Niagara Leader

Washington, DC – Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) today released the following statement on the passage of New York State Senate Bill 7855. This bill, which was passed as part of the New York State budget, changes the structure of Western Regional Off-Track Betting (OTB). The change will effectively diminish the role and input of rural Western New York counties.

Local leaders from across Western New York joined Tenney in condemning the highly politicized backroom deal, which upends decades of precedent to reduce the input of rural communities and hand disproportionate power to Democrat-leaning cities. The decision was made without any input or consultation from regional stakeholders.

“Negotiated and agreed upon in the dead of night without any input outside of Erie County and the City of Buffalo, the termination of every appointed commissioner of the Western Regional Off Track Betting Corporation is an attack on rural New York counties,” said Congresswoman Tenney. “For half a century, the Western Regional OTB has operated under shared control between 15 county governments and the cities of Rochester and Buffalo, promoting economic growth, jobs, and tax revenue across Western New York. With the passage of New York’s Big Ugly Budget, the Western Regional OTB has been politicized and the role of rural counties has been greatly diminished, with far more power now set to go to the cities. Now more than ever, when crime rates are skyrocketing, taxes are soaring, and people are fleeing the state at unprecedented rates, Governor Hochul should be focused on correcting these problems, not destroying the Western Regional OTB.” 

"The Western Regional OTB language snuck into the state budget is Albany's latest attack on rural communities. Governor Hochul and Albany Democrats have conspired to eliminate the longstanding arrangement that allowed 15 counties and the cities of Rochester and Buffalo to have balanced representation on the OTB board. The voice of rural counties is being smothered out simply because they are represented by Republicans. This is nothing more than a partisan power grab disguised as reform," said New York State Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt.

“With the proposed legislation including changes to the language in New York State’s Budget agreement regarding the Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corporation will limit the number of representation Cayuga County has and negatively impact our county. This new plan will immediately remove the current OTB Directors and create a new board, giving more power to larger municipal governments in the public benefit corporation’s service area and taking away the voices of both smaller and rural counties. Ultimately, I strongly oppose any changes to this new agreement as it will create an unfair representation and take economic benefits away from Cayuga County and its surrounding counties,” said David Gould, Cayuga County Legislature Chair.

The proposed legislation to change the membership of the Board of Directors of the Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corporation will negatively alter the balanced representation formula previously provided by the State Legislature and the Governor. This agreement has proven to be fair and impartial by affording each municipality that comprises the Corporation an equitable voice in all Board matters. I strongly oppose any changes to this agreement as it will cause undue harm to Livingston County and its governance and economic interests in the Corporation,” said David LeFeber, Livingston County Board of Supervisors Chair.

“This is just one more example of Governor Hochul and a downstate, socialist-dominated Legislature usurping the home rule of upstate counties, ignoring 50 years of shared governance by 17 partner counties of OTB in favor of a blatant, and we believe illegal, power grab. The fact they did so under the cover of darkness with not so much as a conversation with the counties impacted is the height of arrogance and abuse of power. We will talk with our partner counties and decide on what steps to take next,” said Niagara County Legislator Majority Leader Randy Bradt.

"This proposed legislation being rammed through would cut the representation of Oswego County down. Diluting the voices of rural counties would only serve to shift the economic benefits away from Oswego and concentrate power to larger counties. Oswego County stands firmly against this,” said James Weatherup, Chair of the Oswego County Legislature.

“Genesee County, the host county of Western New Yor Off Track Betting calls on Governor and State elected officials to halt the assault on rural counties who own, provide guidance and leadership to the most successful OTB operation in NYS. Senate leaders are pushing to restructure the board of director's voting power to 2/3's of urban counties of Erie and Monroe and Cities of Buffalo and Rochester. Through S7855A resetting the rural counties to 37% of weighted voting, from 1 entity/ 1 vote structure since inception of WOTB, 50 years ago. Successful leadership of WOTB is due to consistent leadership by rural counties that provided seed funds to operate and own WOTB. Our rural county leadership has experience in managing municipalities, providing value to owners of WOTB and especially safeguarding investments made by our taxpayers of Genesee County,” said Shelley Stein, Genesee County Legislature Chair.

Once again Albany is okay with large counties taking away the representation of smaller and rural counties in a power grab...this time it is the board of directors of Western Regional Off Track Betting/Batavia Downs Gaming that is the target. Currently, each member county gets equal representation, but not in the new plan, weighted voting will give control to the large counties, especially Erie County. Governor Hochul should line item veto this legislation that hurts small counties like Orleans. Fifty years ago by Home Rule vote OTB was created and representation balanced and fair. This attempted change is wrong,” said Lynne Johnson, Orleans County Legislature Chair.

“To take a fair voting system that has worked for over 50 years and turn it into an unfair politicized system is no more than three people in a backroom politics. Its sole purpose is to take our voices away and it will do just that. If it’s not broke, don’t fix it. I urge my colleagues to vote no,” said Chairman Michael Enslow, Seneca County Board of Supervisors.

“Wayne County needs equal representation in regard to the OTB setup. There are a lot of people that come from Wayne County that come to participate at the OTB and we need a voice in what goes on there,” said Phil Eygnor, Wayne County Board of Supervisors Chair.

Original source can be found here.