Apr 08 2009
MARYLAND GOVERNOR PROPOSES TO TAKE OVER PIMLICO, PREAKNESS AND LAUREL HORSE RACING TRACKS
Preakness tickets right here!!!!!!!!!!
In a move to keep the Preakness in Baltimore, today Governor O’Malley proposed legislation for the state to take over the horse racing tracks in Maryland. Of course, the multi milion dollar endeavor will have its’ critics as the state seeks a big government role in the private sector. Living in Baltimore, I question the move as there are enough private investors who have the money and are interested in purchasing Pimlico. The move comes on the heels of several developers being denied licenses to run slots-at these same locations or in close proximity to them. Sounds like the state wants to make some money and balance the books at the expense of private investors, taxpayers, and those in the community which surrounds Pimlico. It is of note to write Pimlico sits in the heart of urban blight and no one, not present owners or past, has ever put any money into the surroundng community. Baltimore’s main drug strip sits adjacent to the track and has operated as an open air drug market for decades. My question is; how will this takeover serve the people of Baltimore? To renovate, fix up, and otherwise improve property around the track may displace those who have counted the area as their home for years. To not put money into the community, of course, would be to continue to let the area go down hill. Could it be that all the boarded up city acquired property around Pimlico serves a bigger clandestine purpose? Let the area run down as much as possible, then the city and state can acquire it all through eminent domain. The legislation also happens to mention the dreaded “eminent domain”.
I don’t support this at all. Government should STAY OUT of the private sector. This means that bureaucrats can’t take over any businesses of ANY kind and businesses in turn CAN’T TAKE ANY BAILOUT MONEY FROM THE GOVT. TAHT’S RIGHT! I’M LOOKING AT YOU, AIG AND CHRYSLER!
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This is dangerous stuff. Taking over businesses for the interests of the state sounds like HMMMMM. I wont say that word on my site. Sorry. The major difference here is we have people that have offered to buy the horse tracks, so for the state to step in is even worse. No one wants to buy AIG or GM, and they did accept the money, so they deserve a little ribbing. This is totally different. Here, we have this guy saying the state wants to take it over essentially to protect the state from losing revenue. We shall see, it isnt over yet. This sort of thing was tried here before and failed in the courts. So we are just going to have to let it run its’ course (no pun intended).
Hey, thanks for weighing in on the issue.
We have racing here in my state and there is no way any of the track owners here would allow the state to take over their property. It should not be allowed anywhere. To much control over private businesses is a bad thing for the country.