from Harness Tracks of America

Tucson, AZ — The Illinois House has passed a bill to oust all 11 members of the Illinois Racing Commission.

It would require Gov. Quinn to either reappoint them or name replacements.

The bill, sponsored by Collinsville Democrat Jay Hoffman, was an angry reaction to an earlier racing board decision, since rescinded, that would have cut racing dates at Fairmount Park in Collinsville from 52 to 3 this year. The bill not only upset Hoffman, but apparently most downstate House members and others, who approved the measure 89-24.

Hoffman was quoted by the Chicago Sun-Times Springfield bureau as saying the move was part of an effort “to force an unfair tax increase on the track.” A board spokesman denied that, blaming financial problems for awarding dates “when it wasn’t fiscally feasible.”

The bill now goes to the state Senate.