Illinois Pari Mutuel Bill 1943

[wilderness]

from Mar 24, 1943 Harness Horse:

Highpoints in Illinois Pari Mutuel Bill

We have been favored by Hon. Henry Knauf, owner of Siskiyou Stock Farm, Ladd, Ill., and member of the Illinois Legislature, who introduced a pari‑mutuel bill in the Illinois Legislature recently, designed to give greater assistance to the county fairs of the state than the bill now in force. or any similar bill that has ever been a law in the state. The leading points are substantially as follows: Fairs are not permitted to have betting at their meetings—the "Take" or commission charge will be 11%, 8% to the track and 3% to the state. The State's commission will go into a fund for the benefit of agriculture. The bill as written will give each and every fair approximately $1,000 per year for rehabilitation purposes, and an additional $1,000 is to be added to the fund set aside for upkeep or improvements. In ten years each fair will have received $20,000 for improvements of their plant. which will enable the managemerits of the various fairs to have an almost model fair plant. The provisions of the bill calls for the appointment of a Race Commission by the Governor to control harness horse racing where pari‑mutuel betting is in effect. As Mr. Knauf has had all angles of experience in fairs and race meetings, it is apparent that the bill will, if it becomes law, materially benefit to fairs of the state.

With the colt stakes. that are proving such a boon to racing in Illinois, the Knauf bill and other advantages that are either in effect or in the making, harness horse racing and interests appear to be in a healthy state in Illinois.
 end of quote

 No idea if it passed in 1943.
 Maywood didn't open till 1946.