NYC OTB employees given Pink Slip

[parsixfarms]

Originally Posted by Strategic Mission

Guess he disagrees. And he is the mayor. Seems he can do whatever he wants considering 99% of the public thinks the government should not be involved with gambling when the operation is losing money.

Tax dollars should not go to subsidize a failed government bookie operation.

If you had any idea what you were talking about, you'd realize that NYC is not losing money with NYC OTB.

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by parsixfarms

If you had any idea what you were talking about, you'd realize that NYC is not losing money with NYC OTB.

It's such a funny conversation.

It's honestly like someone who wants to begin a debate with the basic premise that the sun is purple. It's completely senseless to even talk to the person.

[parsixfarms]

It's threads like this that make me long for the return of BetterThanHonour.

[ateamstupid]

Originally Posted by parsixfarms

It's threads like this that make me long for the return of BetterThanHonour.

Why? We have Justin Dew so hilariously carrying the torch, remember?

[parsixfarms]

Would that be the one from the "Land of the Rising (Purple) Sun"?

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by parsixfarms

It's threads like this that make me long for the return of BetterThanHonour.

It's one thing for people outside of racing to fail to understand the situation, as mainstream media has done a terrible job of reporting about this correctly, but it would be nice if people with an interest in the game took the time to at least try to understand it.

It's frustrating because it's possible that horseplayers will unnecessarily bear the burden of an eminently solvable situation. Hopefully a fair and agreeable compromise will be made.

[parsixfarms]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

It's one thing for people outside of racing to fail to understand the situation, as mainstream media has done a terrible job of reporting about this correctly, but it would be nice if people with an interest in the game took the time to at least try to understand it.

It's frustrating because it's possible that horseplayers will unnecessarily bear the burden of an eminently solvable situation. Hopefully a fair and agreeable compromise will be made.

The problem is that now that we get the franchise issue resolved with the State, with long-promised dollars finally going to NYRA, horsemen and breeders, here comes another government agency trying to take that money away. If the short-term consequences of shuttering NYC OTB weren't so significant, I'd love to see the State call Bloomberg's bluff, with someone else (preferably NYRA) taking over NYC OTB.

[Strategic Mission]

Originally Posted by parsixfarms

If you had any idea what you were talking about, you'd realize that NYC is not losing money with NYC OTB.

Who am I going to believe,the mayor who just sent out pink slips or a poster on the internet? Tough choice. Bloomberg is an honest guy. Very good mayor.

It is hard to defend operations like NYC OTB and NYRA. They do things like file for bankruptcy. If they can't break even they need to make changes. If that means cutting purses or staff that is their problem. The government isn't here to bail out poorly run organizations. How hard is it to make money with a gambling operation? I don't support gambling if it means teachers and police officers are going to have to pay for it with their salaries.

“What is the defensible position?’’ Lieber said at the Capitol June 3. “What is the public policy that is served by taking taxpayer dollars and supporting a public bookie and taking it away from police officers, teachers, and others? I don’t think there’s a defensible position to do this, and the mayor won’t do it. This is not a bluff.”

[3kings]

Originally Posted by Strategic Mission

Who am I going to believe,the mayor who just sent out pink slips or a poster on the internet? Tough choice. Bloomberg is an honest guy. Very good mayor.

It is hard to defend operations like NYC OTB and NYRA. They do things like file for bankruptcy. If they can't break even they need to make changes. If that means cutting purses or staff that is their problem. The government isn't here to bail out poorly run organizations. How hard is it to make money with a gambling operation? I don't support gambling if it means teachers and police officers are going to have to pay for it with their salaries.

“What is the defensible position?’’ Lieber said at the Capitol June 3. “What is the public policy that is served by taking taxpayer dollars and supporting a public bookie and taking it away from police officers, teachers, and others? I don’t think there’s a defensible position to do this, and the mayor won’t do it. This is not a bluff.”

This is idiotic on many levels......you are probably correct, a politician would never slant his opinion or stretch the truth to help a negotiation. You can't possibly be this naive.

[the_fat_man]

Originally Posted by Strategic Mission

Bloomberg is an honest guy. Very good mayor.

Not exactly.

[pgiaco]

Originally Posted by Strategic Mission

Bloomberg is an honest guy. Very good mayor.

Wow, am I reading that correctly? Tough to follow that logic. While Bloomberg is a tremendous businessman, he is also a master manipulator and self promoter. What does OTB have to do with schools and cops? Nothing, but it gives him the opportunity to advance his point of view that gets swallowed whole by the media and an equally gullible public. NYCOTB made is own bed by ignoring customer service and amenities, being a whore house of political patronage and corruption and the ill advised deal for night time signals. OTB is the single worst thing to happen to NY racing (IMO) and if gets tossed in the scrap heap I will not shed any tears.
To be fair, NYRA bears some blame for refusing to get involved at OTBs inception, but certainly NYRA, bettors and the thoroughbred breeders are not the cause of OTB's situation as it stands now.