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OFFICIAL STATEMENT FROM SENATOR DICK DAY ON RETIREMENT
By Luke Hellier | December 8, 2009
State Senator Dick Day Will Resign Senate
To Head New Effort to Bring Racino to Minnesota
Day will become president of Racino Now, a grass roots coalition of business leaders, horse racing fans and citizens who want to bring racino to Minnesota
St. Paul – Minnesota State Senator Dick Day (R-Owatonna) will resign his senate seat to lead a newly organized effort to achieve legislative approval for slot and video games at Canterbury Park and Running Aces racetracks. His resignation is effective January 8, 2010.
“Anyone who knows me knows that a racino at Canterbury Park has been one of my top legislative priorities for 12 years, since 1997 when I first proposed the idea to fund a new Twins ballpark. Every year I have tried to get the legislature to see how the people of Minnesota could benefit from my plan, to see the various ways we could use the hundreds of millions of dollars the state would earn from racinos.
“Now I have the opportunity to work full time toward this end, and I look forward to traveling throughout the state to talk to Minnesotans about the many ways we will all gain from these two racinos,†Day said.
Day further said, “Racinos will bring thousands of jobs and $250 million a biennium in revenue to our state. The money could be used for programs such as education, transportation, health care or to fund a stadium. With the recent news of a $1.2 billion budget shortfall, it’s clear we need racino now.â€
Racinos are currently legal in twelve states where they bring in $2.5 billion a year in revenue from gaming for state and local governments. Racinos around the country employ over 29,000 people.
Day was first elected to the Minnesota Senate in 1990. He served as minority leader of the Republican caucus from 1997-2006, longer than any other minority leader in the state’s history.
“I am grateful to the people of Rice, Waseca and especially Steele County and my hometown of Owatonna for the confidence they have shown in me over my many years in elective office. They have deserved – and I hope feel they have received – my very best effort to serve their interests,†Day concluded.
Senator Day has accepted the position of president of Racino Now. Information about the organization can be found at www.racinonow.com.
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4 Responses to “OFFICIAL STATEMENT FROM SENATOR DICK DAY ON RETIREMENT”
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December 8th, 2009 at 3:43 PM
Kind of sad. You kind of think that after retiring, you might want to spend your sunset years doing something noble, something that makes the world a better place, not lobbying for the gambling industry.
December 8th, 2009 at 9:39 PM
Hector,
You’re always demanding more money for government. The 18 casinos in the State of Minnesota pay zero taxes on gaming revenue. Racinos would bring $250 million in revenue to the State of Minnesota every two years. The current 18 casinos in the State of Minnesota pay zero taxes on gaming profits. Surely, a good liberal like you would oppose untaxed profit.
December 9th, 2009 at 6:17 AM
Gambling is a sleazy and corrupt business, and the government shouldn’t be in it. And I don’t think legislators who have long records of support of gambling or any other business enterprise, should take lobbying jobs with those industries immediately after leaving office. It smacks of the payoff.
December 9th, 2009 at 9:58 AM
[...] Senator Dick Day’s retirement yesterday a seat will be open for special election in the next few months in the Owatonna area. The seat has [...]