Some bad news and some good news from the good folks at Blue Mass Group.
Bad news: Apparently the Massachusetts ballot initiative banning greyhound/dog racing was challenged in court by the owner of one the racetracks here in MA.
Good news: The Mass. State Supreme Court threw out his legal objections to the initiative, so it can go forward on the ballot.
David at BMG summarizes:
All in all, a big win for the proponents of banning dog racing. The question will appear on the ballot. If it passes, the most that could happen is that Carney & Co. win a regulatory takings case, pursuant to which they would recover from the state the diminution in the value of their property caused by the law. And, especially in light of the SJC’s language emphasizing that dog racing “is a heavily regulated industry that only exists by virtue of legislatively created narrow exceptions to common-law and statutory bans,” there is no guarantee that they would win that case.
Huh? To further simplify: the racetrack owner sued, in part, claiming that getting rid of racing licenses was like getting rid of his private property, so he’s entitled to compensation. The Court slapped him down. And then they let the initiative to go ballot.
To conclude: Yay!
The abuse of power from all these very few who reap millions at the expense of Greyhound’s pain and suffering should not only be noted but punished. Who lets them get away with this? And why? Time to put on Captain Kangaroo Glasses and see who runs your neighborhood….and find out what is in it for them.
Michelle Young Cuenant