Possible new source for purses

[Candybag]

Originally Posted by horsefan2019

The problem is even if they found the extra tax money they would not divert it to the horse racing industry. They would divert it to the general fund.

I have no problem with that end result. But that assumes it would get done under a straightforward business process because the law said to do it if possible.

Why do racinos give slot money to purses? Because racinos would not exist otherwise. These monies that are diverted to purses could have gone to the State or kept by the racino as profit. Same perversion. However, this is politics.

[Dave Schwartz]

Must agree that NO STATE will ever mix MEDICAL CARE and HORSE RACING.

Hope I'm wrong.
If you can pull this off, then you should be organizing venture capital deals.

Thanks for taking the time.



.

[dnlgfnk]

Originally Posted by the little guy

Come on, this is a "new" poster screwing around with people, right? Nobody is actually taking it seriously. They can't be.

On April 1, he'll be shouting "Happy New Year"!

[Candybag]

Originally Posted by Dave Schwartz

Must agree that NO STATE will ever mix MEDICAL CARE and HORSE RACING.

Hope I'm wrong.
If you can pull this off, then you should be organizing venture capital deals.

Thanks for taking the time.



.

Dave: Thank you for listening and not dismissing the idea out of hand.

The tax dollars saved will be discretionary monies from the state's general tax revenue fund. Suppose I go to California, save that state a ton of money, then those savings are later appropriated from the budget in a backroom deal for a bridge to nowhere in someone's district. This bridge scenario has a better chance than my idea because it is not obvious to the public although the bridge was a complete waste of money.

Suppose I go to California, do my song and dance, get the racing lobby on board, California saves a ton of money, the savings goes back to their general revenue fund and the lawmakers appropriate the savings to the areas of their discretion other than to racetracks. Sounds right and possible.

Then it is announced that the racing community gets a favorable consideration, for example, fix odds wagering with a liability fund, or slots to fund their purses, etc. I could live with those possibilities, but I want political cover to ensure my idea is considered, and a lot of people are helped, no matter how California structures the arrangement with their citizens.

Simply put, Medicaid monies are being paid in error which helps no one, not even the medical groups getting the payments in error as Medicare would be paying them.

The stewards have taken down the inquiry sign.

[Andy Asaro]

Be a great way for state to end horse racing forever. They just need an excuse

[tbwinner]

Fix a fiscal problem only if special interests are taken care of...the American way!

I do commend you for your attempt. Maybe in five years they will have a hearing on saving the horse racing industry which will already be six feet under by then.

[Candybag]

Originally Posted by tbwinner

Fix a fiscal problem only if special interests are taken care of...the American way!

I do commend you for your attempt. Maybe in five years they will have a hearing on saving the horse racing industry which will already be six feet under by then.

Thank you for your kind remarks. When racing gets buried, I will ensure the funeral home notifies Social Security for that $255 death benefit.

Another lobby who comes to mind to join forces with racing: Medical lobby.

Those medical claims currently paid in error by Medicaid would have been covered by Medicare anyway, and at the HIGHER Medicare reimbursement rate. Even those group getting money in error are getting screwed.

[Dan H]

I live in California. My uninformed opinion (and that of about five railbirds at the OTB) is that CA purses suffer in comparison to other states because they are not subsidized by other forms of gambling (slots). We even voted to implement slots, but lost at the ballot box.

There was a huge Native-American lobby against slots at CA race tracks. Some suggest the measure lost because of the lobby. By the way, California does tax Native-American casinos (I'm assuming lots).

Perhaps, more than race tracks? This might explain political indifference.

It should also be noted that racing OTB's can be established outside of Native-American casinos. We used to have one in our neighborhood (Bonita CA), but it failed to catch on.

So, it might be easier to shift the public's mind about the Native-American monopoly on gambling than it would be to change their mind about Medicaid oversight and corrective measures.

Good luck tilting those Medicaid windmills.

[Candybag]

Originally Posted by Dan H

I live in California. My uninformed opinion (and that of about five railbirds at the OTB) is that CA purses suffer in comparison to other states because they are not subsidized by other forms of gambling (slots). We even voted to implement slots, but lost at the ballot box.

There was a huge Native-American lobby against slots at CA race tracks. Some suggest the measure lost because of the lobby. By the way, California does tax Native-American casinos (I'm assuming lots).

Perhaps, more than race tracks? This might explain political indifference.

It should also be noted that racing OTB's can be established outside of Native-American casinos. We used to have one in our neighborhood (Bonita CA), but it failed to catch on.

So, it might be easier to shift the public's mind about the Native-American monopoly on gambling than it would be to change their mind about Medicaid oversight and corrective measures.

Good luck tilting those Medicaid windmills.

Great thoughts on this forum! My rough research says casinos owned by native americans are not taxed by the Federal government. However, the income of the native american could be.

Savings from my Medicaid idea probably competes outright with any casino tax revenue, direct or indirect. Add slot revenue and OTB revenue and we now are 10 on top heading for home.

So, I start with Medicaid savings going to purses to get in front of the authorities, tell everyone that condition is not a deal killer. The reality is the Medicaid savings more than likely will go back to the state general tax fund.

The horse trading begins behind the scenes after my proof of concept is established and savings amount are known in actual dollars.

Slots happening and revenue going to purses, OTB happening because everyone worked together to make the Medicaid project happen, that is a win for everyone.

Please keep the ideas coming. My HTR friend said I needed to be here. He is right.

[elhelmete]

Originally Posted by Candybag

My HTR friend said I needed to be here. He is right.

He is so so wrong.

[Saratoga]

Originally Posted by elhelmete

He is so so wrong.

Wrong?

What's wrong with getting others opinions?

There's always gotta be a ass in the group!!

[castaway01]

Originally Posted by Saratoga

Wrong?

What's wrong with getting others opinions?

There's always gotta be a ass in the group!!

Maybe because the idea is so ridiculous?

Why not just suggest we take some of the U.S. defense budget or Social Security funds and send them to the racetracks to prop them up? It makes as much sense as sending Medicaid savings to track owners and there's as much connection between the two things (none).

[elhelmete]

Originally Posted by Saratoga

There's always gotta be a ass in the group!!

yes, and it's the OP.

Obvious troll with a really dumb idea

[Candybag]

Originally Posted by castaway01

Maybe because the idea is so ridiculous?

Why not just suggest we take some of the U.S. defense budget or Social Security funds and send them to the racetracks to prop them up? It makes as much sense as sending Medicaid savings to track owners and there's as much connection between the two things (none).

It may be the idea that gets me in front of the right authorities. Then the idea morphs into placing the Medicaid savings back where they belong (general tax revenue fund), and jump starts the conversation of slots funding purses/OTBs/fixed odds wagering. I think if the project delivers, the legislature may be grateful to the racing community for bringing the idea.

I remember my former Office suing and collecting $5,000 from a parent in the 1960s for treatment toward his son. He hated us. Through a series of events, this parent become a member of the House of Representatives, then our director. He sent a staff member to our Office to learn how to dismantle the Office.

His staff member went back to the director and told the director that he does not want to get rid of us. Later on, this director who hated my Office, was sending letters of appreciation for some of our creative "first in the nation" accomplishments.

What would be ridiculous is not even having a conversation with the Medicaid authorities, closing tracks and cutting purses. Give me 10 minutes with them.

[horsefan2019]

Originally Posted by Andy Asaro

Be a great way for state to end horse racing forever. They just need an excuse

Yep, I can just see some anti-tax advocacy group sniffing around looking at why certain taxes are being used for something else. It will also get the media on their case once again.