Like other politicians in Wellington County, Puslinch councillors have concerns with the potential impact of the recently released Drummond Report.
While it focussed on reforming Ontario’s public services, there are also recommendations to end revenue sharing of slot machine dollars with the horse racing industry.
As a result, residents Larry, Raymonde and Megan Walker (Larry Walker Stables) sent a letter to Wellington-Halton Hills MPP Ted Arnott outlining their concerns.
Walker wrote “I am writing in regards to the Drummond Report, which proposes to eliminate the revenue sharing of slot machine dollars with the horse racing industry. He obviously didn’t take into consideration the over 60,000 jobs that are directly and indirectly related to horse racing.”
Walker said those jobs help the provincial economy through services and products that directly contribute to HST, municipal taxes, corporate taxes, and personal taxes, not to mention the millions and millions of dollars that come from wagering that go directly to the provincial government. Those taxes are paid by those who are self-employed, employees, suppliers and their employees, that also go into health care and education in the province.
“This action would cost the government a lot more than what the revenue sharing dollars amount to,” he wrote. Taking these monies away from racing will only cause unemployment, welfare, and the eventual loss of farms and homes.” Walker noted while the situation may not seem dire on the surface, is it a problem “in thousands of homes where families depend on income from racing.”
Mayor Dennis Lever cited his attendance at a recent meeting during which Wellington County Warden Chris White said that is a big issue in the county, which has a very large equine industry.
Lever said White will be addressing something specifically with the province regarding the potential impact.
“It’s not as simple an issue as one might think,” Lever said.
Councillor Susan Fielding added Walker makes a good point in his letter. “I think for Puslinch, many of the farms sold recently have been for equine operations. This could really negatively impact the farm real estate in the township if it were to sink. I think this is important to us, too. Hopefully the government will change some of its opinions.”
Lever said those were “recommendations” in the Drummond Report. He said there were feelings the province was intent on going this route – at the recent Good Roads conference during Premier Dalton McGuinty’s address.
“The way it was addressed was – would you rather have horse racing or home care?”
Lever said, “At this point we want both.”
