Penn casino to contribute with former tax

Dauphin County will still receive its former share payment thanks to an agreement with a local casino.

US.- Whilst Pennsylvania seeks a casino resolution to recover from the Supreme Court decision of declaring unconstitutional the share payment law, Dauphin County announced good news. The Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course and parent company Penn National Gaming signed a Memorandum of Understanding to keep contributing with the same tax amount for social services in the city.

As a unique settlement, casino operators agreed on maintaining its Local Share Assessment payments, required under the Pennsylvania Gaming Act, which is going to be change by the beginning of 2017. The resolution of the Supreme Court would lead to a financial decline for several Pennsylvania counties, as casino operators would start paying fewer taxes.

Hollywood Casino’s payments will be distributed among the municipalities of East Hanover Township in Dauphin County and East Hanover Township in Lebanon County. The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) will become effective on 27 January, by the same time legislators will introduce amendments’ proposals to the current unconstitutional Pennsylvania Gaming Act.

Eric Schippers, Sr. Vice President of Public Affairs for Penn National Gaming, said about MOU: “In the wake of the Supreme Court decision, we supported a Legislative fix that would ensure our LSA payments continued uninterrupted, but unfortunately the House and Senate could not agree on an approach. Having always enjoyed a strong relationship with Dauphin County and our host municipalities, we quickly offered to sign an MOU preserving the LSA payments until at least 30 June to ease the communities’ concerns about these critical revenues pending a long term legislative solution.”

“We greatly appreciate Penn National Gaming stepping up to the plate and voluntarily offering this MOU to reassure our county and local municipalities and non-profit beneficiaries that the essential LSA funds will continue uninterrupted,” said Jeff Haste, Chairman of the Dauphin County Board of Commissioners. “Hollywood Casino has proven, time and again, to be a responsible business leader and economic engine in Dauphin County, and we are grateful for our collective partnership,” he concluded.