Tag Archives: Michigan Politics

Michigan’s Governor Looks to Indiana For Inspiration. Really? Mi. HB-5546

I thought I would puke when I sat and listened to Rick Snyder’s explanation and or excuse of how, why and to whom he looked to for slicing the throats of our unions here. Indiana.

Well Governor if Indiana inspires you so much are you going to sign HB-5546 now that it has passed both the House & Senate here or Veto it?

You see Indiana as you have claimed how Right To Work has helped that state so much with employment also did something else. IMPLEMENT SLOTS AT THEIR HORSE TRACKS.

In a May 2010 American Gaming Association report when the country was still in complete crash mode from the previous years. Certain statistics were duly noted specifically Indiana’s Racinos.

Excerpts:

There’s no way around it – this past year was tough. The down economy dealt most Americans challenges we haven’t faced in some time, if ever. For those of us in the commercial casino industry, that meant people had less money to spend on our products. Our revenues in 2009 fell 5.5 percent from 2008 to $30.74 billion. This is the story told in the 2010 edition of AGA’s State of the States report. But as challenging as the year was for most of us, that’s not the entire story.

“As this year’s survey reports, a particular bright spot for the industry came in the racetrack casino sector, which continued to grow. Gross gaming revenues rose in 2009 to $6.40 billion, a 5 percent increase over 2008 figures. Gaming tax contributions from racinos also increased, with $2.63 billion being returned to state and local governments – a 1.2 percent increase. Racinos in Indiana, Pennsylvania and Oklahoma saw significant employment increases in 2009; however, overall racino employment remained near the previous year’s level of 29,000 people”.

Now because I like FACTS. I do know that Indiana’s two Racino Owners filed for Bankruptcy protection in 2011 solely due to the fact of the extremely large opening costs by the State in licensing fees. Reality they were doing beyond good until Ohio also opened their Racinos in 2012.

Indiana could lose gamble on revenue from casinos and racinos because of Ohio.

Yet,
Note Side Facts:

Winners and losers

Indiana’s casinos are winning less money from their patrons. Statewide, the annual win (the revenue collected at slot machines and table games minus what’s paid out to gamblers) is trending down Meanwhile, the state’s two racetrack-based casinos have seen a rise in wins.

Casino Annual Wins (millions)
2008 $2,461M
2009 $2,378M
2010 $2,350M
2011 $2,267M

Racino Annual Wins (millions)
Hoosier Park Casino & Racing
2008 $110.5M
2009 $204.7M
2010 209.5M
2011 220.5M

Indiana Live (millions)
2008 $93.7M
2009 $214.8M
2010 $236M
2011 $244.3M
Source: Indiana Gaming Insight, Indiana Gaming Commission

And Ohio? Well Ohio speaks for itself.

Ohio ’racino’ revenue tops $11M in opening month

The Associated Press
Posted Jul 09, 2012 @ 11:31 PM

COLUMBUS — The first slots-like gambling machines added to one of Ohio’s horse tracks have taken in more than $11 million in revenue during the facility’s opening month.

According to data released Monday by the Ohio Lottery, the state’s share of revenue from the video lottery terminals at Scioto Downs in Columbus is $3.7 million. That’s more than the roughly $3 million officials estimated the machines would generate per month for the state. The money will help fund K-12 education programs in Ohio.

The roughly $7.4 million in remaining revenue goes back to the track, which is operated by Chester, W.Va.-based MTR Gaming Group Inc. The slots-like machines have been available to visitors since June 1.

Revenues are calculated as the money remaining after prizes have been paid out to winners.

End

So Governor since you used Indiana as such a BIG excuse of why you signed Right To Work into law here. Are you ever going to mirror what Indiana did to help the Horse Racing Industry there and are you ready to help the same within your own state the thousands of jobs connected to it? Or are you going to do an about-face citing another Proposal that took place when the majority of those who signed those petitions to even have had it on the ballot honestly never really knew or understood the petitions language to begin with.

But then Michigan also just voted a bill down for an Emergency Manager for Detroit, but that won’t matter much now will it?

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Tuesday Union Rally in Lansing, Mi. Right To Work Will Make Them Forget Your Name.

RTW

“Once I made you rich enough, Rich enough to forget my name”

You Kill The Union, You Kill America.

They are the only thing that keeps Corporations from FORGETTING YOUR NAME.

And Don’t You Ever Forget That.

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Thoroughbred Racing Back In The City Of Detroit At The Fairgrounds? Governor Rick Snyder Makes Sure That Is A No.

What was it about this mere Idea that got some so desperately scared to DEATH?

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Detroit City Council Sells Their Souls To The Devil.

Unbelievable 5-4 sell out vote.

You wanted all the unions to make one more concession after hundred already to make Detroit work. And they did reluctantly and not without a fight within their own members. But what does this same Detroit Council Do, Sell Out all of their souls, the Unions included.

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Mitt Romney Said F’ The Big 3 and Let Detroit And The State Die! But Now He Wants Your Vote Michigan.

Enough to make you PUKE.

His demented ad playing over and over again.

As I see Detroit and what it has become??? I know I can turn things around. WTF?

Wonder how bad it would have really looked by now if President Obama hadn’t thought the core of the US Auto Industry was as worthy of some help as Bush thought of bailing out WALL STREET?

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Dan Adkins Can Still Go To Hell

Michigan Legislators: Nothing Has Changed. This is the same damn story and the same damn dance. Dan Adkins and who he represents are trying their best to kill LIVE Thoroughbred Horse Racing in the State. Read Original Blog from almost two years ago. No wool over the T.B. Horsemen’s Eyes. We see all to clear and you should as well.

The petition he tried to put forward was bull and now trying to amend the Racing Act yet 95% of the people that patronize the Harness tracks on Sat. & Sun. afternoons are betting on the Thoroughbred Inter-State Simulcasting Signals. 70% in the evenings while live racing is actually going on at their tracks are still betting on the T.B. Signals.

Fact

Adkins wants to amend the 1995 Racing Act. That Act States that their must be a live meet running of that breed to be eligible to receive inter-state simulcasting signals of that breed.

Let us see how long the Harness tracks would stay open without the ability to have those Thoroughbred Signals. The moment those signals would disappear their doors would close for good.

Let us the Thoroughbred Horsemen/Women Introduce that.


They want the Thoroughbreds dead in the State, then let it be ALL the Thoroughbreds coming in from the other States as well. Let’s see if they can survive without the Thoroughbred Horse Racing Breed Period.

Longshot's Blog

Dan Adkins is an Imbecile.

Thinking he can attempt to swindle unknowing individuals into this so called Petition to SAVE MI. RACING. When as written the only ones who will be saved is this GROUP he’s been hired by. Bernard Hartman and Herbert Tyner. Hazel Park Raceway real estate moguls. Or rather MORONS.

Recent Articles in the Oakland Press & Royal Oak Daily Tribune & MLive.com don’t even begin to tell the real story. Dan Adkins has himself being portrayed as some Savior for Saving Horse Racing in Michigan. And he is anything but.

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Pinnacle Race Course 2012 Application Has Been Withdrawn

MIHBPA WEBSITE

The 2012 racing application for Pinnacle has been withdrawn.

Larry Julian on October 5, 2011 advised the MGCB that circumstances beyond his control have made impossible to meet deadlines. Larry expressed his appreciation to HBPA for their support and cooperation received from MGCB while he attempted to meet application requirements. Larry went on to say ” I remain positive that Pinnacle will again be a premier racing facility with additional gaming and remain optimistic in its future”.

End

And the saddening and more than sickening situation that affects all Thoroughbred Horsemen/Women continues on. Continue reading

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OHIO Preparing To Install VLTs At Their Racetracks, Michigan On The Other Hand Is Preparing Funeral Arrangements For Our Race Tracks Here.

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Aqueduct Major Purse Increase ~ So If Michigan Thoroughbred Horsemen Want Thoroughbred Racing Move To New York

Or Indiana, Ohio, Illinois & Windsor, Ont.

All the States and a different Country that surround us that have the common sense to implement slots at their horse racing tracks.

Our Jobs, Jobs, Jobs Governor say’s Michigan just fine financially. Right Rick Snyder!

Imbecile

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Racetracks vs. Racinos. It not hard to see which ones are thriving and which are dying.Charles Town & Louisiana Up in Handle & Purse Increases.

Charles Town Reports 8.1% Jump in 2010 Handle

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Filed under Detroit Casinos, Detroit News, Mi. Standard-bred Horse Racing, Michigan Casinos, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder, Michigan Horse Racing, Michigan Politics, Michigan Quarter-Horse Racing, Michigan Thoroughbred Horse Racing, Michigan Thoroughbred Horse Racing History, Pinnacle Race Course, Politics, Racinos

Pinnacle Race Course Finale.

Sunday is the last Live Racing Day for the 2010 season. A season filled with much anxiety, stress and uncertainty.

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Michigan’s Horse Racing Dilemma. The House that wouldn’t move. A 1999 Report ignored by The House of Representatives.

This was a Report given to The House of Representatives in October 1999 about and directly on Horse Racing. 11 Years Ago

CHALLENGES TO MICHIGAN’S HORSE RACING INDUSTRY

Prepared by: Craig Thiel, Fiscal Analyst October 1999
Mitchell E. Bean, Interim Director – HOUSE FISCAL AGENCY

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Michigan’s Ball and Chain around Horse Racing’s neck.

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Pinnacle Race Course Merry Go Round ~ I knew I had heard all this before.

Tom Gantert going in circles on his now SERIES? LOL

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California the First State to Approve Exchange Betting to Help Racing at Thoroughbred Race Tracks.

Schwarzenegger Signs Calif. Takeout Increase

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Pinnacle Race Course Pays Water Bill. But on the property itself, If Huron Township had any sense?

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PINNACLE RACE COURSE IS BEING HIJACKED BY THE MGCB: MICHIGAN THOROUGHBRED HORSE RACING HAS GENERATED $5,594,667.00 current fiscal year off 3.5% Simulcast Tax. But Threatens to Shut Pinnacle Race Course Down Today at 12 NOON Unless WE PAY THEM $57,000 MORE. THIS IS A CONSPIRACY.

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Detroit News Columnist Nolan Finley Weighs in on how Unfair Michigan is to Horse Racing.

Blog Posted Aug. 26th @8:40pm

Gary Tinkle on the HBPA site brought up this point last year on how Governor Granholm and Michigan can give The Movie Industry a 42% tax break from Graholm to exist here. Which cost Mi. $120 Million in Revenue. But Horse Racing got 0% Tax break, which brings in over $400 Million.      

And I put it in Several Blogs.
        October 29, 2009           

MICHIGAN IS TOO BROKE TO FUND HORSE RACING.       

 July 19, 2010…           

Indiana Downs Sets Handle Record. ANYBODY LISTENING MICHIGAN?        

But now The Detroit News’s Nolan Finely has taken notice as well.
        
Last Updated: August 26. 2010 1:00AM       

Michigan woos films, but lets horse racing tracks wither  

From The Detroit News: http://www.detnews.com/article/20100826/OPINION03/8260339/1467/OPINION01/Michigan-woos-films–but-lets-horse-racing-tracks-wither#ixzz0xlgUtZmg   

     

 
 
 

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HEY GOVERNOR JENNIFER GRANHOLM $ 5,404,820.00 GENERATED FROM AN INDUSTRY YOU WANT TO KILL OFF, HORSE RACING.

Simulcast revenue produced from 3.5 tax for current fiscal year ending September 30, 2010. Current bal. Oct. 1, 2009 to August 15, 2010.

 $5,404,820.00

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Michigan Millions of Dollars Throw Away. HORSE RACING.

From the HBPA Website   

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?   

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HBPA to go back to Michigan Gaming Control Board

Well it’s off to the MGCB for the Horsemen’s Benevolent Protection Association in Michigan to attempt to seal an agreement with Pinnacle for the upcoming very short meet for 2010.

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ALL THE MORE REASON TO GIVE MI. TRACKS SLOTS.

With now Ohio to be soon building and operating Casino’s.

No more buses will be full of Ohioans coming to the Detroit Casino’s. As of now they come here full of people from Ohio on a daily basis.

This is even more pertinent of a reason to give much needed Gaming to Mi. Horse Racing Tracks. With Pinnacle Race Course being the closest track to the Ohio border. With the combination of both Horses and Slots it may still bring some people into Michigan.

The race tracks have always generated and brought in millions & millions of dollars in Revenue to Michigan. And they always will if allowed to continue to exist. With this latest passage on House Bill 4311 by both House & Senate and hopefully with Governor Granholm’s signature later this morning. At least for the present moment we’re not any longer on our last breath. But in reality here, we are still on Life Support. But it doesn’t have to be this way.

With added gaming to the tracks, not only will we be brought back to full life. But Michigan will also rake in more of the much needed dollars in revenue. Common sense is 2+2 always = 4 no matter how you add it up. Horses and slots is a Win Win position not only for Horse Racing but for Michigan. At one time The Michigan Mile at The Detroit Race Course was a $300,000 Grade II Race. What’s to say in the future at Pinnacle Race Course it can’t be a Grade I Race.

Bigger purses bring in a better quality of horses. All I know if you have no vision in life to stride for the best you can do. You end up with nothing. If you shoot for the stars, most times than not you’ll come out on top.

Michigan’s Governor and all of the other Politicians in this State of ours occupying both the House and Senate, better come to a decision and fast. Do We Shoot For The Stars, or do we sit and do nothing watching Michigan sink into an even bigger hole. If our Governor can give a 42% tax break to Hollywood movie makers that have came here, which will end up costing the State Millions. Why can’t the Race Tracks here catch a break of some kind as well. Only the Tracks already bring in over $400 million.

The Revenue alone from the 3.5% Simulcasting tax brought in $5,341,057. Imagine what the numbers will be from the slots implemented into the tracks. These are numbers you just can’t ignore unless you choose to. But why would you want to choose to ignore an Industry that could make you so much more?

This is no time to drag our feet now on this issue. It’s time for our Mi. Politicians to decide.
Is it Success or Further Downhill?
We hit BUST a long time ago.

I say we shoot for those stars because there’s nothing else left to lose. Gaming at the Race Tracks can only add up to one big giant WIN.

For Horse Racing and Michigan.

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MICHIGAN SENATE: A BIG THANK YOU

Michigan Horse Racing lives to see another day.

Senate Passes Bill HB-4311, November 5, 2009

Roll Call # 536
Yeas 91 Nays 12

Governor Granholm is expected to sign the Bill, Friday November 6, 2009 at 11:00 am.

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