In the 2018 proposed budget, the governor has proposed to redistribute existing local gaming aid payments to provide $2.25 million annually to Madison County.

While Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente Jr. has taken issue with the extra $2.25 million of gaming revenue Madison County would receive if the governor's tentative budget is passed, its nothing personal.

We all need to be around the table when we discuss this and that wasnt the case, he said. Im not objecting to Madison County getting more money. This is what we negotiated. Our agreement is different than any other region because there was a settlement. My argument to that has always been, in order to change that in any way shape or form, if somebody wants more, we should all be at the table to determine how that gets done.

Originally, as part of the agreement reached by the state and Oneida and Madison counties with the Oneida Indian Nation in May 2013, Madison County accepted a one-time, $11 million lump-sum payment and annual disbursements of $3.5 million. Oneida County gets 25 percent of revenue, or roughly $12.5 million a year, and another $2.5 million annually for 20 years to offset associated property tax losses.

Madison County, however, later believed it deserved a share of the slot revenues from the Oneidas' Yellow Brick Road Casino in Chittenango, which opened in June 2015, after the settlement agreement.

In the 2018 proposed budget, the governor has proposed to redistribute existing local gaming aid payments to provide $2.25 million annually to Madison County, according to the State Budget Briefing Book.

When the state, the Oneida Nation and affected counties signed the 2013 agreement establishing local government gaming host aid, the Oneida Nation casino that opened in Madison County in 2015 was not envisioned, the book says.

Officials in Madison County are happy with their inclusion in the budget, especially after Gov. Andrew Cuomo vetoed a revision to the 2013 settlement among the state, Oneida Indian Nation, and Madison and Oneida counties that would have given Madison County a 25 percent slice of the state's share of the in-county gaming revenue.

Madison County Board of Supervisors Chairman John M. Becker said he had spoken to the governor after the veto and he promised the issue would be addressed in the upcoming budget.

I am very thankful to the governor for keeping his promise to me and the residents of Madison County, he said. I am looking forward to working with his office and our state representatives to ensure adoption of this proposal.

The 25 percent bump would have given Madison County host community benefits for its Yellow Brick Road Casino. Also, it would have altered the 2013 deal, which is what Picente is most concerned about.

Officials from all four parties need to sit down and have a discussion about the whole issue, because it was a confusing settlement with lots of moving parts, Picente said. And he believes that will happen plenty of times before the budget is passed.

We are starting to talk a little bit more, Picente said. I think there will be more discussion, I clearly do. It was one of those issues that everybody wants to know why I object to it, and its (because) the principle is tied to a negotiation, which people give up to get and we all did that each side gave up something to get something. So now, when someone else wants more, what are they giving up?

Sen. David J. Valesky, D-Oneida, is happy to see the governor follow through on his previous commitment to recognize Madison County.

This is a basic issue of fairness, which the governors budget proposal addresses, he said. I look forward to continuing to partner with the Madison County Board of Supervisors and the governors office on this critically important matter.

Follow OD_Madison on Twitter or call her at 315-792-5015.

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