AZ Budget, Greyhound Racing Bailout
Doesn’t it seem like every greedy bastard is getting bailed out these days? First there’s Wall Street, mega insurance companies who flagrantly go on expensive retreats, and big banks who made outrageous loans.
And doesn’t it seem like the little guy – you and me – are the ones to pay for others business sins? You know who you are – your children’s American dream of home ownership just went out the window along with your 401k retirement savings. Most likely you’re trying to put your kids through college as well as take care of elder parents and you’re stressed fiscally and emotionally to the max. Or you’re already retired living on a tightrope or fixed income and your savings have been drastically reduced.
What does this bailout have to do with Tucson greyhound racing?
The corporation that owns Tucson Greyhound Park, the dog track in South Tucson, is an out-of-state corporation which doesn’t pay any pari-mutuel taxes on gambling income to the state of Arizona.
Does your business pay taxes? I bet it does.
As an individual or a married couple, I bet you pay state taxes on income earned.
While greyhound racing is a dying industry, gambling income through live handle racing in South Tucson or off track betting in eight restaurants/bars in the city of Tucson and Marana and all those other race tracks across the country – the Tucson dog track does not pay any pari-mutuel tax to the state of Arizona on this gambling income.
What does this sound like to you? To me it sounds like a BAILOUT for the Arizona greyhound racing industry.
According to BusinessWeek, Arizona is one of the hardest hit states in these tough economic times. Arizona was hit hard by the subprime crisis and Arizona’s economy has slowed significantly since mid-2006.
Lawmakers, who had to make up a $2 billion budget shortfall for fiscal 2009, reduced the Medicaid rolls, put a freeze on hiring, and cut funding for community health centers and state universities.
Budget gap: $2 billion
Lawmakers claim they were leaving no stone unturned but I don’t think they looked hard enough because greyhound racing in Tucson receive hardship tax credits. Does that make sense?
In 2007, the corporation that owns Tucson dog racing made $4.9 million. (View the audit report.). That’s a lot of money…that Arizona could use about now. If I were a parent of a student attending a state university or a student attending a state university – I’d be fighting mad about now.
The Arizona dog tracks have not paid these pari-mutuel taxes on gambling income since the mid 1990s. Do the math: It’s a lot of money—in the millions. (Read the audit report).
We need some lawmakers who have the balls to put an end to this outright waste. Lawmakers turn the other cheek because of high paying lobbyists but you the people and your families suffer.
Do the politico lawmakers work for you the people or the lobbyists?
Monies from Arizona’s General Fund are used to support the Arizona Department of Racing. The greyhound racing industry should be keeping Department of Racing afloat not subsidies raped from other state funds.
The Arizona dog tracks should pay state taxes on gambling income just like other businesses.
Every educator, parent and student attending an Arizona state university should demand it. Every small business should demand a similar bailout. The UA just announced a hiring freeze because of the state’s economic burden.
The state of Arizona is not digging deep enough for badly needed funds.
Let’s demand that Arizona greyhound racing pays taxes on gambling income. Make them pay! Make them pay!
What’s fair for you is fair for me is fair for Arizona greyhound racing.
No more financial million dollar bailouts for the Arizona dog racing industry.
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