Political Notebook

Day leaves Racino Now as Senjem carries on racino push

Former GOP Sen. Dick Day announced today he is leaving his post as president of Racino Now in order to form his own lobbying group called Day and Associates.

In a written statement, Day said he is looking to take on new challenges.

"I have been approached by many people asking for my assistance with their issues over at the Capitol. While I enjoyed working with Racino Now and accomplished the goal of raising public awareness for the issue, I feel that it's time to take on new issues and new challenges in St. Paul," Day said.

Day, of Owatonna, served 19 years in the Minnesota Senate. For 10 of those years, he held the post of minority leader. He resigned his seat in January 2010 to become the president of Racino Now. Efforts to get lawmakers to pass a racino plan failed to gain traction at the Capitol over the past two sessions.

Rochester GOP Sen. Dave Senjem is one of the biggest champions of racinos. He sponsored a bill that would allow slot machines at the state's two horseracing tracks — Canterbury Park and Running Aces Harness Park. In a recent interview, Senjem said racino supporters are trying a new approach to win support. They are suggesting that some of the $125 million that would be raised each year by racinos could go towards helping pay back the K-12 school shift.

Senjem said that idea has a "fair amount of support" and while there are probably not enough votes to pass racino in the legislature right now, he believes linking education funding to racinos could help change that. He said he also believes racino is the only way that a deal for a new Minnesota Vikings stadium will get done.

But opposition to racinos remains from lawmakers on both the right and the left. Rep. Mike Benson, R-Rochester, is a staunch opponent of proposals to expand gambling — even if the money would go to schools.

He asked, "What are we saying? We are going to gamble with the future of our children?"

Gambling money for bioscience?

Austin DFL Sen. Dan Sparks joined other lawmakers this morning in announcing they are introducing a bill to allow slot machines at  two horse racing tracks in the state. They say these "racinos" would raise $125 million a year and that money could be divvied up among several area -- including for a Minnesota Vikings Stadium.

In an interesting twist, lawmakers also touted the potential of this to raise money for bioscience projects like the proposed Elk Run Biobusiness Park in Pine Island. City Administrator Abraham Algadi attended a Capitol news conference this morning to show his support for the project.

"From our perspective, biotechnology is going to be spurring a lot of economic activity in our region," Algadi said.

According to the bill, 20 percent of the total revenues raised would be allocated to five areas: Agriculture and rural development; early childhood development and family education; research and development of bioscience and medical technology business; athletic, recreations or extracurricular facilities and general fund expenditures.

"This is a unique idea that has the potential to infuse millions of dollars into the state at the time we need it the most," said Sparks, who is the senate author of the bill.

Also helping to push the bill is former state Sen. Dick Day of Owatonna, who now heads the Racino Now lobbying group.

Sen. Dick Day to resign seat to lead 'Racino Now'

Owatonna Republican Sen. Dick Day announced this morning he is resigning his seat effective Jan. 8 to become president of a new organization called "Racino Now."  Here is the press release:

Day will become president of Racino Now, a grass roots coalition of
business leaders, horse racing fans and citizens who want to bring
racino to Minnesota

St. Paul - Minnesota State Senator Dick Day (R-Owatonna) will resign
his senate seat to lead a newly organized effort to achieve legislative
approval for slot and video games at Canterbury Park and Running Aces
racetracks.  His resignation is effective January 8, 2010.

“Anyone who knows me knows that a racino at Canterbury Park has been
one of my top legislative priorities for 12 years, since 1997 when I
first proposed the idea to fund a new Twins ballpark.  Every year I have
tried to get the legislature to see how the people of Minnesota could
benefit from my plan, to see the various ways we could use the hundreds
of millions of dollars the state would earn from racinos.

“Now I have the opportunity to work full time toward this end, and I
look forward to traveling throughout the state to talk to Minnesotans
about the many ways we will all gain from these two racinos,” Day
said.

Day further said, “Racinos will bring thousands of jobs and $250
million a biennium in revenue to our state.  The money could be used for
programs such as education, transportation, health care or to fund a
stadium. With the recent news of a $1.2 billion budget shortfall, it’s
clear we need racino now.”

Racinos are currently legal in twelve states where they bring in $2.5
billion a year in revenue from gaming for state and local governments.
Racinos around the country employ over 29,000 people.

Day was first elected to the Minnesota Senate in 1990.  He served as
minority leader of the Republican caucus from 1997-2006, longer than any
other minority leader in the state’s history.

“I am grateful to the people of Rice, Waseca and especially Steele
County and my hometown of Owatonna for the confidence they have shown in
me over my many years in elective office. They have deserved - and I
hope feel they have received - my very best effort to serve their
interests,” Day concluded.

Senator Day has accepted the position of president of Racino Now.