Worries about state racing industry after NYC OTB bill fails, survey concludes cars on many streets around ESP are from commuters, it's Jimmer time
The measure that would have propped up NYC OTB failed to pass during a vote in the state Senate yesterday. The vote tally was 29-21 against -- and if you're scoring at home, that means 10 senators did not vote. Among the non-votes: Hugh Farley, who said he was "a little bit late" because he had been talking to Dean Skelos. The chairman of the NYC OTB said the org is "out of business" because of the vote and could leave the state on the hook for the org's $600 million in liabilities. An official with state racing and wagering board described the effect of the OTB's closure on the state's racing industry as "a boulder hitting the pond" and every part of the state's racing industry will experience adverse impacts. The OTB owed NYRA more than $25 million. Senate Democratic majority leader John Sampson called the bill's failure "the nail in the coffin for the racing industry in the entire state of New York." [TU] [State of Politics] [TU CapCon] [NYDN] [NY Post] [Post-Star] [Saratogian] [State of Politics]
During opening arguments of the Richard Bailey murder trial, the attorney for De Von Callicut -- the alleged shooter -- tried to cast doubt on the truthfulness of the prosecution's witnesses, which include three associates of Callicut. Her opening statement was also interrupted by the prosecution with an objection after she said that Albany police department's investigation of the case considered "every criminal in the Albany area, who was also black, a suspect." During its opening the statement, the prosecution said Callicut had gone on a robbery spree for "free money" after losing money playing dice. [WNYT] [TU] [Daily Gazette]
An APD spokesman says "stranger on stranger" rapes, such as two recent crimes on Dove and Quail, are "very, very rare" in the city. [TU]
During the trial of one of the men accused of robbing a Troy pizzeria at gunpoint last year, the shop's manager described being shot a combined six times by the two assailants -- including four times in the eye. [Troy Record] [TU]
A survey of streets around the ESP by the City of Albany Traffic Engineering Division concludes that many of the cars parked there during the day belong to commuters. On some streets, more than half cars were tagged as belonging to commuters. [TU] [ACO]
State senator Kevin Parker was convicted yesterday of misdemeanor charges related to assault of a New York Post photographer last year. John Sampson says there's "no comparison" between Parker's conviction and that of Hiram Monserrate -- and he doesn't currently plan to seek Parker's ouster from the state Senate. [Daily Politics] [State of Politics] [TU CapCon]
The state is spending $23 million to create what is essentially a hotel in downtown Albany for judges from the state Court of Appeals. [CBS6]
Voters from the Working Families Party testified yesterday before the grand jury in the case of alleged voter fraud in Troy. The case has cost the county more than $20k so far. [Troy Record] [Troy Record]
The City of Albany has shutdown the Plastic nightclub on Pearl Street for code violations. Two men were shot in the club this past weekend -- but the city says the closure isn't related to that incident. [@tenacioustij] [TU] [Fox23]
Hunter and Windham ski mountains are upset because they say the state-owned Belleayre Mountain is dumping too many free tickets onto the market. [TU]
The Niskayuna school district will switch to full-day kindergarten next year. [Daily Gazette]
The Saratoga Academy of the Arts and Sciences, a private elementary schools, is apparently bursting at the seams. [Daily Gazette]
Saratoga Springs mayor Scott Johnson has proposed placing a sculpture made of World Trade Center steel in front of the City Center. [Saratogian] [Post-Star]
The head of the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall is leaving for a job in North Carolina. [Troy Record]
Jimmer Fredette makes his big homecoming tonight in Glens Falls as BYU takes on Vermont. The Post-Star has extensive Jimmer team coverage. [Saratogian] [Post-Star]
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Comments
I hope the city didn't pay for the parking survey. They could have just asked a small sampling of center square residents!
City: "hey, is the car stalking you as you warm up your car driven by a neighbor?"
Resident: "No."
... said Erik on Dec 8, 2010 at 10:17 AM | link
Jimmer is the next Basketball Jesus.
... said Save Pine Hills on Dec 8, 2010 at 10:23 AM | link
I see no reason taxpayers should ever have to prop up the gambling industry. If gambling centers like OTB cannot make a profit on their own, then so be it. The state should have no hand in the gambling industry, except to regulate and tax it. For the record, I'm not against gambling. I'm only against my tax dollars going to support gambling, especially given the new budget that raises taxes by nearly $4 billion this year.
To be honest, I'm not even sure the state should be running a lottery. My grandfather was a bookie, and the lottery is what he would have referred to as a sucker bet.
... said Tim S on Dec 8, 2010 at 11:34 AM | link
@Tim S:
"Lotteries are a tax on people who are bad at math."
State-run lotteries should be banned outright. Their only contribution to society is to give false hope to those who can't afford it.
... said James Cronen on Dec 8, 2010 at 12:21 PM | link
If the lottery raises money for education and is a tax for people who can't do math, shouldn't it be putting itself out of business?
Never underestimate the power of stupidity.
... said Komradebob on Dec 8, 2010 at 3:18 PM | link