Author: Saratoga TODAY

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner (D-Saratoga Springs) is calling on Rivers Casino to pay its statutory obligation to the Saratoga Harness (SHHA).

“I have deep concerns that what has been proposed in the Governor’s budget, what has been termed a sweetheart deal for Rivers Casino, would in fact make all of this impossible,” said Woerner, during a press conference at the harness track March 16.   

The proposal in the Governor’s budget would eliminate statutory purse support payments to SHHA until six months after all COVID restrictions are lifted. According to Woerner, the proposal renders the SHHA inoperable and “there would no longer be harness racing in Saratoga Springs.”

Woerner explained that both the Casino and the Harness Track were closed for months during the pandemic and that SHHA doesn’t expect the full payment, which could amount to millions of dollars. But she and SHHA, did expect Rivers to come to the table in good faith and negotiate a reasonable outcome for both. Rivers has not paid its purse support payments since the beginning of 2020—two-and-a-half months before the pandemic shut down businesses across the state, Woerner added. 

In 2013 when New York sited four casinos upstate, the state also moved to support the harness racing industry by establishing purse support payments. The statutory purse payments were designed to offset the loss of income at the state’s harness tracks caused by the new casinos. These payments are sourced from revenues that casinos make from Video Lottery Terminals (VLT). The four upstate casinos–including Rivers Casino–have been required to make purse payments since their inception. The Saratoga Casino has made good on its commitment to SHHA but Rivers has not.

“This is a big casino. This is a wealthy corporation . . . Rush Street Gaming which is the parent company for Rivers Casino last year did a public offering. They are sitting on a quarter of a billion dollars of cash. Clearly enough to both operate their casino and meet their obligations,” said Woerner.

The funds provide financial support for trainers, drivers, groomers and the small businesses that support Saratoga’s Harness industry. Among other costs, these funds pay for: Mandatory state racing fees; Payment toward the Dept. of Environmental Conservation required program to remove manure from the back stretch; Minimum driver stipend paid to each driver for each race; Required program reimbursement fee for each live race card, and $31,451.18 per month ($377,414 annually) for SHHA member health insurance.

“There are 700 owners and trainers in Saratoga Horsemen. There are thousands of families—mostly black and brown families—that work in the barns, that work in local farms, that work in farms across the state in the harness business. There are farriers that shoe the horses, there are veterinarians, there are farmers that grow the hey, the straw, the oats—this is a big economic impact,” said Woerner. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — City Republican Chairman Chris Obstarczyk announced March 16 the committee’s endorsed slate of candidates for the fall 2021 city and county elections. 

The City of Saratoga Springs Republican Committee has endorsed first-time candidates Heidi Owen West, Mayor; Tracey LaBelle, Public Safety; JoAnne Kiernan, Finance; Samantha Guerra, Accounts, and incumbent Public Works Commissioner Anthony “Skip” Scirocco. 

In a prepared statement, Obstarczyk called the GOP slate “the most diverse and dynamic group of Saratogians that have been fielded to run for office in decades.” All four first-time candidates are women.

“It’s unprecedented. We’re going to make history. We have a unified, qualified and experienced ticket that is going to impress all Saratogians,” said Obstarczyk. “To have four talented, dynamic and impressive women, who have been leaders in our city for years, is inspiring. They’re going to do great things for our city.” 

West, a political independent, said her motivation to run for mayor is centered on improving the economic, social and community health of the city.

“We have to bring life back to downtown. The tourism destination that our city is requires it. It’s a significant factor in keeping taxes low while providing quality, reliable services to our residents,” West said, in a statement. She has been a resident of Saratoga Springs for 53 years. 

“Like so many Saratogians, I’ve invested a great deal of my own sweat equity into our city. What we’re facing and experiencing right now is testing our city’s strength. The only way we’re going to meet the daunting challenges ahead of us is having leadership in city hall that knows what it’s like to pour your heart and soul into the community that you love. I’ve been doing that as a business owner and community leader for over 30 years,” West said.

Regarding representation of the city at the county level, the Committee endorsed incumbent Supervisor Matthew Veitch, and John Safford for the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors. 

Sarah Burger, chair of the Saratoga Springs Democratic Committee, said city Democrats anticipate announcing their slate of candidates in the next few weeks. 

BALLSTON SPA ­— The Church Hill Historic District, in the hamlet of Crescent in the Town of Halfmoon, has received nomination to be added to the State and National Register for Historic Places, the Saratoga County History Center announced this week. 

The Church Hill Historic District is in the hamlet of Crescent, just to the east of NYS Route 9, in Halfmoon. The district includes 13 residential structures, examples of how the Erie Canal and the Mohawk River shaped communities along the southern border of Saratoga County. A burst of prosperity in the second quarter of the 19th century related to the location of the Crescent Aqueduct was responsible for many of the architectural examples of high-style homes and businesses in this hamlet. Subsequently, the demise of the original canal and changing forms of transportation forced this community to evolve, first as a result of the Barge Canal and then as a result of increasing automobile traffic. Throughout these changes, stellar examples of both high-style buildings and vernacular structures remain to tell the story of the bygone canal era. They deserve the measures of protection that a listing on the register affords them.

Over 75 Saratoga County districts, sites, buildings, and structures are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the United States of America’s official list of historic properties worthy of preservation. Buildings that are listed on the State and National Registers are eligible for various public preservation programs and services — such as matching state grants, or state and federal historic rehabilitation tax credits — to assist property owners in maintaining and revitalizing the buildings.

The Saratoga County History Center is dedicated to preserving and sharing the diverse histories of Saratoga County. Previously focused on the Brookside Museum in Ballston Spa, the SCHC offers a wide variety of education programming online. When Brookside Museum re-opens this summer, the SCHC will debut new exhibits and family-friendly events. Visit: brooksidemuseum.org. 

BALLSTON SPA — The Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office and other police agencies will participate in a special enforcement effort to crack down on impaired driving. The statewide STOP-DWI Crackdown efforts continue through Sunday, March 21. 

St. Patrick’s Day Weekend is a notoriously deadly period for impaired driving due to the number of celebrations and drivers on the road. New York State Police, County Sheriff and municipal law enforcement agencies across the state will be out in force in this across-the-board effort to reduce the number of alcohol-related injuries and deaths.

The STOP-DWI St. Patrick’s Day Weekend Crackdown is one of many statewide enforcement initiatives promoted by STOP-DWI NY and the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee. The campaign also targets Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day Weekend, Halloween and the national Holiday Season in December.

While STOP-DWI efforts across New York have made great strides in reducing the numbers of alcohol and drug-related fatalities, still too many lives are being lost because of crashes caused by drunk or impaired drivers.