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Committee hears plan to phase online‑gaming revenue into Equine Development Fund for county fairs
Summary
Representative Koontz told the House Rules Committee the bills would redirect increases in non‑tribal online gaming revenue into an Equine Development Fund to support county fairs and harness racing. Witnesses from the harness racing community urged the committee the funding would boost purses, breeders' awards and local farm supply purchases; the
Representative Koontz told the House Rules Committee that bills under consideration would take a portion of the projected increase in non‑tribal online gaming revenue and direct that money into an Equine Development Fund to support county fairs and harness racing.
"What we're doing here is we're taking some of the increase from the non tribal online gaming, and we're gonna direct this into county fairs. So there's no gambling at the county fairs. There's no wagering," Representative Koontz said, adding the proposal was structured so the changes would not reduce school aid funding.
Koontz displayed Michigan Gaming Control Board figures and described a phased increase that sponsors said would grow the equine fund up to $15,000,000 over a multi‑year period. The…
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