Posted on 07/05/2004 9:55:48 AM PDT by Josh in PA
Pennsylvania Governor OKs Gambling Bill
By PATRICK WALTERS, Associated Press Writer
BENSALEM, Pa. - Gov. Ed Rendell signed laws on Monday authorizing 61,000 slot machines in Pennsylvania — more than any other state except Nevada — and using most of the state's share to pay for a $1 billion cut in property taxes a year.
Revenue from the slot machines, which would be located at 14 sites, including seven horse tracks, would be used to cut property taxes by an average 20 percent.
Rendell, a Democrat who had made slots-for-tax-relief the centerpiece of his 2002 election campaign, signed the bills at Philadelphia Park, the thoroughbred track that produced Kentucky Derby-winner Smarty Jones.
"It isn't a panacea, but it certainly isn't the demon it's been made out to be," Rendell said. "It's a good, significant step on the road to property-tax relief."
Opponents of the slots bill predict a proliferation of crime, gambling addiction and other social ills. They complained that the bill was crafted in secret by a handful of party leaders and lacks adequate safeguards against corruption and conflicts of interest among members of the state panel that would oversee the slots parlors.
Proponents said the law would allow the state to recapture much of the money Pennsylvanians pour into slot machines in neighboring states and help revive the state's horse racing industry.
The property tax reduction will not be immediate. Officials say the initial relief would be deferred until at least 2006 to allow time for the slots parlors to obtain licenses and gear up.
Of the roughly $3 billion a year slots are expected to generate, the licensees would keep 48 percent, the state would get 34 percent and the rest would be divided among the equine industry, public construction projects, and counties and municipalities in which slots parlors are located.
Ultimately, state taxes on slots are expected to generate $1 billion a year for reducing property taxes in all but one of the state's 501 school districts. In Philadelphia, there would be reductions in the city's income tax.
A new gambling commission would issue slots licenses to racetracks, resorts and other sites for fees ranging up to $50 million apiece. Seven licenses would be granted to horse-racing tracks, including ones not yet built. Five licenses would be given to standalone sites and two licenses would be given to resorts.
The law makes Pennsylvania the 18th state to legalize slot-machine gambling, not including casino" STYLE="text-decoration: none; border-bottom: medium solid green;" HREF="http://search.targetwords.com/u.search?x=5977|1||||casino|AA1VDw">casino" STYLE="text-decoration: none; border-bottom: medium solid green;" HREF="http://search.targetwords.com/u.search?x=5977|1||||casino|AA1VDw">casinos run by Indian tribes, according to the American Gaming Association.
The House approved the measures Sunday. The Senate approved the slots bill Friday and the tax bill early Saturday.
>>Only 14 locations is an obviously corrupt system to benefit the politically well-connected.<<
Probably.
Why should slots be restricted for the benefit of those focused on horse racing?
If you REALLY wanted legalized gambling to benefit Pennsylvania, it should be more widespread and competitive. Provide access to the operators of local taverns, nightclubs, river boats and mountain resorts. In addition to OTB, allow them to offer a full sports book (baseball, football, basketball, hockey, NASCAR, boxing. etc. etc. etc.)
And the PLCB is already set up to provide the regulatory infrastructure to assure that these venues remain "adult" oriented.
States should not be in the business of encouraging people to gamble. It flies in the face of everything our country was founded on, such as saving for a rainy day etc. It plays of people's greed, and hopes for quick riches. States should be protecting people not making it easier for them to lose their money.
Not unless it's opened up to "the little guys".
If it were more widespread and competitive, then it COULD become a more significant contributor of state revenues, and allow for lowering of other taxes to attract other industries.
I'd bet on it. WV has been pulling in big money on gambling from folks coming from PA and MD. It's the only thing that's enabled the state to scrape by. Now the gambling proponents are talking about table games.
That would be much better than the present plan.
I was saying that you shouldn't bet on the tax cuts. They will never come.
there it is.....the out.....
bet the "tax" relief will never come....
that being said, I see no reason why governments shouldn't have the same chance at gambling income as the Indian casinos...
if the Indian casinos can operate gambling without paying a dime, shouldn't state or local governments be able to get some revenue?
This would never fly out west here...the Indian gambling interests have a lock on the gambling billions...and the Demos in their pockets to do that...
(2004-07-04, Scrappleface) -- The Pennsylvania legislature yesterday approved a $1 billion tax increase on people who don't understand basic math concepts, by approving the expansion of slot machine gambling in the Commonwealth. The measure was hailed by Democrat Gov. Ed Rendell as "the best way to transfer money from stupid working people and retirees to intelligent politicians."
"For far too long Pennsylvania's cash has been in the hands of people who probably should have flunked out of high school," said Mr. Rendell. "We have now freed up that cash for use by politicians, most of whom are so smart they would never drop a quarter in a slot machine." Answering critics who say increased gambling will create a surge in social problems and crime, Mr. Rendell said, "My critics will be comforted to know that we'll now have more money for government programs to address those social issues and to rehabilitate the new wave of criminals."
They will build a new race track, marina and slot parlor in one of the most depressed and crime ridden communities
on the Delaware River, Chester Pa. It has had the schools taken over by the state. I would not drive through there during the day, never mind at night. When I get off I-95 and come to the traffic light I always scan the area for trouble. Chester is riddled with drugs and crime. Good luck to the Chester citizens. Nothing good happened for them in many years. Lee Iaccoca started there. Maybe this will change it for the better?
There is a difference between legalization and encouragement. The state should not encourage eating McDonalds, but we certainly don't want the state to banning McDonalds, either, do we?
I don't really see it making a negative impact on Nevada. California Indian gaming is taking its toll on Northern Nevada, but Vegas is Vegas and Pennsylvania isn't going to dent it as a destination resort.
From another perspective, Nevada stands to gain on the manufacturing side as IGT and Bally Gaming will undoubtedly supply the majority (if not all) of the slot machines, and Bally Systems will probably win the slot network contract. All those companies are located in Nevada.
And you can do it now.
For the record, I wouldn't take that bet.
You are probably right. There will be a bunch of happy politicians though.
The Churches stopped it for years, but it finally went thru. What the hell, now we have to live with it. In any case, West Virginia is weeping right now.
I am not sure when Maryland may get slots. Our Republican governor made it a cornerstone of his campaign - slots rather than tax increases to pay for all the goodies the sheeple demand. Of course, the Democrap-dominated legislature insists on denying the Guv any kind of political victory, so they are happily waving good-bye to millions of Marylanders' dollars that already go to gambling in Delaware or West Virginia. They may wake up when Pennsylvania joins the party, but I tend to doubt it.
Excellent re-write. And probably more toward the truth!
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