“I think the chairman of the Liquor Authority basically said what I’ve been saying for thee years — this is a creative way to accomplish what we’ve all been talking about,” Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente said.The 'record of compliance' of someone seeking a government license often comes up when administrative agencies decide to issue or not issue the license. The intent of that is to protect the public from those who have a track record of not complying with laws.
Here the State Legislature has mandated that the Oneidas pay taxes, but they have not ... nor do they comply with other State laws based on their sovereignty. Yet the State has issued a license that will benefit the Oneidas in spite of their non-compliance with State Law. It does so on the pretext that the license is going to a Third Party -- which party just happens to have a familial connection with a local legislator.
The issue for me is neither the taxes (it's just more money to waste), nor the Oneidas. It is the State's tolerating an entity that thumbs its nose at State laws, while giving that entity a benefit under those laws based on connections or pressures.
If someone is big enough, or powerful enough, or has the right connections, state and local government will work in a "creative way" to get that person around government-created restrictions -- to get that person what they want -- to give that person a competitive advantage over others.
Is it any wonder why people have no respect for government anymore? Is it any wonder why people (who are not on the government take) do not come to New York to set up shop any more?
Is it any wonder why people and businesses are leaving New York?
2 comments:
If the fix wasen't in the OIN would have inquired of other interested parties if they wanted to partake in this deal. I know the Oneidas as a private enterprise didn't have to do that. They can deal with whomever they want or don't want. But the deal just smells, and we all know why. Despite Picente's {another member of the select few of O.C.} praise of this deal, we all know it's unfair for the other restaurants in this area that could have benefitted from doing business with the Oneida's, be it not that they don't have the right "connections". It's Business as usual in Oneida County.
Thank god the playing field has finally been leveled! We finally forced those reds to pay their fair share of taxes. Now, our taxes can go down and we've leveled the playing field.
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