Supporters amass signatures for dog racing ban
Ballot effort faces track owners' suit
Backers of a statewide ban on dog racing say they have once again gathered enough signatures to put the issue before Massachusetts voters, but whether it will appear on the November ballot is no sure bet. A lawsuit to block the measure by dog tracks is pending in the Supreme Judicial Court.
The Committee to Protect Dogs said it submitted 45,000 signatures to local election officials for certification yesterday, one day before the deadline. The umbrella group of several dog advocacy organizations collected far more than the 11,099 needed for final approval by the secretary of state's office.
"We are very optimistic that voters will have an opportunity to end the cruelty of greyhound racing in November," said Christine Dorchak, committee cochairwoman. "We're very encouraged by the response we've received while collecting signatures."
The supporters of two other initiatives - one that favors abolishing the state income tax and another that would ease marijuana possession laws - said yesterday that they each have more than 20,000 signatures in support of their ballot questions. All three measures are binding.
The proposed dog racing ban would shut down the state's two tracks, Raynham-Taunton Greyhound Park and Wonderland Greyhound Park in Revere, by Jan. 1, 2010. Violators would face minimum fines of $20,000 by the State Racing Commission.
"The news . . . doesn't trouble me at all," said George Carney, who has owned the Raynham-Taunton track for the past 40 years. "To me, it doesn't accomplish much at all except wasting time and money."
Charles Sarkis, owner of the Wonderland track, did not return a call yesterday for comment.
In March, Carney filed a lawsuit after the state attorney general's office ruled that the initiative met state requirements. Carney's lawyer, Lee Kozol, argued that the referendum was unfit for the ballot because it singled out the two tracks, when it should apply to the whole state, according to court documents. The Supreme Judicial Court took the matter under advisement after a hearing May 7.
In 2006, Carney used a lawsuit to successfully block a similar ballot initiative. Animal rights activists were successful in getting a ban on the ballot in 2000, but it was narrowly defeated.
If the court does not block the measure this year, Carney said he will wage a multimillion dollar advertising campaign to swing voters against the measure. He said that at his track there are about 650 full- and part-time workers, jobs that would be lost if the ban was approved.
"I feel the economy is in our favor," Carney said.
Dog advocacy groups will counter with a grass-roots effort to convince voters that the economy should not depend on cruelty to animals, Dorchak said. Advocates cite a litany of injuries that have befallen more than 800 dogs, including broken bones, cardiac arrest, and paralysis.
"What is happening everyday to greyhounds is what we will show the public," Dorchak said.
The fight over the proposed dog racing ban comes amid heated arguments between lawmakers about casino gambling in Massachusetts. Both Carney and Sarkis have expressed interest in casino licenses for their tracks. Carney said that if greyhound racing is banned, he has no plans to develop the Raynham property for anything other than gambling or gaming purposes.
The other initiatives are also generating debate. Lawmakers and antitax activists disagree strongly over the proposed end to the state income tax. The Committee for Small Government, led by libertarian Carla Howell, says the referendum would save the average taxpayer $3,600 a year. But city and town officials are scrambling to inform voters of the impact of the measure, if passed. The tax-cutting plan would cost the state roughly $12.7 billion, about 40 percent of the budget.
The third ballot initiative would replace criminal penalties for possession of 1 ounce or less of marijuana with civil penalties. Information about the civil offense would be excluded from criminal records. The Committee for Sensible Marijuana Policy says studies show the use of the drug does not rise with decriminalization.
Opponents argue that while marijuana may seem harmless, it can impair people's senses, thus creating a link between use and car crashes.
Christopher Baxter can be reached at cbaxter@globe.com. 