The Real Deal with Table Games
12/23/2009
By:
Rep. Ron Marsico (R-Lower Paxton)
Recently, Gov. Ed Rendell claimed that he will need to lay off another 1,000 state workers if the Legislature does not soon expand gambling in Pennsylvania. What a wonderful way to support Pennsylvanians during these difficult economic times. Instead of putting the lives of hundreds of hard-working state employees at risk, why doesn’t the governor consider approving a balanced budget every year and cleaning up the fraud and waste that currently exists in some of the agencies under the his own purview?
The governor’s use of state workers as a means to gain leverage in legislative negotiations is getting old.
The governor’s suggestion that he needs to lay off 1,000 people in order to generate the revenue that the state does not have coming in from table games is ludicrous. Projected gaming revenue is estimated at $250 million. Unless these state workers are making $250,000 per year, the governor’s basic math skills seem to be lacking. On top of that, we would not see that gaming revenue for another year. These potential layoffs are not about the need for additional revenue. They are about the governor wanting to get his way and promote his own agenda. He wants to see table games passed, no matter what. And, he will do anything to reach that goal.
House Republicans have been consistently coming to the table to discuss the table games legislation, amend it where necessary and vote. However, the other side of the aisle has been displaying an unwillingness to get this legislation done. Session days were added to the voting calendar, only to be removed. We would show up to work, only to have the House Democrats missing from the floor of the House. My colleagues and I indicated to the Democrat leadership that we would be available to work through the holidays and even on Christmas Eve, if need be. Unfortunately, since the House Democrats are in the majority and make the decision when to hold session, they decided to send us home until January. I guess they do not support Thomas Jefferson’s work ethic to “never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.”
Whether gaming will be expanded in Pennsylvania is yet to be seen. And, I would like to point out that this legislation is not something that should be rammed through with no regard to the potential consequences. It is crucial that we restore the confidence of the public and the integrity of the entire gaming industry before we make any drastic changes. As it stands now, the table games legislation simply does not include the type of reform that would be necessary to clean up the industry. In fact, it leaves out many of the reform measures that my colleagues and I devised many, many months ago.
My holiday wish is that that all the members of the House and the Senate see how important this reform is and make the necessary changes while it is still possible. And while this work is being conducted, it is my hope that the governor and House Democrats think twice about imposing unnecessary stress on innocent state employees and residents of the Commonwealth. We need to help Pennsylvanians through these difficult times and do everything we can to prevent the state from facing crisis situations.
Rep. Ronald Marsico
105th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
(717) 652-3721
(717) 783-2014
Member Site: RonMarsico.com
Member Email: rmarsico@pahousegop.com
Contact: Autumn R. Southard
(717) 787-2946
Caucus Site: PAHouseGOP.com