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Horse racing compromise good for the state

Arlington, an important cog in suburban economy, smart to contribute to its own health

A potential compromise reached. Three sides contributing to a common goal. A budget involved in state government trimmed to provide more money for that common goal.

Wait, in Illinois? During the same week the governor and speaker of the house show no signs of compromising on anything? When the speaker refuses to even meet with the governor?

According to an item from Daily Herald columnist Kerry Lester, that's the case. And even more surprising, it centers around helping the sagging fortunes of the state's horse-racing industry.

Lester reports that Arlington Park, Hawthorne Racecourse and the Illinois Racing Board have all agreed to pony up $500,000 each to put toward increasing purses for winning races next year. With more money at stake, better horses will come and more betting is likely. A fourth interested party, the Illinois Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association, may also contribute.

In the 1990s, Arlington was among the top four tracks in the nation in terms of the size of its purses, General Manager Tony Petrillo said earlier this year. This year, they ranked 35. Clearly, they need to act.

“People race for money. They come here for the purses,” Illinois Racing Board Chairman Jeff Brincat told Lester. The plan would add $5,000 to $10,000 to the winner's prize, which averages about $20,000. Compromise in racing has been hard to come by over the years. The two tracks have not always seen eye-to-eye.

And the industry itself has waged unsuccessful efforts to battle lagging interest by adding slots at the tracks. With that idea collecting dust in the ongoing budget battles in Springfield, all sides recognize they need to help themselves.

And that's a refreshing sentiment that should be lauded. At Arlington, the track employs about 1,100 people a year and officials say they contribute $800,000 to $1 million to the village of Arlington Heights in tax receipts each year. That needs to be preserved.

But rather than the usual lament about what casinos and other gambling efforts are doing to the tracks in an effort to garner support for increasing gambling in the state, racing officials are putting up the money to help their cause on their own. It's an important gesture.

And the Illinois Racing Board is doing what every state department, board or commission should do; identify and cut out the fat. The board is proposing to raise its $500,000 share by cutting down on out-of-town conferences and reducing the number of meeting and administrators.

A bill has been introduced by state Sen. Pam Althoff of McHenry to free up those funds. We urge passage of that bill.

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