New York State: Sucking out the last dollar to fund folly

New York State need only look around at other states that have progressive policies and wiser fiscal policies to comprehend their folly.

When New York State, in desperation, legalized OTBs, they blindly destroyed communities and ignored the consequences. I know. I watched.

Now, New York State entertains expanding that folly in all directions to preserve a dead industry, bail out failed OTB, renew its own corruption.

There is an end to revenues. You simply can't continue to suck communities dry while funding flawed policies and preserving dead industries such as racing.

Stay tuned for the worst of the worst in New York State.


Nobody by should be fooled by a veiled ploy

In just the last few weeks, the renaissance that has been experienced by the New York Racing and Agriculture Industries has been threatened by two extremely shortsighted and hopefully dead-on-arrival proposals.

The first, an attempt to prop-up the hopelessly flawed New York City Off Track Betting Corp. involves not just the forgiveness of tens of millions of dollars NYC OTB owes to the state's horsemen and breeders, but also calls for a reduction in the amount of live racing at Monticello Raceway.

Nobody in the state's legislature should be fooled by this veiled ploy to extend the 40 year run of a blatant patronage mill by needlessly eroding the very industries it is charged to support. In sum, the lawmakers in Albany should do with OTB's proposal exactly what the raceway judges do when they see the occasional lame horse; it should be scratched at the starting gate.

The second threat comes in the form of yet another pronouncement for the salvation of the Catskills via the construction of a Native American casino. While the numerous previous attempts have never gotten much past the press release stage, this most recent attempt is an insult to the intelligence of all New Yorkers.

Under the guise of a land claim settlement, certain government officials think they can sneak the casino by the public. Interestingly, while this operation would include not only slot machines but also table games, the tax rate would be quite small in relation to what the racinos and their horsemen presently pay to the State.

Worse yet, the competition from such an undertaxed operation would stifle the growth of, and investment in, the gaming and entertainment industries created under the carefully crafted video lottery terminal program; a program that is as closely regulated by the State as it is heavily taxed.

In sum, the citizens of Sullivan County and elsewhere should heed recent history and follow their instincts. While things assuredly need to get a lot better, they can and will get a lot worse if government allows schemes developed under the cover of darkness to destroy the economic progression that New York's racing, gaming and agriculture industries have brought to the table.

A run-amok OTB that consistently deadbeats the state and horseracing, maybe now coupled with a sweetheart casino deal, actually benefits no one. Is that what will help revitalize the mountains? I wouldn't bet on it with your money.

by Alan SCHWARTZ - (President of the Monticello Harness Horsemen's Association, representing the hundreds of owners, trainers and drivers regularly competing at Monticello Raceway).