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Ohio Tax Committee Hears Opposition to Bill Measure Would Increase Revenue FronrMutuels by One Per Cent COLUMBUS, Ohio, June 2.— At a meeting before the taxation committee of Ohios lower legislative chamber yesterday six persons opposed a bill that would increase the state take on pari-mutuel betting by one per cent. The bill which would .make the Ohio tax 13% per cent was supported by Gov. Frank J. Lauche, "in view of the stringency in the finances of the State of Ohio." Homer Marshman, a representative of Randall Park, said that of the 12% per cent taken from total wagers now, about. 4.99 per cent goes to the state, 3.9 per cent for purses, 3.8 per cent to the track operators. Walter J. Michael, representing the Grandview harness track, insisted that if taxes were raised, "you are going to put a lot of tracks out of business. I dont know of any track that is making too much, or even a lot of money." Michael is a former member of the Ohio Racing Commission and a prominent midwestern horseman. Speaking for the Ohio Horsemans Association, former State Senator C. I. Powell said, "most of the good horses are being taken to other states because Ohio tracks cannot afford larger purses." Governor Lauche earlier had released a letter he sent to George Kirkpatrick, chair- man of the House Taxation Committee and all the committee members. It read in part, "I cant overemphasize the need of passing House Bill 334, providing for the increase of the tax rate on pari-mutuel betting at the commercial race tracks of Ohio. Ohio is collecting 4.99 per cent in taxes on the total amount wagered while the average tax yield for other states is approximately 6 per cent. "The adoption of House Bill 334 would provide an increase in revenue in the next two years on the basis~bf the wagering of last year, in the amount of ,650,000. With increased wagering that amount, of course, would be increased."
