How to Introduce Gaming to State Legislation
Pennsylvania is still in the midst of serious restructuring regarding gambling. The state is making moves to allow casino gambling. Governor Ed Rendell signed a new budget in late October and much of the budget centers around colleges and universities in the state. Money from gambling has already been earmarked for the educaitonal institutions. The interesting thing is that gambling is seen as a negative ethical move for states. Critics of the move are citing crime, addiction and corruption as main reasons why it should be kept out of the legislature. The biggest draw, however, is the amount of funds readily available from gambling. It’s no secret that gambling is a billion-dollar business. States throughout the US are working hard to create letgislation that would allow taxing and operations of casinos, but land-based and online.
Part of the problem with Rendell’s move, however, is that the way funds will be channeled to educational institutions is still unclear. There are several proposals on the table and lawmakers will have to iron the issue out soon. With the next school year coming up, it’s imperative that schools know if they are getting additional funds to put students through college. Rendell’s own criticism is that the laws in place should have been instituted years ago. Critics also believe that the state has been dragging its feet on the issue. No one knows why, but those in favor of bringing gambling to the market are questioning the move of procrastination. Gary Tuma, Rendell’s aide, said, “The governor has said legislative leaders need to get serious about the table games bill. He is disappointed and frustrated. There seems to be no sense of urgency about this bill.”
The state is lagging due to “more pressing issues.” With the recession on its tailend out of the market, things are still leveling off. Most businesses suffered greatly due to the economic downturn. Although it is seen that gambling is a positive overall move that would bring millions of dollars into the state, there are still some critics who believe the problems will outweigh the positive advantages. Only time will tell what legislation the state will come up with and how casino gaming will be brought into the general consumer marketplace.
Tags: October, Pennsylvania, Rendell
