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Video of Silver at this link:

http://www.capitalnews9.com/content/your_news/saratoga/?SecID=231&ArID=228633
By Kaitlyn Ross

... Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver fired back at Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno, saying that it's the senator who's holding up the deal.

Silver said, "It's only now that we've reached these final critical days and deadlines that the Senate is finally starting to look at these issues."

… Silver said, "I don't really understand. The case hasn't been made to me or the members of the Democratic conference as to why these machines in Belmont are so critical to the State of New York. It's almost unrealistic to make that assumption."

… Regardless of the progress on the machines, Silver said they're making headway.

Silver said, "Let me now make it clear. The negotiations are now moving forward in a positive direction. Details are being worked out."

The exact details of that elusive agreement have been sparse. NYRA, Governor Spitzer, Bruno and Silver have been tight-lipped about the arrangement.

Silver said, "Clearly we're moving forward, but we're not ready to declare victory." …

http://paulmoranattheraces.blogspot.com/2008/01/all-in-neighborhood.html
ALL In The Neighborhood
By Paul Moran

… configuration of the NYRA board of trustees with an increase in political appointments. Since there is no pay associated with membership on the board, these are unlikely to be high level appointments made by the governor, assembly speaker and senate majority leader. It may be difficult to get these people to meetings without the promise of free lunch.

Sen. Joe Bruno wants certain performance standards met in relation to attendance and purse guarantees. What’s wrong with this man? Attendance is no longer a meaningful issue. Someone please tell the senator about OTB, in-home simulcasting, phone accounts and the Internet. Purses are set by statue. They are already guaranteed and are expected to increase by about 30 percent after the VLT casino at Aqueduct is operational. Bruno has a great capacity for creating the illusion of issues where none exist. ..

The now unrestrained Moran then proceeded
to deal with the “issue of community involvement.”

http://leftatthegate.blogspot.com/2008/01/bruno-seeking-higher-horsemen-cut.html
Bruno Seeking Higher Horsemen Cut

… I criticized the Senate Majority Leader for taking stances which I felt were more self-serving than for the good of the industry, questioning why, for example, he wasn't pressing for a larger cut of slots money for horsemen.

Well, he is. …
… Bruno says that the plan does not give horsemen a fair share of revenues. The MOU grants horsemen only 6.5% of slots revenue. That's less than any of the present racinos at the state's harness tracks; and pending legislation contains percentages of 8.25% and 8.75% in the Senate and Assembly versions respectively (with a carve-out allowing NYRA to have their own agreement).

I'd like to believe that Bruno is sincerely standing up for the industry against Spitzer and Silver, neither of whom have shown any indication that they care at all.

… I'd certainly like to hear more talk from the Senator of consolidating the OTB's, or of demanding a written plan on physical improvements to the downstate tracks. …

COMMENTS

… jk said...

… As far as the horseman's cut, it sounds heroic to stand up for more money for them. The question is at who's expense?

Most of the VLT/slot parlors in NY are performing poorly. The slot operators say they need a higher cut of the take to promote slots.

Does the Bruno proposal shortchange the new slot machine operator? In theory, there should be plenty of money for horseman and the slot operator. Why, at this late date, has this become a hot button issue?