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 Expert
Posts: 3782
    
Location: Gainesville, TX | As of midnight last night, all Texas racetracks were told to cease any and all pari-mutuel operations by the Texas Racing Commission. The reason? The senate side of the Legislative Budget Board refused to release appropriated funds to keep the Texas Racing Commission operating.
In a letter from senator Jane Nelson to the commission, she stated EVERY senate member of the Legislative Budget Board (including Lt. Governor Dan Patrick) voted AGAINST funding the commission.
This is politics at its very worst. The Texas Legislature passed HB 1, which is the state budget. The budget included funding for the commission. However, senator Nelson added a rider that required the commission apply for part of that funding. The commission has applied for the funding, which was appropriated by the legislature, but senators on the Legislative Budget Board are still refusing to fund the commission because the commission listened to the horse industry and voted NOT TO repeal rules for Historic Racing, a new form of pari-mutuel that could help Texas compete with our surrounding states.
Please call every senator on the
Legislative Budget Board, as well as
Lt. Governor Dan Patrick and urge them to release the appropriated funds to the
Texas Racing Commission TODAY!
REMIND THEM HORSE PEOPLE VOTE TOO!
Current Board Members
The Honorable Dan Patrick
Joint-Chair
Lieutenant Governor
State Capitol, Room 2E.13
Austin, Texas 78701
512-463-0001
The Honorable Joe Straus
Joint-Chair
Speaker of the House of Representatives
State Capitol, Room 2W.13
Austin, Texas 78701
512-463-1000
The Honorable Kevin Eltife
State Senator
State Capitol, Room 3E.16
Austin, Texas 78701
512-463-0101
The Honorable Drew Darby
State Representative
State Capitol, Room E2.406
Austin, Texas 78701
512-463-0331
The Honorable Craig Estes
State Senator
State Capitol, Room 1E.9
Austin, Texas 78701
512-463-0130
The Honorable John Otto
State Representative
State Capitol, Room E2.706
Austin, Texas 78701
512-463-0570
The Honorable Juan Hinojosa
State Senator
State Capitol, Room 3E.12
Austin, Texas 78701
512-463-0120
The Honorable Sylvester Turner
State Representative
State Capitol, Room 1N.8
Austin, Texas 78701
512-463-0554
The Honorable Jane Nelson
State Senator
State Capitol, Room 1E.5
Austin, Texas 78701
512-463-0112
Executive Secretary,
Ursula Parks - 512-463-2902
Or 512-463-1200
The Honorable John Zerwas
State Representative
State Capitol, Room E2.308
Austin, Texas 78701
512-463-0657
Thank you TQHA for providing a clear call to action. |
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 Expert
Posts: 4121
Location: SE Louisiana | So, dump the slot machines. Dog tracks are closed too. |
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 Accident Prone
Posts: 22277
Location: 100 miles from Nowhere, AR | "The Honorable" my ass.  I wonder whose idea that was to address them that way. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 372
| Three 4 Luck - 2015-09-01 9:21 PM
"The Honorable" my ass. I wonder whose idea that was to address them that way.
it's called
Protocol
And
FTR: while this is horrible for racing in Texas I somewhat blame the Racing Commision for this.
The powers that be in Texas have successfully killed casino gambling in this state for decades now and all historical betting is, is an attempted end around to casino betting. While I think it is stupid that the Texas allows all the casino money to go to funny talking french descendants and drunk indians they should have better judged the climate before trying to run this ruse.
Edited by arion 2015-09-01 10:13 PM
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 No Tune in a Bucket
Posts: 2935
Location: Texas | Just in. They have a temporary agreement to fund to racing. Not sure who blinked.
Edited by RocketPilot 2015-09-01 10:43 PM
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 I Prefer to Live in Fantasy Land
Posts: 64864
Location: In the Hills of Texas |   Live Racing at Lone Star Park (Getty Images ) GRAND PRAIRIE, TX — And they’re off. Well, now they’re back on. Just when you thought your favorite race horse would be put out to pasture after the Texas Race Commission ceased operations on Tuesday, they’re back! Senators agreed to temporarily fund the agency and keep it open through the first quarter of the 2016 fiscal year. Racetracks had been ordered to stop all live and broadcast racing on Tuesday because the commission didn’t receive the money it needed to stay open. Locally, Lone Star Park’s racing also stopped all wagers. According to a statement by the park’s president, they hoped the matter would be “resolved quickly” in time for the fall season. Who knew they’d only have to wait a few hours? Now, it’s off to the races! |
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 Hog Tie My Mojo
Posts: 4847
Location: Opelousas, LA | RocketPilot - 2015-09-01 10:40 PM Just in. They have a temporary agreement to fund to racing. Not sure who blinked.
Nobody blinked, they realized that shutting down racing would end the cash flow they have been getting for the past decade. Texas horsemen "donate" to Texas lawmakers to try and get gaming at the Texas tracks and out of state casinos "donate" to Texas lawmakers to keep gaming out of Texas. As long as you can play both sides of the issue you make bank, whats not to like.
It was not in the politicians best interest to guarantee funding for two years but to kick the can down the road a few months and create a frenzy of "donations", well that is a pretty good gig if you can get it. Pretty much the reason we left four years ago. Same sh!t, different day. |
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I Prefer to Live in Fantasy Land
Posts: 64864
Location: In the Hills of Texas | Barnmom - 2015-09-01 10:59 PM RocketPilot - 2015-09-01 10:40 PM Just in. They have a temporary agreement to fund to racing. Not sure who blinked. Nobody blinked, they realized that shutting down racing would end the cash flow they have been getting for the past decade. Texas horsemen "donate" to Texas lawmakers to try and get gaming at the Texas tracks and out of state casinos "donate" to Texas lawmakers to keep gaming out of Texas. As long as you can play both sides of the issue you make bank, whats not to like.
It was not in the politicians best interest to guarantee funding for two years but to kick the can down the road a few months and create a frenzy of "donations", well that is a pretty good gig if you can get it. Pretty much the reason we left four years ago. Same sh!t, different day.
You nailed it!  |
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I Prefer to Live in Fantasy Land
Posts: 64864
Location: In the Hills of Texas | http://horseracingexpress.com/how-native-american-tribes-are-influencing-texas-gaming-politics/
Follow the money.
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Hog Tie My Mojo
Posts: 4847
Location: Opelousas, LA |
Sad isn't it, how the so called public servants play with our way of life to line thier pockets. I love Texas and it nearly ruined us financially to move but we had to get out while we could still afford to.
We have some really good friends in Texas that I feel so bad for right now. I know they are happy to get racing reinstated but they are getting thrown the table scraps, they deserve better. |
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Accident Prone
Posts: 22277
Location: 100 miles from Nowhere, AR | arion - 2015-09-01 10:09 PM Three 4 Luck - 2015-09-01 9:21 PM "The Honorable" my ass. I wonder whose idea that was to address them that way. it's called Protocol And FTR: while this is horrible for racing in Texas I somewhat blame the Racing Commision for this. The powers that be in Texas have successfully killed casino gambling in this state for decades now and all historical betting is, is an attempted end around to casino betting. While I think it is stupid that the Texas allows all the casino money to go to funny talking french descendants and drunk indians they should have better judged the climate before trying to run this ruse.
We don't address legislators that way in Arkansas. It seems contrived to me. |
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Blessed 
Location: Here | Barnmom - 2015-09-01 10:59 PM RocketPilot - 2015-09-01 10:40 PM Just in. They have a temporary agreement to fund to racing. Not sure who blinked. Nobody blinked, they realized that shutting down racing would end the cash flow they have been getting for the past decade. Texas horsemen "donate" to Texas lawmakers to try and get gaming at the Texas tracks and out of state casinos "donate" to Texas lawmakers to keep gaming out of Texas. As long as you can play both sides of the issue you make bank, whats not to like.
It was not in the politicians best interest to guarantee funding for two years but to kick the can down the road a few months and create a frenzy of "donations", well that is a pretty good gig if you can get it. Pretty much the reason we left four years ago. Same sh!t, different day.
YEP,,,,,,
Sad but true................ |
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