LANSING – Final action on balancing the current Michigan budget and resolving the 2004-05 budget seems now to depend on whether the legislation allows slot machines at horse racetracks. But when action on HB 4610 and other budget bills takes place remains the question.
According to legislative sources, aides have been working on new language to the racino bill, which is in a House-Senate conference committee. Aides stress that a conference committee meeting might take place this week, but nothing has been called or finalized.
Even if there were to be a meeting, and a compromise bill reported, when the Legislature would actually act on it is unclear. There are several legislators who will be attending the annual meeting of the National Conference of State Legislatures in Salt Lake City, and the week following little action is forecast because so many Democratic lawmakers will be in Boston for the Democratic National Convention.
Rep. Larry Julian (R-Lennon), the lead backer of racinos, said Friday that he is “95 percent” done writing the conference report and hopes to call a conference committee meeting this week.
On the Senate side, sources said Majority Leader Ken Sikkema (R-Wyoming) has told House Speaker Rick Johnson (R-LeRoy) he will not block a vote on the racino measure, but neither will he work for it.
On the House side, Johnson’s spokesperson, Keith Ledbetter, said Johnson will not use the racino legislation to block action on HB 4612, which would increase the tax on the Detroit casinos.
The Senate side sees action on the casino tax increase as the major piece left to be placed in resolving the budget puzzle. But Senate officials also worry that if the racino bill passes, the needed votes on the casino tax will vanish as the casinos will step up their opposition.
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