BONACIC OFFERS THE CASINO BILL

John Bonacic, pictured here with Mary Wawro of 

Saugerties, has offered a bill in the State Senate 

that would open New York State to casino gambling

without the Native American reservation restrictions.

It may be time we actually think about this. 

Way to go John!

Here is the Bill as posted: 

BILL NUMBER:S6734

TITLE OF BILL:
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION OF THE SENATE AND ASSEMBLY
proposing an amendment to subdivision 1 of section 9

of article 1 of the constitution, in relation to 

casino gambling in the state

PURPOSE:
Provides for the authorization of commercial casino 

gambling in New York State.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Article 1, Section 9 of the State Constitution would

be amended to allow no more than seven casinos as 

authorized and prescribed by the legislature.

EXISTING LAW:

Article 1, Section 9 of the State Constitution 

generally proscribes all gambling except for four 

exceptions. These four exceptions are: 

(1) pari-mutuel wagering on horse racing; 

(2) State lotteries; 

(3) bingo conducted by certain charitable, 

non-profit and religious organizations; and 

(4) games of chance conducted by these same 

charitable, non-profit, and religious organizations.

JUSTIFICATION:
Casino gaining has significant potential to be a 

major economic engine for New York State and the 

fact is that gaming already exists throughout the 

State but the State is unable to fully capitalize on
it. Native Americans have five casinos and there are 

nine racinos at the racetracks in New York State. 

In fact, New York State now has more than 29,000 

electronic gambling machines; More than Atlantic City

and more than any state in the Northeast or Midwest.

New York State is also surrounded by gambling. 

States & Canadian provinces just across the State's 

borders have legalized casino gambling and they are 

the beneficiaries of the tourism, revenue, and good 

jobs that could be in New York.

It is estimated that over $1 billion of economic 

activity can be generated from casino gaming. Passing 

a Constitutional amendment would allow New York to 

maximize opportunities. Limiting casino gambling to 

between three and eight facilities guarantees there 

will not be an excessive proliferation of casinos 

within New York State.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
Over the past 40 yrs, numerous resolutions have been 

introduced to amend the Constitution in New York 

to authorize commercial casino gambling. 

None of these proposals have achieved the required
second passage by the legislature and have never 

been subject to a vote of the electorate. 

In 2011, Assembly Bill No.3293/Senate Bill No. 3326, 

Assembly Bill No. 3605/Senate Bill No. 3327, and 

Assembly Bill No. 6753 were introduced to authorize 

casino gambling. None of the bills were acted on.

BUDGET IMPLICATIONS:
There are no immediate budget implications since the 

Constitutional amendment cannot go into effect until 

January 1, 2014. Future budget implications would 

depend on the enabling legislation that would 

accompany passage of the amendment.

EFFECTIVE DATE:
Constitutional amendments require the passage of a 

concurrent resolution by two separately elected 

Legislatures and subsequent approval by the voters. 

As a result, the amendment could not take
effect until January 1, 2014.

FLOOD HELP FROM ALBANY?

Although we are looking at another two days of rain early this week, it's a far cry from the worrisome wet season that was threatening our reservoir basin last month. Luckily the waters along the lower Esopus crested before wiping out another 200 homes.

As you'll read in the press, there was a renewed call for our government to help with the situation. Namely water level control at the Ashokan Reservoir and to determine what could be done to help those in chronic harms way.

Our State Senator, John Bonacic was quoted asking that more authority be exerted over the New York City DEP's policy so that flooding along the creek could be prevented. John is spot on. I agree that the managers of the Ashokan Reservoir could have been pre-emptive in their efforts to curtail what could have been much worse. I did read that the DEP was releasing extra water into the Esopus a few weeks prior, but it wasn't enough. How many of us remember the horrors of years past when homes were washed away with only modest warning?

Bonacic also said: “In December, you know that Mother Nature is coming, you know you are going to have snow. I don’t know if this late you’d have this much snow, I don’t think anyone anticipated that, but you’re going to have the April rains always, and you have to keep the reservoir levels lower to prevent flooding. It’s a danger to people’s homes and a danger to people’s lives.”

When asked, Senatorial candidate Larry Delarose, noted that "Ours is not the only continually flooded area in the Hudson Valley. The fact that so many people built on properties that were just too close to estuaries, makes this a problem throughout the region." He added: "What impresses me is how John [Bonacic] is actively engaged in helping to find solutions to the problem, both with the Esopus watershed and the continued water contamination issue in the Wawarsing area along the leaking NYC Aqueduct. Options are limited, but when officials work with their constituents as he has, optimal outcomes are much closer to reality."

When Delarose speaks of public service, he fully understands what the job of State Senator entails. Look no further than the 42nd District and you'll see how a representative from either party should interact with his constituents. I tend to agree with him. Regardless of how they carry on in Albany, Bonacic has always served his district well.

Other quoted sources in the press seemed to imply that because of the DEP's arrogance, they place peoples lives and property at risk with disregard. I'd like to think they are just inept in their water management practices rather than suspecting the worst.

ANOTHER BOTTLE BILL DELAY?

Could the Bigger Bottle Bill be destined for failure in the State Senate once again? What's with Albany? I thought the change in leadership this January signalled the advancement of a common sense bottle bill for New York.

Well, there was a veiled attempt to dismantle the advanced deposit measure in the sudden push to fully fund the Environmental Protection Fund. Yes, this is how they tried to do it. By slipping in a clause to do just that, while presenting a much sought after pledge to provide the perpetually anaemic department with the necessary funding.

It seems Republican Senator Carl Marcellino, of Long Island, [right] submitted what was initially a well received proposal to provide funding, until other Senators looked a bit more closely. Several Democratic state senators on the Environmental Conservation Committee have refused to sign on. Unless there is some surgical magic and the Trojan Bill Killer is removed, the whole thing could languish in committee.

We are all familiar with the diminished funds to cover the budget in Albany, so it comes as no shock that some of our "Green Economy" leaders robbed $50 million from the EPF and placed it in the general budget. And we thought ethics was going to come with the changing tide.

The bottle bill is once again fighting an uphill battle. Even after the chamber was won by Democrats. This is what happens when working with such a slim margin of majority; the legislation gets slippery.

Even though the estimated revenue from unredeemed deposits hovers around $100 Million annually, some environmental advocates are willing to accept the funding shift from the EPF, but support the proposed bottle bill expansion as a source of money for the general fund.

Although Marcellino says this proposal was not set in stone, the committee chair Antoine Thompson of Buffalo [left] and several other members will hold the Bill back until there is enhancement support.

If it ever gets to the Senate floor, we will have to push our Senators Bonacic and Larkin to change their minds and vote in favor.