Legislator Contacts
The following information provides contact information for our legislators as well as a templated email following these contacts which you can copy into emails you create, or you can create your own email. If you prefer, you can also cc: info@stop-the-racetrack.com for each of your emails.
Senator Rosemary Bayer
(517) 373-2417
Representative Matt Koleszar, House District #22
(517) 373-0854
Note, except for the area south of Ann Arbor Road and west of Beck, all residents west of Beck have Jason Morgan as their state rep. You can confirm by clicking on this link to Matt Kolezar's House District Map.
Houe District #22 Map https://housedems.com/matt-koleszar/#single/0
Representative Jason Morgan, House District #23
(517) 373-0855
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Governor Gretchen Whitmer (this is a form you will need to enter information into)
https://somgovweb.state.mi.us/GovRelations/ContactGovernor.aspx
(You can copy and paste templated email into form)
517-335-7858 (Constituent Services)
U.S. Representative Debbie Dingell (this is a form as well)
https://debbiedingell.house.gov/contact/
You will need your zip code + 4 to enter in the form. You will get to a page that says “Write your Rep”. Fill out form, you can select “Other” for reason, and put “Northville Downs move to Plymouth Township” in subject line.
You can copy text below and insert in an email to each legislator or use your own text. The last paragraph highlights gambling as the primary opposition, but change it to whatever your primary reason is for opposing this development (e.g. animal cruelty).
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Dear (fill in name of person sending to):
I am a resident of Plymouth Township and am writing to inform you of my opposition to Northville Downs’ (NVD) move from the City of Northville to my community. While our Township Supervisor keeps extolling its benefits, this development is simply a gambling facility to sustain an industry on life-support.
The 2022 Michigan Gaming Control Board, Horse Racing Report was clear in outlining the purpose of this facility as merely 4% of total wagering, or $1.9m, was on live horse races at the racetrack versus 96%, or $50.3m, placed on simulcast horse races.
Further, the need for additional gaming to support this industry has been proven to not work in several other states having faced a similar situation. Refer to 2021 Oregon study which summarizes additional gaming as a path that leaves the horse racing industry no better off and often eliminated with expanded gaming such as Historical Horse Racing (HHR) or casinos. If the state needs to support this industry, be leaders in helping this industry transform into something better.
Finally, there are many things wrong with how this development came to be for our Township; most significant is that the property was purchased with what is a required successful passage of a Planned Unit Development to circumvent current zoning. Changing the very fabric of our community with a gambling facility should have been put to a vote. Our local leadership has failed residents by working behind the scenes for some time to make this happen without input from residents.
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In conclusion, residents oppose this development for a variety of reasons, but most are opposed to the fact that it is a gambling facility which is being forced upon our community. If we were given any opportunity to voice our opinion prior to this being sprung upon us after years in the works, I would have clearly voiced my opposition then, but residents were not given that chance. I do NOT want this gambling development in my community and am requesting that you work to see that this development ceases to exist in Plymouth Township or in any of the nearby properties adjoining our township. Residents’ property rights matter.
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Sincerely,
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(insert your name)