Reasons for rejection include failure to produce promised property tax relief

Members of the York County House Republican delegation unanimously voted to oppose the Pennsylvania General Assembly’s conference committee report on legislation that would result in the introduction of table games in Pennsylvania casinos. State Reps. Keith Gillespie (R-Hellam), Seth Grove (R-Dover), Ron Miller (R-Springfield Township) and Stan Saylor (R-Red Lion) issued the following statement upon passage of Senate Bill 711, which now goes to the desk of Gov. Ed Rendell for his anticipated signature:

“The vote to oppose Senate Bill 711 was an easy one for a number of reasons. The most glaring of those is its continued failure to keep the promise made when slots were introduced in Pennsylvania in 2004. The intent of that initial legislation was significant property tax relief, something that is nowhere near being achieved more than five years later and nowhere to be found in this bill.

“Even more disappointing was the treatment of the most recent effort to make good on that pledge. On Oct. 4, Representative Miller offered an amendment to the bill that would have directed a portion of gross revenue derived from table games to the Property Tax Relief Fund. That amendment was rejected on a party-line vote, clearly sending a message as to who is in favor of relieving the burden on Pennsylvania property owners and who is not.

“There are still many issues with gaming in general that need to be addressed before we legalize table games.  To do this expansion before the system is properly reformed is reckless.  We have identified several problems and have worked to resolve those issues, but those pushing this legislation obviously have no interest in gaming reform.  Some of the concerns that need to be addressed include political contributions to public officials from gaming interests, allocation of the local share of revenue, licensing standards and the relationship between the Gaming Control Board and casino interests.  This legislation will likely make the necessary reforms more difficult to accomplish and more complex.

“Another issue with the expansion to table games is the impact it will have on volunteer fire companies and other local charitable organizations that rely on small games of chance to supplement fund-raising efforts.  These groups have already experienced substantial losses from the legalization of slots parlors, and table games will only further whittle away at their efforts to raise the funds necessary to serve our communities.  We have to look at all the repercussions of any piece of legislation, not just the immediate and obvious consequences.

“When it was first sent to our chamber in July, Senate Bill 711 had our support because of its initial intent and sole purpose, which was cleaning up the mess created by Act 71 of 2004. It lost our support when the majority party in the House took control of it and turned it into a piece of legislation that shuts the door on mistakes made in the past and hurriedly takes us down a reckless, rocky path for Pennsylvania’s future.”

York County House Republican Delegation

Contact:  Scott B. Little
House Republican Public Relations
(717) 260-6137
www.pahousegop.com