Race Horse Fund Subject of Senate Hearing

When Pennsylvania legalized casinos at racetracks nearly eight years ago, one of the main purposes was to revive our struggling horse racing industry.  The law created the Race Horse Development Fund using 11 percent of slots revenue and the impact has been dramatic.

Racing purses in Pennsylvania jumped from $75 million per year to more than $700 million, and a recent study found that the horse racing industry has an annual $490 million impact on our economy.

Besides entertainment, horse racing is an integral part of our agricultural heritage and economy. 

When Gov. Tom Corbett announced plans to take $72 million from the Race Horse Development Fund to use in other areas, I heard from many local owners and employees that such a move could effectively wipe out the gains made in recent years.

On May 2, the Senate Democratic Policy Committee will hold a hearing in Harrisburg to examine the impact of the Horse Racing Development Fund and what such a steep cut in funding would mean for the economy.

The hearing will begin at 10 a.m. and will webcast live through my website.

We Were Tearin' It Up

Friday was a great day for shredding in Canonsburg where the teamed up with and DocSolutions to provide free document destruction to local residents.

DocSolutions is a wholly owned subsidiary of Community Action Southwest. A big thanks to Canonsburg Mayor Dave Rhome and everyone else who helped provide this important public service. For more photos, click here.