the track operators to be certain all our issues are properly
addressed.
LEGISLATIVE NOTES
05/17/07
HB0950 did pass the Senate (now has passed both chambers)
today and awaits the governor's signature to be enacted into Law. This
HB0950 "provides that the tax exemption for certain registered
horses....that are used for breeding or racing...are exempt from the Act's
sunset provision and that the exemption apples for all periods beginning
Your IHHA is continuing its' efforts in working towards
fair and equitable gaming legislation and is maintaining a strong presence in
IMPORTANT NEWS
Text of comments presented to Gaming Committee meeting, Rep. Lou Lang, Chairman.
RE:
ADDITIONAL LIMITED GAMING, APRIL 13, 2007
As
need continues for new revenues to fund vital projects in Illinois,
particularly education and health welfare, the Illinois Harness Horsemen’s
Association believes that a viable solution is through additional limited
gaming (slots) at existing facilities, either riverboats or race tracks, or
both..
Electronic
wagering machines, slots, are a natural outgrowth of pari-mutuel wagering that
already occurs throughout
The
benefits are obvious. Direct revenue for the State’s many needed programs
is generated and a small portion of that revenue saves and preserves an
industry vital to the agricultural economy of Illinois; from the veterinarians
and caretakers who provide for these equine athletes, the farmers who grow our
feed, the so many others employed in our industry, we represent the more than
40,000 legitimate business people and employees involved in various aspects of
this important industry, with an investment of probably more than $5 billion
dollars in the State of Illinois looking to achieve a fair and reasonable
return on investment and continued job security. To place an additional burden
on the State’s welfare system through allowing the steady decline of this
agribusiness and its’ loss of jobs is unconscionable.
Incredibly,
Illinois has continued to neglect this valuable economic engine and has caused
a continuing outflow of prominent stables, horses, owners, drivers, and jockeys
to those more progressive states that have recognized the importance of their
agricultural industries and have implemented the plans to save an
industry! These states are capturing untold hundred of millions of
dollars that belong in
Since
1983, when racetracks and horsemen shared equally in revenues generated by
wagering on horse races, the law has been changed several times to the sole
benefit of the race tracks. Between 1983 and 2005, the race tracks
received $820 million dollars more from generated handle than was
allowed to the horsemen ! !
In
an attempt to assist the industry, a 1995 amendment to the Horse Racing
Act was enacted allowing for simulcasting
of complete race programs. Along with this
amendment, ‘recapture” was created to offset any diverse effects to the race
tracks. Its desired effects were not realized and the race tracks have benefited by more than 130 million dollars ! ! from this provision of the law, at the expense of
the horsemen . Although a 1999 amendment provided that the
horsemen be held harmless for this drastic reduction in purse account
revenue, and that the “General Assembly shall appropriate sufficient
funds from the General Revenue Fund to the Department of Agriculture for
payment…..” of monies to the
racetracks, this provision of the law was ignored and horsemen have had to bear
the full burden of this inequity. To date, we, the horsemen, are owed more than $100 million dollars in unappropriated recapture reimbursement by the State.
In
this time of tighter and tighter revenue streams available to the State,
passage of this essential and helpful legislation will enable Governor
Blagojevich and our other elected officials to better serve their
constituents and fill the budgetary gaps, and, preserve and protect the welfare
of the more than 40,000 people involved in our
industry.
Of
paramount importance is, of course, the preservation of live racing in Illinois
which translates in jobs, jobs, jobs, and that individual horsemen, not the
wealthy track owners and entertainment corporations, derive fair and maximum
benefit of any new revenue from proposed new legislation in this area.. Our
members of the
We
urge all of our concerned elected officials to do what is necessary and right
to help all
George
Illinois
Harness Horsemen’s Association