POST FALLS — Advertisements for Proposition 1, which would again legalize the limited use of historical horse racing machines in Idaho, feature promises by track owners that they will donate 100 percent of their net profits to Idaho schools, communities, and health care services.

Opponents say that likely won’t amount to much.

On Sept. 27, Treasure Valley Racing’s five co-owners formed the Treasure Valley Racing Foundation for Rural Idaho. TVR owned and operated Les Bois Park in Boise until its doors closed after the Legislature’s renewed ban on historical horse racing machines in 2015.

This year, TVR’s owners have pledged to donate all Les Bois “profits from live racing, simulcast and historical horse racing” to fund the Treasure Valley Racing Foundation for Rural Idaho’s charitable goals, said Prop 1 spokesman Todd Dvorak. Those goals include funding “scholarships, rural education programs, and access to health and social services,” TVR co-owner Robert Rebholtz Jr. said in late September.

Gov. Butch Otter endorsed Prop 1 in a television advertisement, stating: “Prop 1 is great for Idaho, generating millions for schools and creating local jobs.” Dvorak said that when historical horse racing machines were allowed from January to early September of 2015, public schools received about $570,000 from profits at Les Bois.

“This sum includes revenue generated from wagering on live races across the state, simulcast and historical horse racing,” Dvorak said. If Prop 1 passes, such funds would again be deposited per state statute into the Public School Income Fund, he said.

Dvorak added that the owners of Les Bois won’t receive compensation by revenue generated at the track if Prop 1 passes and racing resumes at Les Bois.

Prop 1 opponents say the historical horse racing machines won’t pay out much to Idaho schools.

“Promoters of Prop 1 claim this unlimited expansion of casino-style gambling machines will raise millions of dollars for Idaho’s public schools,” said Coeur d’Alene Mayor Steve Widmyer. “Yet, according to the text of the ballot initiative, owners of the machines get 18 times more money. This means students only get half of a penny for every dollar bet on historical horse racing machines. Who knows how many years it would take Idaho students to actually see a million dollars proponents keep promising … or if it would ever make it there.”

Widmyer added: “When historical horse racing was allowed in the past, the state auditor found money meant for Idaho students was spent illegally and didn’t make it to classrooms.”

Though some non-tribal officials have opposed the initiative, Dvorak said campaign finance disclosure reports show that “98 percent of the money spent to oppose the initiative have come from the Coeur d’Alene Tribe.” For the Coeur d’Alene Tribe to oppose gaming is pure hypocrisy, he said.

“The fact is, Proposition 1 is taking the same approach that the tribes did in 2002 when voters approved and authorized casino-style gaming on tribal reservations.”

Local leaders who oppose Prop 1 include Widmyer, former Coeur d’Alene Mayor Sandi Bloem, Hayden Mayor Steve Griffitts, Rep. Paul Amador, Kootenai County Commissioner Chris Fillios, Sen. Mary Souza, and tribal chairman Ernie Stensgar, among others.

Prop 1 has been endorsed by Otter, Lt. Gov. Brad Little, Sen. Bob Nonini, Benewah County Commissioners Jack Buell and Bud McCall, Boise Mayor Dave Bieter, the Boise Metro Chamber of Commerce, and the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee, among others, Dvorak said.