Guilt by inheritance is unfair to Bedford Downs principals

The Pennsylvania Harness Racing Commission insists that it was not accusing New Castle business owners Carmen and Ken Shick and their sister, Kendra Tabak, of guilt by association when it delved into their deceased grandfather's ties to organized crime. However, the commission used family patriarch Carmen Ambrosia's dealings with, among others, Mahoning Valley mob boss Lenine Strollo as one of the reasons for rejecting Carmen Shick's application for a harness racing track license.
If it isn't guilt by association, it certainly is guilt by inheritance. And therein lies the unfairness of the tack taken by the commission.
A careful reading of the 87-page report, which details the reasons that proposals for harness tracks in Lawrence and Beaver counties were rejected, reveals that while the commission did not allege that the Shick brothers and their sister, Kendra, have ties to organized crime, it was concerned that Ambrosia's ties to Strollo and other mob figures may somehow bind his grandchildren.
For instance, in one section of the report, reference is made to a $200,000 loan -- at 12 percent interest -- in 1995 from Ambrosia to Liberty Vending Inc. in Canton. The company, according to the report, is owned and operated by Pat Ferrucio, an organized crime figure, and his son, Rocco. The loan was made through one of Ambrosia's companies, New Castle Lime and Stone, which "appears to have continued to receive payments from Liberty Vending Inc. from after the time Carmen Shick took over the business in 1992 until some time in 1996," the commission report states.
Full plate
It goes on to say that as of 1996, the principal balance due was $146,223 and the outstanding interest at that time was $84,901. "However, even if no payments were made between 1992 and 1996, the Commission does not understand why New Castle Lime and Stone Company has not pursued collection of this debt." The report notes that Carmen Shick's lawyer advised the commission that his client "decided his 'plate was full' and therefore decided to wait out the sale or disposition of the real property in which Ambrosia Coal and Construction Co. holds the mortgage."
This is just one example of the concerns raised by the commission regarding Ambrosia's links to organized crime and the subsequent inheritance of his companies by his grandchildren.
While we applaud Pennsylvania for attempting to ensure that organized crime entities are not involved in gambling, especially now that casinos and slot machine outlets will be established in the state, we believe the harness racing commission has a responsibility to explain why it is visiting the sins of the grandfather upon the grandchildren.
Carmen Shick says he intends to fight the commission's decision not to award his proposed track, Bedford Downs, a license, as do the owners of Valley View Downs in Beaver County.
In addition to the organized crime issue, the financing package for Bedford Downs failed to impress commission members. Shick intends to respond to the questions raised about the plan he and his siblings have developed to finance the project, and he will address the commission's attempt to tie today's business operations to what went on when Carmen Ambrosia was in charge.
That's how it should be.