Senate Leave Horse Racing Bill At The Starting Gate

The State Senate has stopped a horse-race betting bill in its tracks. Some Senators object to the way a bill has been written because they think it shuts them out of debating the issue. Others object because the proposal seems to be a great deal for a track developer, but bring inalmost nothing to the state. In the latter category is Moniteau County Senator Larry Rohrbach, who says the state tax on parimutuel wagering is so much lower than the state’s take from casinos and the lottery that the state could lose money by allowing a new form of gambling. Rohrbach also says the proposal for the track has minimal economic benefit to the state anyway. The Senate has rejected the proposal containing plans for the track, which would race for 20 to 50 days a year but have betting on televised races every other day of the year. The sponsor has several alternatives to keep the issue alive, though, in the last two days of the legislative session.