SYRACUSE — Will the New York State Fairgrounds’ brand new entrance gates soon read “Welcome to the Six Flags™ State Fairgrounds” or “Welcome to Disney™ Northeast?”
That’s one of the disturbing possibilities following Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s recent announcement about the creation of a task force to examine the possibility of transferring ownership and/or operation of the fairgrounds to a private corporation.
The announcement came as Cuomo visited the fairgrounds for a public progress report on the $50 million renovation project underway at the fairgrounds.
Already, the idea that the state might privatize such an important and historic location is being met with skepticism and opposition.
“Our fairgrounds belong to the people of New York, and they are already being run effectively by the best workers around,” said CSEA President Danny Donohue. “We need to keep our state workers operating our state fairgrounds.”
Understandably concerned are the nearly 100 state Department of Agriculture and Markets workers represented by CSEA who work at the fairgrounds. The workers recently met with CSEA representatives to discuss our union’s opposition to privatization.
Even though the new state task force has not yet met, CSEA has already contacted representatives from the Office of the State Comptroller, several members of the State Legislature (who would eventually have to vote on any privatization), and the acting state fair director to share their concerns. The task force is expected to make its recommendations by the end of December.
Meanwhile, the hard work of preparing for the annual State Fair is what consumes the daily efforts of the CSEA workers, who are putting the finishing touches on the fairgrounds to ready them for the fair’s August 25 opening.
For the 26th consecutive year, CSEA will have an informational booth in the fair’s Center of Progress Building that is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily through Labor Day.
— Mark M. Kotzin
