Even the most casual of political observers may note it:  there are many folks in Western New York for which politics is the family business.

It transcends parties. It covers all levels of government. There have been many folks in office in recent days whose father or mother or some other relative held office before them.

It is really not so unusual for children to follow their relatives into the family business.  It happens often in law offices and doctors’ offices.  Businesses deal with succession planning that frequently passes the work and ownership down to the next generation and beyond.  In politics, however, it all plays out in public.

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With local politics beginning to focus particularly on the upcoming races for Erie County Executive and the Buffalo Common Council some public issues have fallen off the radar screen.  That’s unfortunate because there are subjects that deserve more attention.  For example, OTB.

The Western New York Off-Track Betting Corporation (WROTBC) has been in existence for approximately fifty years.  The original intentions were to put a crimp in illegal betting on horse races while also providing a new revenue source for the member governments of the WROTBC.  There are 15 counties participating along with the cities of Buffalo and Rochester.

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