STATE REVENUE FROM THE 3.5% SIMULCAST TAX CURRENT FISCAL YEAR: OCTOBER 1, 2009-JUNE 6,2010
$4,682,968
This is what Michigan wants to throw away. MUCH NEEDED REVENUE. Well if Michigan doesn’t want it and since Horse Racing generates it. Why are the Thoroughbred Horsemen having to BUY BACK DATES WITH OUR PURSES?
We Generate this money, but as pointed out by the Mi. HBPA we cannot use any of this simulcasting money to fund the rest of our live 2010 racing dates. From 84 days to 3 days. Govenor Granholm who is like a scattered brain schizophrenic who is forever changing her direction and thought process, has taking in essence the very one entity who has always generated revenue for the State. And AXED IT. The Office of Racing Commisioner. Horse Racing in the State of Michigan goes a lot further back then this Race Result Chart of June 5, 1948 at the Detroit Fairgrounds.
From the 1930s on, the State of Michigan has gained Revenue from Horse Racing. And there was no simulcasting back then. So in essence we are generating even more money to the State with simulcasting. Yet to finally launch the 2010 Pinnacle Race Course meet on June 5th, the Horsemen had to pay $900,000.00 UPFRONT to Pinnacle, to ensure that the meet got started. Money that will be taking from the purses of these races that would normally go to the Horsemen who finish in the top 5 positions of these races. With $4,682,968.00 State Revenue as of June 6, 2010 from 3.5% Simulcast Tax generated by us, we cannot use one dime of this money to fund our meet. Insane and Appalling.
If Governor Jennifer Granholm holds our simulcasting money so dear to her and the rest of the State Senate and House. Why then AXE the ORC? If this Industry of ours, Horse Racing is so imperative to this States economy that they can’t bare to depart with one dime of this everyday increase of Simulcast Tax money from Horse Racing. Then WHY did our governing body the Office of Racing Commisioner along with Agriculture whose jurisdiction we were under get the BOOT?
This is a walking and talking contradiction that has made no sense to anyone. Horse Racing GENERATES MONEY FOR THE STATE. It always has and if allowed to stay alive it always will. But the same people that won’t allow these obvious precious Million’s from the Simulcasting Tax be used by the HBPA to fund what Generates this money to Michigan in the first place.
” HORSE RACING ” Then this is Hypocrisy at it’s finest.
In a nutshell we are not allowed a dime from this money generated from Horse Racing Simulcasting. Yet the State of Michigan has done everything within their power to KILL OFF THE INDUSTRY THAT GENERATES THIS MONEY.
How is this? Can Governor Granholm please explain this phenomenom? Can a Senator? A House Representative?
Anyone?
Now to over 77 years of History in this State of Michigan. June 5th of this year 2010 which was Pinnacle Race Course opening day to a very shortened 44 day meet, that the Horsemen themselves had to fund out of their own pockets to buy back dates. Is a far cry from June 5th, 1948. And we want to know WHY?
And we have a RIGHT to an Answer. Can anybody in our legislative body here provide us with one? When our own Industry of Horse Racing provides you with our money you love so much, then why could not one dime we generated for Michigan through this Simulcasting Tax be used to help fund our meet at Pinnacle this year?
Why Governor Granholm, WHY?
Maybe with the condition of this State right now, maybe our Governor should have to buy back the remainder of her dates as our Governor. Because if we are BOOTING Offices that generated money for Michigan. Seems to me the one axing those State Departments should really be the one getting the BOOT THEMSELVES.
Talking about looking a GIFT HORSE IN THE MOUTH.
SHE SLAYED THE HORSE TO BOOT.
The Michigan State Fairgrounds holds the distinction of being the home of one of horse racings most famous accomplishments. In 1933 a horse named “Seabiscuit”, was born. The grandson of the famous Man ‘o War, Seabiscuit was considered a mediocre racehorse at best, until September 7, 1936, before a crowd of 28,000 people at the Detroit Race Track located at the Detroit Fairgrounds, 
Seabiscuit won his very first race, The Governor’s Handicap. It was the 50th race of his career. Seabiscuit and jockey, John (Red) Pollard repeated the feat on September 26, 1936 at the Fairgrounds, winning the Hendrie Handicap. This incredible racehorse quickly became a national hero due in part to his accomplishment at the Fairgrounds, and in 1938 Seabiscuit was named Horse of the Year. In 1958, he was voted into the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame.
(Photo above, a race held at the Detroit Race Track at the fairgrounds. Photo left, “Seabiscuit”.
Photo below, statue of “Seabiscuit )
1936/37: The beginning of success
His new trainer, Tom Smith, understood the horse, and his unorthodox training methods gradually brought Seabiscuit out of his lethargy. Smith paired the horse with Canadian jockey Red Pollard (1909-1981), who had experience racing in the west and in Mexico, but was down on his luck. On August 22, 1936, Seabiscuit raced for the first time for his new jockey and trainer, in Detroit, without impressing anyone. But improvements came quickly and, in their remaining eight races in the East, Seabiscuit and Pollard won several times, including Detroit’s Governor’s Handicap (worth $5,600)
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Nobody has to worry in 2010 naming a Race after the Governor. If such a race now, it would be named
” Detroit Governor’s Handicap to Michigan “. ( Worth Nothing )
If your as Appalled as me and feel Horse Racing is worth saving then CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATORS:
Contact your Representative: http://house.michigan.gov/find_a_rep.asp
Contact your Senator: http://senate.michigan.gov/SenatorInfo/find-your-senator.htm
And the Petition circulating by Hazel Park Raceway is not about SAVING LIVE RACING.
” Racing to save Michigan ” is a FARCE. It is not supported by either the HBPA or MHHA or any of it’s members.
There is not one single provision protecting Live Racing in this petitions language.
No Provisions for Live Racing
No Provisions for Purse Structures
No Provisions for Simulcasting
No Provisions for Contracts for Horsemen. Thoroughbred or Harness.
Mi. Race Tracks do need help in the form of Slots and other types of Gaming. But this Petition ISN’T IT.
This Petition if gains signatures, put on a ballot & passed will be the DEATH TO LIVE RACING in this State.
And what is a Horse Racing Track without HORSES?
Update:
Simulcast revenue produced from 3.5 tax for current fiscal year ending September 30, 2010. Current bal. Oct. 1, 2009 to June 11, 2010.
UPDATE:
$5,005,932
UPDATE:
$5,404,820
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Update:
$5,594,667
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