A horse racing commission is in some hot water after allegations have surfaced that it illegally distributed funds to horse racing organizations that were earmarked for the public.
According to an article by the Idaho Statesman, state auditors have claimed that the Idaho Horse Racing Commission broke the law when it distributed funds to a pair of horse breeders associations in late 2015.
The commission had handed a total of $286,000 to a pair of breeder organizations, but the auditors have determined that $72,000 of those funds were supposed to go to the public school system.
Auditors are also alleging that it was illegal for the commission to be distributing the funds to begin with; as the state repeal of historical horse racing terminals had caused the commission to lose its authority to dole out the funds.
The article explains that officials with the IHRC have touched base with the attorney general’s office about how to proceed in the matter, and that the commission is expected to ask the breeder organizations to return the funds.
It was also reported late last month that the IHRC is facing a significant budget crunch due to the closure of Les Bois Park.
(With files from the Idaho Statesman)
