New Yorks "Mutuel Bill": Amendment Covering Same Will be Submitted to Voters on Nov. 7, Daily Racing Form, 1939-06-22

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NEW YORKS "MUTUEL BILL" I Amendment Covering Same Will Be 1 Submitted to Voters on Nov. 7. Result of New Jersey Election Expected to » 1 Influence Citizens of Empire State in Changing Method of Wagering. ALBANY, N. Y., June 21.— Senator John J. Dunnigan, introducer and sponsor of the . c amendment to the state constitution to au ! t thorize pari-mutuel wagering on horse races I i conducted in New York state, which passed I 2 two successive sessions of the legislature and 1 will be submitted to a vote of the people on 1 1 I ] election day, November 7, issued the state- - j ment below from his office in the capitol at t , t Albany, N. Y., following the announcemenc t 1 I 5 of the results of the special election in New ] Jersey: i 1 "The result of yesterdays election in New I Jersey in which the people adopted an 1 i amendment to the state constitution autho- - ] rizing horse racing and prescribing the pari- - 1 mutuel system as the exclusive method of f j wagering on horse races must be gratifying ? ; to millions of taxpayers interested in bal- - , 1 1 anced state budgeting during these depressed i times. The majority of the voters in yes- - j j terdays referendum are to be commended i ; , for their judgment in approving this sound i . amendment to their state constitution. I ] PREDICTS FAVORABLE VOTE. 1 1 J "I confidently accept the result in our r ; neighboring state as a forecast of an affirm- - , ative vote by the people of this state on elec- - ! | tion day. November 7, when they will be e ; confronted with an almost similar question. l- ] "Because of the long fight which I have e waged for a similar amendment to the New v York state constitution, I naturally followed , the New Jersey campaign and special elec-1 tion with keen interest. The issue was the e acceptance or the rejection of a program a I which would open a new source of additional 1 . revenue for the state. The argument for * the amendment was the necessity of an ad- " . ditional fund to meet continuing depression n j costs. The old blue law groups opposed the e amendment advancing the same false argu- l" j j ments which produced prohibition. The spe- : cial election was a triumph for good sense e over groundless fears. I I BROADER QUESTION. "The question submitted in New Jersey was s much broader than the one which is being K submitted in this state. In New Jersey the e | j people, by their vote, adopted both horse J racing and pari-mutuel wagering. In New * j York we actually have horse racing. The only question here is shall the state tax x j , wagering through the only practical medium—the pari-mutuel system? We have e the same depression relief problems as has s New Jersey and I predict that the people in n i New York will answer the question yes as j did the voters in New Jersey. A majority of the New York voters surely will agree that !t a man who can afford the extreme luxury of a wager on a horse race can afford to pay r the state a tax. "Every state which had horse racing last ;t year operated under the pari-mutuel system. Now, New Jersey has joined their ir ranks. New York, alone, remains with the J outworn, illegal bookmaking system— whicii produces no revenue for the state. I am confident !- that the voters of this state will follow 1- the good example of the state of New " Jersey."


Persistent Link: https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1930s/drf1939062201/drf1939062201_37_1
Local Identifier: drf1939062201_37_1
Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800