the orthodox church is held in no higher regard in the state of ny than Muslims in the united states?
even a few republicans at nassau otb gave some thought as to why nassau otb was open on christmas eve for one track, laurel, but not on roman catholic easter sunday for may tracks?
Thanks for the help. The item’s below. I’d be happy to mail you a copy, if you give me a mailing address.
Claude Solnik
Long Island Business News
2150 Smithtown Ave.
Ronkonkoma, NY 11779-7348
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.
One option: OTBs could just stay open and face the consequences. New York City OTB did just that back in 2003. The handle was about $1.5 million – and OTB was fined $5,000.
Easy money.
Boat owners who illegally discharge sewage into Hempstead Town harbors and canals will face fines of up to $1,000 under new regulations passed by the town board, with daily fines for repeat violations allowed. Above, the canals off Ocean Avenue in Seaford on Friday, Dec. 16, 2016. Photo Credit: Steve Pfost
Hempstead Town board members last week passed new regulations on houseboats in an effort to cut down on illegal discharge into local harbors and canals.
Under the regulations, violations carry up to a $1,000 fine for illegal sewage discharge from houseboats and seaplanes. Boat owners can now be fined daily for repeat violations.
The board voted 6-0, with Councilwoman Erin King Sweeney abstaining, to approve four resolutions for new fines. The fines apply to boats and seaplanes, houseboats and floating homes — structures in waterways that may not follow town codes and harm public wetlands.
King Sweeney said she abstained because she works as an aviation attorney and did not want to vote on any resolution applying to planes that could be construed as a conflict of interest.
“One of the primary goals of this legislation is to eliminate the scourge of illegal discharge of untreated sewage into the waterways,” Hempstead Town spokesman Mike Deery said.
Town officials said previous fines, set more than 50 years ago, started at about $100 and might increase to $250 after a 15-day review and a court appearance to determine if the structure involved was a lived-in vessel or a primary residence.
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Under the prior fine schedule, the resulting fine was usually less than an average rent or mortgage for someone living on a boat without sewer hookups. The new laws would allow the town to create daily fines for a new violation.
“A small fine at the end of several months could come as the cost of doing business for some of these houseboat owners and there was no deterrence factor,” Bay Constable Sgt. Matt Sohm said.
Bay constables look for boats not connected to electrical or sewage hookups or are operating in areas that may not have sewage connection systems.
The discharge of sewage and other materials has been faulted for the closure of several beaches or waterways due to high bacteria levels. The town has said some waters have not been safe for fishing or swimming.
“It doesn’t take more than a few flushes of untreated sewage to close a clamming bed,” Deery said.
“The new fines will allow us to fully inspect each one, and if not, put them in court. It is far more costly to not comply at this point,” Sohm said. “Now the boat owners might think twice about it and maybe will comply.”
The town was criticized several years ago for not more strictly enforcing houseboat regulations. Town officials cracked down about five years ago on pollution based on existing houseboat laws and residency requirements. Those regulations were not seen to be tough enough.
Houseboats have been found to be in violation in some areas of Seaford and Freeport, town officials said.
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