What's happening
This bill directs $1.6 million from state gaming revenues to the Niagara County Industrial Development Agency for downtown Niagara Falls economic development.
Why it matters
Targets investment directly to downtown Niagara Falls. by specifying that funds must be used for economic development initiatives such as building rehabilitation, signage installation, workforce training, and industry-related equipment—potentially accelerating revitalization and job creation in a concentrated area.
Limits use of funds to new development. rather than covering the city’s routine expenses, ensuring the money acts as an economic catalyst rather than filling budget gaps for ongoing municipal responsibilities.
Empowers the Industrial Development Agency (IDA). rather than city government to manage these funds, signaling a preference for economic development professionals to lead local growth strategies and potentially increasing accountability for measurable outcomes.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Send Casino Funds to Niagara
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to finance
- Referred to finance
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
119
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE (Prefiled)
January 9, 2019
Introduced by Sen. ORTT -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Finance
AN ACT to amend the state finance law, in relation to the sharing of revenue from gaming devices located within the county of Niagara
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 99-h of the state finance law is amended by adding a new subdivision 3-b to read as follows:
3-b. One million six hundred thousand dollars of any funds actually received by the state pursuant to subdivision two of this section, after transfer to the general fund, shall be transferred to the Niagara county industrial development agency for use to fund downtown economic development initiatives within the city of Niagara Falls including, but not limited to, the rehabilitation of buildings, installation of signage, training of existing or new employees in techniques related to their industry, and installation of appropriate industry related machinery, but shall not include general obligations and responsibilities traditionally provided by the city of Niagara Falls.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however, that the amendments to section 99-h of the state finance law made by section one of this act shall survive the expiration and reversion of such section pursuant to chapter 747 of the laws of 2006.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02385-01-9
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the state finance law, in relation to the sharing of revenue from gaming devices located within the county of Niagara
Purpose or general idea of bill
This legislation would allocate $1.6 million from the State's share of casino funds to the Niagara County IDA to fund downtown economic devel- opment.
Summary of specific provisions
Section 1 of the bill allocates $1.6 million for downtown economic development within the city of Niagara Falls. Funds may be used but are not limited to, rehabilitation of buildings, installation of signage, training of existing or new employees, installation of machinery. Specifically, states that no funds shall be allocated for general obli- gations and responsibilities traditionally provided by the city of Niagara Falls.
Section 2 is the effective date.
Justification
When the deal was struck to place a casino in Niagara Falls there was much hope that its placement and the funding being sent to the County would serve as a catalyst to help redevelop the downtown. Unfortunate- ly, this vision has not been realized. This legislation seeks to focus in on downtown Niagara Falls aimed solely at economic development and job creation via the expertise of the Niagara County IDA.
Prior legislative history
S. 734 of 2017/2018; referred to Finance Committee S. 6795A of 2016; referred to Finance Committee
Fiscal implications
$1.6 million to the State, however the SFY 2016-2017 included the same amount for this explicit purpose as a 1 year appropriation.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.