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Bill to Increase States Revenue in Ohio Senate Pass Reconsidered Turf Measure In House; Will Hurt Industry Special to Daily Racing Form COLUMBUS, O., May 12. — The Mills-Romer bill to hike the states revenue from pari-mutueL wagering on horse racing by ,200,000 annually has been revived and is now in the State -Senate. After originally being defeated, 67-64, in the House, a shift in votes by Rep. George Hook, Georgetown Democrat, from the affirmative to negative left the door open for the measure to be considered again. When Hook asked for reconsideration, the bill passed the House, 77-56, with only 70 affirmative votes being necessary. In the final House vote, nine Republicans voted for the proposal and eight Democrats opposed it. The measure is scheduled for its first hearing before the Senate State Government Committee Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. EST. Although clearing the House hurdle, the voting was hardly heralded as a smashing victory for the forces of Gov. Michael V. DiSalle and the Democrats, who control the Legislature. It was pointed out that without the backing of nine Republicans the bill would have failed again. DiSalle, a super critic of horse racing and the Ohio Racing Commission, strongly supports passage of the measure, which was sponsored by Representatives R. G. Mills, New Lexington, and Harold Romer, Cold-water, both Democrats. Should the -bill receive the Senates approval, Gov. DiSalle is expected to lose no time signing the proposal into law. The measure would boost the over-all take-out at thoroughbred tracks to 16 per cent with the states cut ranging from 4 to 10 per cent, based on the daily handle. At present, the over-all take-out is 13 y2 per cent with the state reaping from 2% per cent to 6% per cent. At standardbred tracks, the over-all take-out would jump to 17 Vk per cent with anywhere from 3 to 9 per cent going into the state treasury. The present over-all take-out at harness tracks is 14 per cent with the state getting from 2 to 6 per cent. Continued on Page Forty Bill to Increase States Revenue in Ohio Senate Pass Reconsidered Turf Measure In House; Will Hurt Industry Continued ttom Page Six Horse racing interests, both thoroughbred • and stardardbred, predict dire things ; for both phases of the industry should the ; bill be enacted into law: Governor DiSalle admitted in a recent b special message to the Legislature on horse , racing he had been advised that the overall - take-out should not exceed 15 per cent. ;. An impartial study of horse racing betting - by the Ohio Legislature Service Commission . a year ago disclosed that the states , 3 share of the wagering as thoroughbred tracks was one of the highest in the nation while the states cut of the betting at t standardbred ovals was "reasonably low."
