Labrador opposes Prop 1

Congressman Raul Labrador said he opposes Proposition 1 on Tuesday's ballot pertaining to historical horse racing in Idaho.

Labrador said the proposal is about the legalization and expansion of gambling throughout Idaho, not about saving horse racing, providing money to schools or helping communities.

"The machines Prop 1 legalizes are nothing more than slot machines, and could be located throughout the state," a press release issued by Labrador's office states.

Labrador said the promises proponents are making about education funding don’t add up.

"Promoters wrote the measure so they take home at least 18 times more money than schools," the release states. "Also, the sponsors of Prop 1 made similar promises back in 2013 that turned out to be untrue — a state auditor’s report found that money didn’t go to schools and was spent illegally."

The promoters’ claims about a foundation receiving all profits is dubious, Labrador said.

"Their ads do not make it clear that they are talking about 'net' profits," he said. "We don’t know how they will actually interpret it because there is no language in Prop 1 that requires the establishment of this foundation or dictates which locations this promise applies to."

Prop 1 stands on questionable legal grounds and could pose a real burden to taxpayers if passed, Labrador said.

In Attorney General Lawrence Wasden’s review of the measure, the legality of historical horse racing terminals is not clear.

"I agree with legal experts who believe the Idaho Supreme Court is likely to look at the addition of HHR terminals as an expansion of gambling and rule that it violates our state Constitution — and taxpayers will foot the bill," he said.