Notice of Important Vote
At Annual Meeting
Saturday February 10, 2007
Italian Heritage Center
40 Westland Ave.
Portland, Maine

 

     On December 20th, 2006, the MSBOA Board of Directors voted to support a change of statute which would allow the MHHA to be paid up to 3% of all funds paid for purses (except nominating fees, starting fee and other fees paid by owners)
     At the moment the MHHA may receive 1.5% of live handle purse supplement funds. No provision was made to allow the MHHA to receive money from slots additions to purses. As you know the live handle has been decreasing and the MHHA has been operating on a shoestring budget as a wholly voluntary organization.
   We voted to support this increase in funding to allow paid staffing of the MHHA. We did this for the following reasons:
  • The MHHA is the bargaining agent with the tracks
  • The MHHA is often seen by the legislators as the group which represent our industry.
  • The MHHA is in dire need of support
  • THE MSBOA needs to work in close partnership with the MHHA to further our common goals.
We are concerned that the tracks and even some members of our industry would like to stop paying the minimum purse which the tracks add to all betting stake races (track share). Up to now tracks have added this "track share" to all betting stake races but since the significant increase in stake purses there has been a position taken by tracks and some horsemen that stake races "do not need the money". This is the same as changing the industry agreement made for distribution of slots revenue and taking some of the Breeders Stakes money and redistributing it.
We believe that with the rapid expected increase in the number of stake races (the number of trotting mares bred in 2006 doubled), that the average stake purse will not rise dramatically over 2006 levels. The purse contribution from the tracks will be an important part of our income (it was about $111,000 total in 2006 and will increase as the minimum overnight purse and the number of stake races increases).
As a united group of horsemen and horsewomen speaking as one we were a force that was able to gets the slots referendum passed into law and protected our funds in the legislature. It is vital to our continued political success that we maintain the unity and cooperation of all horsemen and horsewomen.
In return for supporting the MHHA, the MSBOA and MHHA have agreed to the following:
  1. Continued support of the track share contributed at all tracks for any betting stake race.
  2. Support negotiation by contract of the definition of a betting stake race as being five or more separate betting interest (barred horses excluded).
  3. Support efforts to increase the number of races on stake days by petitioning the Maine Harness Racing Commission to allow licensees greater latitude in programming more races on those days.
  4. Reasonable access to staff and clerical resources of the MHHA
  5. MHHA recognizes and supports the importance and value of the standardbred breeding industry in Maine and the Sire Stakes Program and will make all efforts to protect purse funds and any and all interests of Maine harness racing.
  6. The MSBOA may suggest items to be considered in contract negotiations with all racing venues. Determination of the outcome of the negotiation regarding these items will be made available to the MSBOA
  7. The MHHA shall provide a copy of the notice for regularly scheduled meetings to the president of the MSBOA in order to enable the MSBOA to comment on agenda items either prior to the meeting or by attending the meeting.
  8. The formation of a committee consisting of five members of the MHHA, at least two of which shall also be members of the MSBOA Board of Directors, who shall meet at least once a year to review the effectivemess of the above agreement, review the previous year's budget and make comments, suggestions and other input to the MHHA Board; and to set forth priorities of common interest to both organizations.
This issue will be discussed and voted on at our Winter Meeting
For more information contact : Michael D. Andrew (207) 839-4907

 

 

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