by T.J. Burkett, managing editor, Hoof Beats

Columbus, OH — The Michigan Harness Horsemen’s Association is urging horsemen to avoid signing the “Racing to Save Michigan” petition that is being circulated at Sports Creek Raceway.

The petition calls for a vote to be placed on the November ballot to allow slot machines to be installed at five existing Michigan racetracks, along with three freestanding casinos. The new casinos would be taxed at a rate of 22.5 percent, as opposed to the 8.1 percent tax rate for the three Detroit casinos and less than 3 percent from the 23 exisiting tribal casinos.

The proposal includes an item that 75 percent of the taxed revenues would go into a fund “for the purpose of annual expenditures for public education, economic development, job creation and job training, tax reduction, programs related to horse breeding and racing, preventing and treating compulsive gambling, and grants for Michigan high school graduates to attend a public college, university, or vocational education program in Michigan.”

MHHA and the Michigan Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association, who represents Thoroughbred horsemen, have been in negotiations with Dan Adkins, Hazel Park Raceway CEO, on a revenue sharing agreement, to no avail.

“It’s a scary time because the original draft of the proposal listed no protections for live racing and no specific percentages for horse racing,” said MHHA president Brett Boyd earlier this week. “But we hoped to get this worked out.”

Boyd spoke with Adkins Friday and will be scheduling a negotiating session for Monday (Feb. 5).