After veto, Madison County remains the only county in New York to host a casino gaming facility but not receive host community benefits
(UPDATED Oct. 13 3:08 p.m.) On Friday, Sept. 30, 2016, Gov. Andrew Cuomo vetoed Senate Bill S.5670A and Assembly Bill A7844 (AN ACT to amend the state finance law, in relation to the sharing of revenue from gaming devices located within the county of Madison), which would have provided Madison County with its fair share of revenue for any gaming facility located in Madison County.
Currently, Madison County is the only county in New York state to host a casino gaming facility but not receive host community benefits.
“The Governor constantly touts his commitment to Upstate New York, but I guess that does not include Madison County,” said Madison County Board of Supervisors Chairman John M. Becker. “I am not sure why our residents are being treated differently than every other county’s residents.”
For more than two years now, Madison County, following the Governor’s Office direction, has worked to address this glaring disparity. Initially, the County was directed by the governor’s office to meet with the state Gaming Commission on drafting a supplemental agreement that ultimately went nowhere; subsequently, the County was instructed by the governor’s office that the disparity needed to be addressed through the budget process.
Finally, when the issue was not addressed during the budget process, the governor’s office decided the county needed legislation to correct this wrong. Madison County, with the support of Senator David Valesky and Assemblyman Bill Magee, passed this legislation in both houses 183-5.
“After all of our good faith efforts, undertaken at the direction of the governor’s office, the decision was to veto,” Becker said. “In the veto message, Gov. Cuomo has now instructed us once again to go back to the budget office.”
“We are not sure why Madison County residents continue to get the run around from the Governor’s Office,” said Board Vice Chairman Daniel S. Degear.
“Sadly, in recent weeks, it’s become clear that too many decisions made in Albany are not based on the merits,” Becker said. “We aren’t looking for a billion; we are just looking for our fair share.”
Update
After the above press release was received from Madison County, Sen. David J. Valesky and Assemblyman Bill Magee issued a statement regarding the veto of S.5670A, “An act to amend the state finance law, in relation to the sharing of revenue from gaming devices located within the county of Madison.”
“It goes without saying that we are most disappointed with the recent veto of Madison County gaming legislation that was overwhelmingly approved by both the Senate and Assembly earlier this year,” read the joint statement. “Madison County now hosts casino gaming within its borders but does not receive host community benefits – a situation this legislation would have rectified; however, we are encouraged that the governor has directed his budget director ‘to review and explore a revenue sharing formula that would provide Madison County with an appropriate portion of the revenue generated from such gaming devices.’
“In this regard, we look forward to continuing to work with the Madison County Board of Supervisors and the governor’s office to bring about a long-term solution that best serves Madison County residents.”
Just WHY DIDN’t MADISON COUNTY include new slots in the original negotiations? Becker was quoted in an earlier article, that it wasn’t “CONTEMPLATED?”….the County appears to have been out manuvered and wants to go back and renegotiate.