(Uh…how many diaries do I get a day? LOL)
In celebrating the win for the puppies (ie, the passing of Question 3!), I have paused to ask myself several times if this is the end to this matter, or if there’s another fight a-brewin’.
After all, the dog racing industry is one which has consistently employed influential lobbyists to prop up its sagging industry in many ways, not the least of which is the perennial issue put before every legislature: that of allowing racinos with gambling slot machines.
So, it is not outside the realm of imagination to believe that before they can be dismantled, there will be one last push in the legislature by the track industry’s lobbyists to “overturn the will of the voters” (as conservatives like to call it when recalling the tax rollback ballot initiative). Now, while the legislature has every right to overturn previous laws, whether created by former sessions of the legislature or by ballot vote, in this case, I would not support that.
The Yes on Three people had better be prepared for this last leg of the fight. Although there’s a chance the tracks will just fold up and quietly go, as their revenues are dying anyway, I doubt this will happen. They will take this to the legislature for a vote, and one more likely to be favorable to them.
If they are smart, they should milk this for all its worth to get the legislature to allow them to convert into casinos. I believe that Wonderland was already pursuing this path before the vote and did not spend money trying to oppose it.
But it’s still likely dead in the water with the Speaker, and I doubt the Governor is willing to go put much more political capital on this right now, given how we’re in the midst of crisis.
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p>That wouldn’t go anywhere. However, merely lobbying to stay open and keep making money off of racing these greyhounds, that might be within the realm of possibility. If the margin had been like the Q2 margin I’d feel safer, as the voters would have shown mandate. Though the margin was a decent one, it wasn’t such an overwhelming mandate that the lege would get in trouble for overturning it.
Hundreds of employees are about to get the boot next year in one of the worst economies in decades. I think it’s wonderful to care about the dogs, but I haven’t seen a whole lot of concern about the people who will be having a tough time putting food on the table and paying their rent.
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p>I did see a rather nebulous proposal for “job training” which should be interesting for people who have spent decades in the racing industry. These are 40-60 year old people, many with very limited work skills.
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p>Also – what about horse racing? Do the horse racers get a pass because rich people like horse racing? Just a thought…