BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Within the last year, there has been a shake-up within Western New York politics leading up to Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown being offered the President and CEO position at Western Regional Off-Track Betting.
November 2023
- Congressman Brian Higgins announced he was leaving office to become President of Shea's Performing Arts Center. A few days later Tim Kennedy, who was a New York State Senator at the time announced he would run to replace Higgins in Congress.
- Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown also said at the time that he was strongly considering to also run for Congress, but that thought didn't last long.
April 2023
- Kennedy won a special election to replace Brian Higgins in Congress. Around the same time, New York Governor Kathy Hochul approved the state budget, which included reforms to Off-Track Betting, which were introduced by Kennedy months prior.
"That changed the governance of Western Region OTB from a primarily Republican organization, to primarily Democratic," explained 7 News Political Analyst Bob McCarthy.
OTB board members are appointed to represent Western New York counties and the cities of Buffalo and Rochester.
The reform gave a 62% weighted vote to the Erie County, Monroe County, Buffalo and Rochester, compared to Republican-led counties in the surrounding area.
"It was certainly not received well in Republican strongholds, but again this is a function of total democratic control of Albany," said McCarthy. "That was the writing on wall that was recognized by Henry Wojtaszek."
Wojtaszek has been CEO of Western Regional OTB since 2016, before that he was Niagara County’s Republican Chair.
"Wojtaszek has been somewhat of a lightning rod throughout his whole career," explained McCarthy. "He was investigated by AG Eric Schneiderman several years ago, and pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor violation of election law."
June 2024
- Wojtaszek announced he was leaving OTB. The OTB board then approved a severance package for Wojtaszek in a 14-1 vote, for him to earn his full year’s salary paid out on December 15. His annual salary is $287,000, according to the Investigative Post.
This has received criticism from New York State Assemblywoman Monica Wallace and New York State Senator Sean Ryan.
“This is taxpayer money we’re talking about," said Wallace to 7 News Reporter Kristen Mirand in April.
Wallace has questioned whether the board's move to pay out these executives is legal under the Severance Pay Limitation Act. It sets limits severance packages to equal three months' salary for public at-will employees.
"This is taxpayer money that we're talking about," Wallace said. "If they go ahead and pay this, what I call a golden parachute or severance packages exorbitant severance package in violation of the law that I passed several years ago in response to a different abuse of authority — I would say that the Comptroller, the Attorney General, and the governor should all be asking questions."
July 2024
- OTB posted the CEO position to replace Wojtaszek with a base salary of $280,000-$320,000. According to public records, Brown made $157,000 last year as Mayor of Buffalo.
September 2024
- OTB offers the President and CEO position to Byron Brown.
Geoff Kelly from the Investigative Post joined Voices on Friday to discuss the potential impact that Brown leaving office would have on city government. You can watch the full conversation below.
"At this point, a contract still needs to be negotiated before the position is accepted. I look forward to meeting with the Chairman of the Board to start the process toward final approval of a contract. In the meantime, I will continue to serve in my capacity as Mayor," Brown said in a statement on Thursday. You can watch our full report on him being offered the job below.
We've also heard from Buffalo Common Council members and Buffalo residents to get their reaction to Brown being offered the job, you can watch both reports below.
'Still work to be done': Buffalo Common Council members react to OTB offering president/CEO job to Mayor Brown
Buffalo residents share their voices on Mayor Brown being offered Western Regional Off-Track Betting job
