Rep. John Maher, R-Upper St. Clair, told Santoni he should be getting a "thank-you note" from the casinos because expanding the number of venues would trigger a $50 million refund to each existing casino, as required under the 2004 slots law.
Unfortunately, this tidbit will fly over the heads of most Pennsylvanians. Carry on, nothing to protest in PA..
Net the Truth Online
House approves state-related university aid, table games
By Brad Bumsted
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
HARRISBURG — The House last night approved hundreds of millions of dollars in aid for state-related universities, which had been caught in a political crossfire over the legalization of table games at casinos.
The funding bills for Pitt, Penn State, Lincoln and Temple universities go to Gov. Ed Rendell for his signature. The package of appropriations totals about $730 million and includes private universities, cancer centers and museums.
The House Democrats' plan on table games won approval in a preliminary vote, 98-94. A final House vote is expected today. House leaders used a parliamentary maneuver to shut down debate and further amendments.
Several Republican lawmakers said the university funding was held as a political "hostage" by Democratic leaders to help win passage of table games.
House Democratic leaders said the approval of table games was needed before the funding could be released. Table games will raise $200 million the first year, and that money was needed to close a hole in the state budget approved 101 days late in October, said House Majority Leader Todd Eachus, D-Luzerne County.
Further delay in approving state appropriations "will do irreparable harm to Pennsylvania students, their families and our universities," top officials at the universities had warned yesterday. The letter was signed by Graham Spanier, president of Penn State; Mark Nordenberg, chancellor of the University of Pittsburgh; Ivory Nelson, president of Lincoln; and Ann Hart, Temple president.
The key amendment approved last night sets license fees of $16.5 million for table games, levies a 16 percent tax on daily gross revenue, bans political contributions by casino operators and imposes a two-year prohibition on former state regulators working for the industry.
It also expands gambling venues by allowing a third resort casino in Pennsylvania. The resort casinos are smaller versions of the 11 casino licenses awarded in December, 2006. Resorts would pay a $7.5 million licensing fee.
Table games include poker, blackjack, dice and roulette. One benefit of table games is adding 6,000 to 8,000 jobs statewide, said Rep. Dante Santoni, D-Berks County, sponsor of the amendment.
If the bill wins final House approval, an eleventh-hour change expanding the resort casino licenses from two to three will likely "meet resistance in the Senate," said Erik Arneson, a Senate Republican spokesman.
The last-minute changes are reminiscent of the "backroom deal" that put together the state's casino law in 2004, said House Minority Whip Mike Turzai, R-Bradford Woods.
The 132-page amendment included a proposed extension for opening the Foxwoods casino in Philadelphia.
"It smells because it looks like it's done for particular favors," Turzai told colleagues.
Rep. John Maher, R-Upper St. Clair, told Santoni he should be getting a "thank-you note" from the casinos because expanding the number of venues would trigger a $50 million refund to each existing casino, as required under the 2004 slots law.
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/regional/s_657783.html
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