Angry New York business owners demand end to coronavirus lockdown & support ny const art 1 sec 3
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Claude Solnik
Long Island Business News
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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.
Sunday, April 12, 2020
| Track Code | Track Name | Entry | Scratch | 1st Post ET | 1st Post Local | Time Zone | Stakes Race(s) | Stakes Grade | T.V. Indicator |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SA | SANTA ANITA PARK | 72 | 48 | 3:00 PM | 12:00 PM | PDT | |||
| SUN | SUNLAND PARK | 168 | 24 | 2:30 PM | 12:30 PM | MDT | Mt. Cristo Rey H. | ||
| TAM | TAMPA BAY DOWNS | 72 | 0 | 12:35 PM |
About 200 people, mostly small business owners, railed against Gov. Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio during a Staten Island rally calling for an end to the COVID-19 shutdown and a return to work.
“Stand up to them! Do not lay down for them! Who is going to stand with me, who is going to swing their doors open on Monday and say, ‘I’m going in? You want me? Come and get me. I’m feeding my men, I’m feeding my family. I’m paying my bills and I’m not gonna let you stop me,'” Staten Island business owner and veteran activist Steve Margarella yelled to a cheering crowd.
De Blasio, Margarella told the crowd, “has had his boots on our throats” for the past four years. He referred to Cuomo as “Il Duce,” which was Mussolini’s nickname.
Margarella, owner of paving company Margarella Asphalt and concrete, organized the rally.
“It’s more about civil rights — respecting our Constitution and maintaining personal safety in the meantime,” Margarella told The Post. “COVID is very serious. Everyone should respect the rights and safety of others. That has nothing to do with me going back to work. That could all be done safely.”
Margarella said he doesn’t know if his 43-year-long business will be able to re-open when Cuomo finally gives the OK.
The parking lot of Showplace Entertainment Center in Staten Island filled up with cars and motorcycles, many bearing American flags while tunes from Motley Crue and Billy Idol blared over the loudspeaker before the noon kick-off.
“We want it all opened up so we can work,” said a sign company owner who didn’t want to give his name. “80,000 died so far. If we put down another 80,000 in the six months it would take to create a vaccine, at least we would have our country. [The 80,000 people] will go down as American heroes.”
There was plenty of anger at the Staten Island event, but the rally bore no resemblance to Thursday’s wild pro-Trump, anti-COVID protest on Commack, L.I. Thursday where demonstrators chased down and verbally threatened Long Island 12 reporter Kevin Vesey.
Margarella said Facebook took down his posts promoting the rally — which only made him angrier.
“It’s a real problem,” Margarella said. “I understand they’re a private entity, they can do this legally. I’m not a conspiracy theorist, but my wanting to challenge Democratic authority violates their community standards. All I want to do is speak truth to power.”
Leticia Remauro, owner of The Von Agency, an SI-based public relations agency, came to the rally because she has no work now that her clients have shut down. Remauro and her family all got COVID and recovered.
“It’s not about money,” Remauro said. “It’s about freedom, independence, the First Amendment. Caring about your neighbor means making sure they eat. People aren’t eating. Business owners provide a service, they create jobs.”
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