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Expanding NY bill Gambling Was loaded with 'Sweeteners'2 November 2001“The state might not be headed for the largest expansion of gambling in at least 35 years if it weren''t for the "sweeteners" that made the plan easier for many state legislators to swallow.” reported in the Syracuse Post-Standard. Last week Lawmakers agreed a bill authorizing the state to take a cut from up to six new Indian-run casinos. New York will now take part in video lottery terminals, which will be put in at racetracks like Vernon Downs and the multi-state Powerball lottery game. The same bill is extending a popular health care program, Child Health Plus, which gives health insurance to not covered children by Medicaid. It also contain revenues and cost-savings that will pay for $200 million in extra state aid for schools, $200 million for non-profit agencies that provide human services, $100 million for economic development and money for child care programs. To assure the gambling bills would pass all those things had packaged together. Sen. Nancy Larraine Hoffmann, R-Fabius, who voted yes, said, ”It''s one of those examples of how the last-minute crunch and backroom negotiations prevent the open airing of issues that should be considered in a much calmer environment. But it would have been `hard to justify’ voting against the other elements of the bill, she said after voting yes…” Assemblyman Gary Finch, R-Springport, who voted no, said, “This method of bundling bills together to get votes is nothing less than reprehensible,” |