The legislative session for 2007 in Kentucky is relatively short and an election for governor will also occupy minds. The Kentucky Equine Education Project (KEEP) will therefore temporarily drop its campaign for racetrack gaming to concentrate efforts on gaining tax relief for the horse industry. Unlike cattle, and even llamas, food and fencing for the horse industry is taxed.

"The decision of the KEEP board of directors was that we needed to focus on what's now realistic, so the feeling was that trying to get tax equity legislation passed in an 'off' session should be the primary objective," KEEP chairman Brereton Jones said. "If other people are pushing the gaming issue, our position hasn't changed. But we need to put a major push on tax equity. Getting the sales tax off a sack of feed helps every breed of horse."

KEEP remains in favour of racinos as a means of assisting the horseracing industry and the people of Kentucky. Competition from other states that are able to provide bigger racing purses through racetrack gaming has had a detrimental effect on the Kentucky racing market. Additional competition may come from Ohio if the seven racetracks there win the November vote to allow video lottery terminals at those venues.

2008, with a normal length session of the General Assembly, will be the time for KEEP to campaign hard to expand gaming in Kentucky. The present Governor, a Republican who is standing for re-election in 2007, does not support racetrack gaming but is not against tax parity. The KEEP chairman, Brereton Jones, has been tipped as a contender for Governor although he declined to run for the Democratic nomination in 2002. He was the Kentucky governor from 1991-95. (E-10.06.06)

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