DeWeese wants Pa. to roll the dice on table games
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HARRISBURG -- Claiming that "it's time to start the debate," House Democratic leader Bill DeWeese soon will introduce legislation to authorize blackjack, poker and roulette at the 14 slot machine casinos that Pennsylvania will ultimately have.
He admitted yesterday that such a major expansion of legalized gambling in the state faces likely opposition, both from conservative Republican lawmakers who don't like slots to begin with and even from pro-slots Gov. Ed Rendell.
The governor repeatedly has said the state needs two or three years to get slots casinos up and running and see how much revenue is produced -- and to see if there are any negative social effects -- before embarking on additional gaming ideas.
Nonetheless, Mr. DeWeese, D-Waynesburg, has begun seeking co-sponsors for his table games bill, which he expects to formally introduce in two weeks. He admitted it could take the rest of the 2007-08 session, which ends Nov. 30, 2008, before action is taken.
He said he wants House committees such as Gaming Oversight, Tourism and Recreational Development and Finance "to take a long, hard look at this plan. I think it will be clear that this is a smart investment in Pennsylvania's future."
He argued that adding poker tables, blackjack tables and roulette wheels to slots casinos would create hundreds more jobs and increase the state's share of revenue that could be used to lower property taxes statewide. Some homeowners have begun complaining about the length of time it is taking for slots to produce property tax relief, which for most people won't arrive until July 2008.
Mr. Rendell has said that the state revenue just from slots could reach at least $1 billion a year once all 14 casinos are up and fully operating, which could lead to an average of $200 to $300 per homeowner in property tax cuts.
Mr. DeWeese said, "The estimated $1 billion in school property tax reductions available through slot machines is just the tip of the iceberg for what we could be providing to local taxpayers. Poker tables, blackjack tables and roulette wheels will create an even larger revenue source for property tax cuts. There is no practical difference between putting $25 in a slot machine and putting $25 on a blackjack or poker table."
Rep. Jim Wansacz, D-Lackawanna, a co-sponsor of the bill, contended table games "attract a different type of customer than slot machines," enlarging a casino's appeal and revenue potential.
Rendell spokesman Chuck Ardo yesterday repeated the governor's call to go slow on any more gambling.
"The governor believes that any attempt to expand gaming in Pennsylvania is premature, especially since all the authorized slots parlors are not yet up and operating," he said. Once the 14 parlors have been in operation "for a length of time," the state will conduct "a comprehensive review and make an informed decision about any future course of action," he said.
The Meadows racetrack casino is expected to open in Washington County this month, giving the state five racetrack/casinos in operation. Under the July 2004 slots law, the state can have two more racetrack/casinos, five stand-alone casinos and two resort hotel casinos.
First Published May 31, 2007 11:16 pm
