Governor Vilsack isn’t wild about a plan to help the proposed Newton race track. A bill that cleared a Senate committee last week would have the state refund all the sales taxes collected on ticket sales for races at the track. Vilsack has reservations about the process and the method by which legislators are trying to provide support to the project. “I am supportive of the project and I think it would be good for Newton…clearly NASCAR racing and racing in general is something that has caught on and is part of the fabric of this country,” Vilsack says. The Governor says the project would be a boon to the state, economically, and should “clearly be supported” but he doesn’t like the approach that’s been devised.Vilsack says legislators should opt for a direct state grant to the track. He says there are a lot of other enterprises in Iowa that might start clamoring for a sales tax rebate, and that would reduce state sales tax collections and make the state budget picture worse.
