Lately, the Republican Party has been aggravating me.
Recently, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett proposed a budget that would cut
$72-million from the state standardbred industry.
Dear Gov. Corbett,
I am a twelve-year-old enthusiast in the harness racing
industry. I also follow politics. I find it ridiculous how you would cut
$72-million from the sport. I understand you need to lower our debt and some
stuff requires sacrifice but I don’t think you understand the severity of
cutting money from this sport.
With the harness racing industry comes thousands of people
employed as track hands, tellers, horsemen, drivers, jockeys and trainers. By
cutting support money from the sport could see perhaps several thousand layoffs
at the six tracks in the state. It’s contradicting when you want to make jobs
but make a budget that would lose jobs.
As the industry is trying to recover after many tough years,
some states are doing their best, like New Jersey and New York. Pennsylvania was
one place where many horsemen wish to work but if tracks lose the support of
the government there’s no point to be in Pennsylvania.
Drivers like Tyler Buter, who was ambitious enough to leave
Illinois and venture east, started at Pocono and has become a top driver on the
east coast. Pennsylvania used to be a top state in agriculture and this
industry is a major key in horse racing. If we want to be a top agricultural
state, we need to help the sport as much as possible.
You may not have known this, but in California (where
harness racing used to be a major part of the state), Cal-Expo is in danger. At
its peak, harness racing was held at Hollywood Park, Del Mar, Los Alamitos and
other tracks. But all that is left is Cal-Expo; the state has cut support over
the years and the sole track is in danger of closing if no one buys it
privately by August. Although most tracks in Pennsylvania are privately owned,
it is possible your cuts will bring less exciting racing and lower handles,
which would damage the sport dearly. If Pennsylvania suffers like California,
the sport will be permanently bruised.
The decrease in support may also bring the elimination of
the stake racing. With prestigious races such as the Adios, Battle Of
Brandywine, Colonial, Valley Forge, Earl Beal Jr. Memorial, Currier & Ives,
Governor’s Cup and others, the sport attracts horsemen and fans, which create
business and income for the government as well as the sport.
Thank you for your time and hopefully some one will take
action. I want to be involved in this industry in Pennsylvania, contributing to
helping it thrive, but my future looks dim if the sport takes a violent spiral
down.
Sincerely,
Ray Cotolo
Editor
of The Racing Inquirer
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