Long-debated table games bill nears final vote in Pa. House; Rendell says he’ll sign it

Table games bill nears final vote in Pa. House

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Opponents launched a last-ditch effort Wednesday to derail a proposal to legalize table games at Pennsylvania slots casinos, calling the measure pork-laden, pushed through in secrecy and lacking in needed reforms to the state’s gambling industry.

A final vote on the long-debated measure, which the Senate already approved, was not expected to occur until late afternoon. If it passes, Democratic Gov. Ed Rendell said he would sign it.

The bill would allow larger casinos to install 250 tables for games such as poker and blackjack, while the smaller resorts casinos could have 50. State gambling regulators said it could be six months or longer until table games are up and running.

Revenue from the licenses is needed to help pay the state’s bills as the recession continues to ravage state tax collections. But critics said the expansion of the five-year-old slots gambling law was fatally flawed and should be rejected.

“Once again, we are missing the opportunity to pass significant, needed, law-enforcement reforms that should have been there from the get-go in 2004,” said Republican Whip Mike Turzai of Allegheny County. “We’re not even close to a complete version of the bill.”

Supporters said casinos would add jobs and fuel economic activity to serve an influx of additional customers and disputed suggestions that more time was needed to examine the compromise rushed out Tuesday by a joint House-Senate conference committee.

“We started this discussion on this job creation, property tax reduction, economic development bill years ago,” said Rep. Jim Wansacz, D-Luzerne. “So let’s stop these delay tactics, let’s stop this nonsense, let’s stop (the) mistruths. Let’s get 10,000 people to work in Pennsylvania.”

Passage would avert the layoffs of nearly 1,000 state workers that Rendell has threatened.

The bill would authorize a third resort casino license in 2017, earmark some proceeds to communities where casinos are located and impose new ethics and licensing rules on the casino industry.

Table games would be taxed at 16 percent of gross revenue, with 2 percentage points going to local counties and municipalities. At the end of the second year, the gross tax rate would drop to 14 percent.

Larger casinos would have to pay a $16.5 million licensing fee, but resort casinos would only be charged $7.5 million. The amount of those fees would increase after June 1.

Rep. Paul Clymer, R-Bucks, a leading gambling opponent, said the fees were far too small. He was one of several who argued that the licenses should go to the highest bidder.

“Nothing like corporate welfare to fatten the wallets of those who already have secured great benefits through this casino gambling law,” Clymer said.