NEWS
Spitzer’s State of New York address does not mention franchise
Posted: Thursday, January 10, 2008 10:26 AM
ELIOT SPITZER
Photos courtesy of NY.gov
by Paul Post
New York Governor Eliot Spitzer unveiled sweeping economic and job-creation proposals but did not reference the billion-dollar Thoroughbred racing industry during his State of the State Address on Wednesday in Albany.
The fate of New York’s racing franchise was one of the most divisive issues during Spitzer’s first year in office, with no resolution following months of study, hearings, and debate.
He might not have wanted to remind people about the state’s inability to reach an agreement, an obvious failure, while touting plans for future improvement.
“Racing is seldom mentioned in the State of the State Address,” said Bennett Liebman, head of Albany Law School’s Racing and Wagering Law Program. “If there was ever a time, I thought it was now. I can certainly understand not including it. A governor tries to set out big plans in his State of the State Address.
“I’m not sure how much you gain from that by including racing. It’s hard to say anything.”
New York Racing Association’s franchise expired on December 31 and the bankrupt organization is operating with a temporary extension that expires January 23, one day after Spitzer is slated to make his 2008 budget presentation.
That leaves politicians with less than two weeks to reach a final agreement. The 2008 Legislative session begins Monday. The Assembly, Senate, and governor must all agree on the franchise plan.
Possibly, Spitzer avoided racing in order to strike a more conciliatory tone with his chief political rival, Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno (R-Brunswick), who was absent from Wednesday’s speech. Bruno's wife, Bobbie, died Monday following a lengthy illness.
Bruno has directed scathing verbal attacks at Spitzer and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver (D-New York City) in recent weeks, accusing them of being unwilling to compromise on racing. Staff for all three leaders negotiated through last weekend, but the two days preceding Wednesday’s speech were extremely quiet.
Veteran Senator Hugh Farley (R-Schenectady) described Spitzer’s avoidance of racing as a “glaring omission.” An estimated 17,000 jobs are at stake within the industry plus the lost revenue related to a lack of expanded gaming at Downstate tracks Aqueduct and possibly Belmont Park.
Scott Reif, a Bruno spokesman, said that racing negotiations are expected to resume now that Spitzer’s State of the State Address is over.
“It’s a priority for us to get this done,” he said. “We think we’re moving forward.”
Bruno has called for creation of a new public authority with greater cooperation between NYRA and Off Track Betting, and during his address Spitzer mentioned possibly privatizing a portion of New York State Lottery, which could mean a consolidated wagering platform for several types of gaming.
Paul Post is a New York correspondent of Thoroughbred Times
