Pennsylvania extends slot levy deadline
The Supreme Court voted to give legislators a bigger deadline to come up with a solution on slot machines levy.
US.- The Pennsylvania Supreme Court voted 6 to 1 to create a bigger deadline so lawmakers can come up with a solution regarding levy for slot machines in the state. Legislators have time until may 26 to solve the issue.
The justice’s original deadline to fix the ruling that states that casinos should not be forced to pay the US$10 million host fee and the 2 percent tax on slot machines revenues was January 26. However, some casinos established that they’ll continue to pay taxes even if the Legislature fails the host communities necessities.
Justice David Wecht said that he’s not in favor of extending the deadline, since he believes the court should not be helping the General Assembly because it doesn’t have the political will to come up with a solution. “Stalled in a political traffic jam of their own making, the legislators ask this Court to build them a detour. We should decline to do so,” he added.
The government used to send the tax money paid by casinos to police and fire-fighter departments, as well as social organisations state-wide. Without that income estimated on US$10 million, Pennsylvanian communities are not able to keep funding the departments. Eric Schippers, senior VP with Hollywood Casino owner Penn National Gaming, said back in December that if they don’t get a fix by June, they will extend through December and keep extending it until the matter is settled. “They’re counting on that revenue for critical needs and we don’t want them worrying about whether it’s going to be there. It’s going to be there. That’s our commitment,” he settled.
