Arizona Budget Crisis Deficit and Racing Gambling Tax
Governor Jan Brewer says that all options are on the table to fix the Arizona state deficit.
This article mentions a temporary tax increase and loosening voters’ spending mandates.
I have a better idea: What about taxing greyhound racing and horse racing?
Dear Governor Brewer, are you putting that option on the table?
Think there’s not enough money to tax? Think again: The total handle generated by commercial and county fair racing for teletracking (simulcast betting) was $172.8 million. This included $127.3 million for horse racing and $45.5 million for greyhound racing. (View the 2008 audit report-PDF required.)
The State of Arizona received $218,513 in revenue from the simulcast handle, all of which was generated from the Turf Paradise handle at off-track sites.
Greyhound racing has not paid pari-mutuel taxes (gambling taxes on money from live racing and off track betting/simulcast betting/teletracking) since mid 1990s. The AZ Department of Racing is 85 percent financed by yet another State department. Somebody is making money but it’s not the state of Arizona and it’s not the AZ Dept of Racing.
This is so wrong especially in a billion dollar budget deficit!
According to the Arizona Department of Racing’s 2008 audit report, some greyhound racing venue gets a hardship tax credit because of a decline in business. Several businesses have steep declines in sales and are going out of business. Are you getting hardship tax credits too?
Taxing the greyhound and horse racing venues won’t solve all the budget problems but it won’t be an ongoing money vomit pit either.
We don’t want no stinkin’ temporary tax increase especially when greyhound racing is not paying state pari-mutuel taxes on millions of dollars earned.
How about you?
Contact the media and Governor Brewer.
It’s your money — SPEAK OUT!
Wow – I had no idea they weren’t paying taxes. That’s not fair to all the other struggling businesses. They need to pay their share.