another John, another useless John who has

done nothing to see that NY State does not close Nassau OTB on Roman Catholic holidays in preference to Greek Orthodox Holidays. John for President of Cypress? See NY Const. Art. 1, Sec. 3.

John Catsimatidis picks up Dean Skelos endorsement for NYC mayor

Originally published: March 21, 2013 9:53 PM
Updated: March 21, 2013 9:57 PM
By YANCEY ROY  yancey.roy@newsday.com

Photo credit: Wire Image | John Catsimatidis attends the wedding of Andrea Catsimatidis and Christopher Nixon Cox at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral Of The Holy Trinity in Manhattan. (June 4, 2011)

John Catsimatidis picked up the endorsement Thursday of the state Legislature's top Republican in his bid for the GOP nomination in the New York City mayor's race.
Senate co-leader Dean Skelos (R-Rockville Centre) said the grocery magnate was the "best qualified" among the handful of Republican hopefuls. Skelos lauded Catsimatidis' resume in making the endorsement.
"John is a lifelong resident of New York City. He was educated in its public school system and with hard work and determination built successful businesses that have made him a leader of the city's business community," Skelos said in a statement. "John Catsimatidis knows what it takes to create jobs; he's created tens of thousands in the private sector and will do the same as mayor."
Catsimatidis is locked in a GOP battle with former Metropolitan Transportation Authority chairman Joe Lhota and Doe Fund founder George McDonald. Adolfo Carrion Jr., a former Bronx borough president and an Independence Party member, is also trying to get on the GOP ballot.
Skelos' endorsement comes just a week after former Gov. George Pataki announced his support. It also came hours before Catsimatidis was slated to square off in a candidates' debate in Manhattan

Home > LI Confidential > Stop scratching on holidays

Stop scratching on holidays
Published: June 1, 2012

Off Track Betting in New York State has been racing into a crisis called shrinking revenue. Some people have spitballed a solution: Don’t close on holidays.
New York State Racing Law bars racing on Christmas, Easter and Palm Sunday, and the state has ruled OTBs can’t handle action on those days, even though they could easily broadcast races from out of state.
“You should be able to bet whenever you want,” said Jackson Leeds, a Nassau OTB employee who makes an occasional bet. He added some irrefutable logic: “How is the business going to make money if you’re not open to take people’s bets?”
Elias Tsekerides, president of the Federation of Hellenic Societies of Greater New York, said OTB is open on Greek Orthodox Easter and Palm Sunday.
“I don’t want discrimination,” Tsekerides said. “They close for the Catholics, but open for the Greek Orthodox? It’s either open for all or not open.”
OTB officials have said they lose millions by closing on Palm Sunday alone, with tracks such as Gulfstream, Santa Anita, Turf Paradise and Hawthorne running.