Cellular Messages Slam Drug Violation–Plagued Horse Tracks for Taking Cash From Youngsters

For Instant Launch:
October 17, 2022

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Syracuse, N.Y. – Due to sweetheart offers enacted years in the past, the state’s horse racing business receives a whopping $230 million in on line casino video lottery terminal income yearly, regardless of its well-documented drug violations, its abuse of horses and employees, the dire want for training funding, and a current Marist ballot revealing that 83% of state residents would favor that on line casino income be directed to important public providers. So the Coalition to Finish Horse Racing Subsidies is taking motion by posting messages on a fleet of metropolis buses stating that such a sum might—and will—be used to rent 2,500 academics as a substitute.

The Saratoga Race Course, Belmont Park, Aqueduct Racetrack, and eight different Thoroughbred and Standardbred tracks throughout the state have been handed practically $1 billion in simply the final 4 years—and so they don’t even need to hold the horses alive to get the money. Seventy-six horses have died at New York tracks this 12 months alone.

Senate Invoice S8485, launched by Sen. Robert Jackson, and Meeting Invoice 8468, launched by Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal, would redirect the $230 million in annual subsidies for horse racing to training. Senate Invoice S7260, launched by Sen. Julia Salazar, and Meeting Invoice 7745, launched by Rosenthal, would finish the unfair favoritism of gross sales tax exemptions for racehorses.

“At a second when our working-class communities so desperately want funding for vital providers similar to training, human providers, and financial justice, subsidizing an business with a fame of abusing and neglecting the horses in its care and violating employees’ rights, with $230 million of New York taxpayers’ {dollars}, is wrongheaded,” says Jackson. “Our laws will make sure that New York makes use of the chance to put money into providers that make us higher as a substitute of propping up inhumane practices. It additionally stops the horse racing business from shortchanging the general public by placing an finish to the low return on our funding. I sit up for working with Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal, Sen. Julia Salazar, my colleagues, and the rising coalition of advocates to see it turn into legislation and finish these handouts to an abusive business.”

“The overwhelming majority of New York state residents agree that it’s not the state’s accountability to bankroll the horse racing business,” mentioned Rosenthal, chair of the Meeting Committee on Social Providers. “Why ought to the state hand over $230 million in subsidies annually to an business that’s identified for wage theft, animal abuse, and lack of transparency, for starters. Each greenback devoted to propping up the horse racing business is a greenback that must be obtainable as a substitute for our colleges and our communities. We should move my laws to finish this company welfare and at last put money into those that want it most. The Coalition to Finish Horse Racing Subsidies is powerful and won’t be taking no for a solution.”

The Coalition to Finish Horse Racing Subsidies consists of training, fiscal coverage, human rights and providers, meals justice, and animal safety organizations, together with the Alliance for High quality Training, the Human Providers Council, LiveOn NY, New York Communities for Change, the Employee Justice Heart of New York, Sturdy Economic system for All, Hip Hop is Inexperienced, NYCLASS, PETA, Voters For Animal Rights, Horseracing Wrongs, and the New York State Humane Affiliation.

Please go to EndHorseRacingSubsidies.com for extra data. New Yorkers can urge their legislators to assist Meeting Payments 8468 and 7745 and Senate Payments S7260 and S8485.