As pact is questioned, villages await $1M
Photo credit: Newsday/Audrey C. Tiernan | Nassau County Legislator Kevan Abrahams addresses people gathered at the Faith Baptist Church Cathedral during a ceremony that followed Monday's Martin Luther King Jr. Parade. From left, Abrahams, Hempstead Mayor Wayne Hall, Ray Thomas, representing Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano's office, and Freeport Mayor Andrew Hardwick. (Jan. 16, 2012)
Last June, Assemb. Earlene Hooper (D-Hempstead) and Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano signed an unusual pact that called for the county to send Hempstead Village and the Village of Freeport an extra $500,000 each from countywide tax revenue.
The agreement, signed and notarized, also called for Mangano to undertake "a thorough review of the historically inequitable distribution" of county revenue to both villages.
Mangano's signature on this "memorandum of understanding" was the price of getting Hooper, with the title of deputy speaker, to stop blocking a key bill allowing the county sales tax to be reauthorized.
Today, sales tax revenue is flowing to the county. But extra funds to the villages are nowhere to be found, let alone a peep from county officials about any historic practices.
Hempstead Mayor Wayne Hall, while no ally of Hooper, declared Friday, "The county has to live up to its agreement." Hall and Freeport Mayor Andrew Hardwick, both Democrats, submitted claims, seeking the combined $1 million, to the county comptroller's office, citing the June 20 memo. They were rejected.
Deputy Comptroller Francis X. Moroney described several deficiencies in the claims. In addition, he noted the agreement called for "the diligent efforts of the deputy speaker to obtain passage" of the tax bill, yet on June 21, Hooper voted against both the county's sales tax and hotel tax extensions. Said Moroney: "A 'diligent effort' to get the bill passed implies something other than voting 'no.' "
Hall replied, "Even though she voted 'no,' it still passed," having finally reached the Assembly floor with her consent. Sponsored by Joseph Saladino (R-Massapequa), the bills carried 92-49 and 90-51 -- after Hooper told the chamber: "I vote in the negative, in contradiction to the discriminatory practices of Nassau County" which were "long-term" and "most heinous."
Hooper didn't return a call Friday. A vague statement from Mangano said: "This appears to be an issue between the county comptroller and deputy speaker."
Freeport Village Attorney Howard Colton called the rejection a "unilateral and improper action" by GOP Comptroller George Maragos and urged him to "put politics aside" for the villages' taxpayers. Colton called on Hooper and Mangano to help resolve the issue.
Dear Attorney General Eric Schneiderman:
The Bettors of the State of New York and the employees of the remaining OTBs, public benefit corporations, have no standing to ask for your Opinion to the following simple questions with seemingly obvious answers::
1. Will the Attorney General defend the constitutionality of NY PML Sec 105?
2. Does NY PML Sec 105 apply to Nassau OTB?
3. Does NY PML Sec 105 violate the rights of New York Bettors secured by NY Const. Art. 1, Sec. 3?
4. Is NY PML Sec 105 vague, indefinite and/or overly broad as the term "Easter Sunday" does not define one and only one Sunday in all years (see eg Gregorian and Julian Calendars)?
I hope that you will sua sponte issue an Opinion as to the above so that bettors may bet, workers may work or not as they wish, and the State and its subdivisions make money. There are tracks running all across the United States every day of the year that bettors want to bet. Track calendars may be found at eg www.ntra.com<http://www.ntra.com> ;. The OTBs also sell New York Lottery tickets which are drawn every day of the year. The OTBs also cash non IRS Lottery tickets in cash for any sum, a convenience for many Lotto Players.
It is critical in these current time that the OTBs are open when customers want to bet. I believe that your Opinion will belatedly validate the actions of New York City OTB taken on the advice of its Counsel in 2003.
Sincerely yours,
January 5, 2012
Open On 1st Palm Sunday, Otb Rakes In $2m - New York Daily News
articles.nydailynews.com/.../18220335_1_racing-and-wagering-boar...
Open On 1st Palm Sunday, Otb Rakes In $2m. BY JERRY BOSSERT DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER. Monday, April 14, 2003. New York City Off-Track Betting ...
§ 105. Supplementary regulatory powers of the board. Notwithstanding
any inconsistent provision of law, the board through its rules and
regulations or in allotting dates for racing or in licensing race
meetings at which pari-mutuel betting is permitted shall be empowered
to: (i) permit racing at which pari-mutuel betting is conducted on any
or all dates from the first day of January through the thirty-first day
of December, inclusive of Sundays but exclusive of December twenty-fifth
and Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday; and (ii) fix minimum and maximum
charges for admission at any race meeting.
See also
http://www.liherald.com/elmont/elmont/stories/Legislation-would-strengthen-state-OTB-corporations,31667
March 29, 2011 | 2361 views
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