News for Florida animal advocates

Today, the Florida Senate approved an agreement that will legalize slot machines, and black jack and other card games, at Seminole casinos. In return, the State of Florida will receive hundreds of millions of dollars from the Seminole Tribe. Also, under the agreement, dog tracks and other pari-mutuels in Broward and Miami-Dade counties will receive a tax break.

Dog tracks outside of South Florida, however, felt left out of the agreement. Jack Collins Jr., general manager of the Sarasota Kennel Club, told the Bradenton Herald, “I don’t see anything good out of it for us.” An employee at the Derby Lane dog track in St. Petersburg predicted that the agreement will lead to the closure of the track.

So, in another attempt to prop up their dying business, the pari-mutuel industry has convinced State Senator Dennis Jones to introduce a separate bill to give dog tracks outside of South Florida a tax break as well.

The bill, Senate Bill 640 (”Relating to Pari-mutuel Wagering”), will be heard in the Committee on General Government Appropriations on Monday morning, and if it’s approved, in the Policy and Steering Committee on Ways and Means on Tuesday.

Speak up for the greyhounds! Contact the leaders of both committees and urge them not to support another tax reduction for the cruel dog racing industry. Ask them to vote no on S640.

Contact:

Senator Carey Baker, Chair, Committee on General Government Appropriations
E-mail: baker.carey.web@flsenate.gov

Senator Alfred Lawson, Jr., Vice Chair, Committee on General Government Appropriations
E-mail: lawson.alfred.web@flsenate.gov

Senator JD Alexander, Chair, Policy and Steering Committee on Ways and Means
E-mail: alexander.jd.web@flsenate.gov

Visit ARFF’s website to learn more about greyhound racing (click here) and for details on other animal-related bills in the Florida Legislature (here).

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