PROP 1: Deserves 'yes' vote

“Prop 1 would result in casinos springing up all over the state.” That’s the response from Coeur d’Alene Tribe chairman Ernie Stensger in a July 11 story when asked about Proposition 1 qualifying for the November ballot. Clearly, it’s time to set the record straight.

Prop 1 is about restoring Idaho’s live horse racing industry and asks voters to approve the use of historic horse racing terminals, a form of gaming that operates under a legal, pari-mutuel system. Revenue from historic horse racing is essential to supporting live horse racing, bolstering purse money to make Idaho racing more competitive, while restoring jobs and providing money to public schools.

I encourage all voters to read Prop 1. You’ll find that it sets strict boundaries on where HHR terminals can be used. Specifically, HHR would be limited to tracks that host at least eight live race days annually or approved simulcast locations.

Unfortunately, the chairman is misinformed, because nothing in Prop 1 suggests historic horse racing will proliferate in our state.

SEN. BOB NONINI

Coeur d’Alene