NY Senate Weighs OTB Rescue Before Doors Shut

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) -- The livelihoods of about 1,000 Off-Track Betting Corp. employees are caught in a political struggle in New York's Senate, which is now weighing two rescue plans.

The Senate's Democratic majority lacked the votes to pass their party's plan to reorganize the state-owned gambling operation and keep it from closing by midnight Tuesday, the latest bankruptcy deadline.

The Assembly has already passed that bill drafted by Gov. David Paterson, who would immediately sign it.

But Republicans currently in the Senate's minority want the bill expanded to help the other half-dozen regional OTBs on Long Island and upstate. All OTBs are suffering losses and want to modernize.

Negotiations continued early in the afternoon.

The Assembly doesn't plan to return to session.

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