Posted on 03/04/2009 12:42:50 PM PST by RS_Rider
HARRISBURG -- Efforts to legalize thousands of video poker machines to generate tuition relief funds for certain college students are on the fast track.
Rep. Katie True, R-Lancaster, said today she's been getting a lot of calls from students and parents inquiring when the tuition relief funds would be available.
"Many students expect tuition relief for this fall," she told state Education Secretary Gerald Zahorchak at a budget hearing.
Gov. Ed Rendell, who came up with the idea, has talked about having some tuition relief money available by fall.
To have money available that soon, she said, "We would have to start action next week."
Mr. Zahorchak said he will submit a draft of the video poker bill to legislators next week. He said that if they approve the idea relatively soon, about $124 million in tuition relief could be generated from video poker machines by the fall semester.
(Excerpt) Read more at post-gazette.com ...
It’s almost an iron rule of government that “dedicated sources of funding” like these almost immediately are confiscated for more pressing needs, e.g. deficits caused by entitlement spending and pork.
The casisons are proving to be a bust, so now Fast Eddie wanst to try video poker, followed by real poker and Blackjack at said casinos to gin up the dwindling state coffers.
This will put a lot of small clubs out of existence - local firehouses, American Legions, etc.
Government income from control of, or taxes on, vice. The weekly-Christian libertarian inside me is all for it. Tobacco, alcohol, gambling, ... fast food? Marijuana? Hookers? Fire hall bingo? How far will we go?
That’s the irony of it all. Many small bars/clubs/fire halls depended on the video poker machines to stay in business. They legalized gambling and went around and shut down all of the machines at small establishments to create a better environment for themselves at the now legal casinos. I live in Allegheny (agony) county and before gambling was legalized, the establishments who had video poker machines also had a annual stamp on them from the county. Although gambling was illegal in our state, all of the video poker machines were licensed and taxed. A couple of months ago they told all of their licensees that their machines were now officially illegal and they must remove them from their place of business. Once machines are all gone, legalize them again. It’s good to be king!
If it’s any consolation, casino revenues are down in Vegas and AC. I’m guessing the PA state casinos will soon follow suit.
...which means the state government will say ‘gaming revenues are down $1B, we’ll have to raise taxes - wait for it - for the children’
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