Pennsylvania Senate returns bill to the House

Pennsylvania legislators are evaluating a gaming bill to maintain casino fees in Erie County.

US.- The Pennsylvania House of Representatives received again its approved casino tax bill as the Senate considered it needed further reviews. Legislators will soon evaluate the gaming fee regulations for the Erie County market, the host community of Presque Isle Downs & Casino in Summit Township. The bill would also allow iGaming expansion in the state, according to Go Erie newspaper.

“This is an issue that has wide-ranging impacts not only for Erie, but for communities across Pennsylvania that receive LSAs,” commented State Sen. Dan Laughlin, of Millcreek Township, R-49th Dist, to Go Erie journal. “It was incumbent upon the General Assembly and the Wolf administration to finalise legislation that will ensure the flow of funding from the casinos to counties and local entities continues unabated.”

The Senate voted yesterday 38-12 the returning of the casino tax bill to the House. The discussed bill proposes a similar fee regime to regulate the operations of Presque Isle Downs & Casino in order to maintain the annual revenues Erie County receives as a host community. The local casino would have to contribute to the county administration with US$10 million annually under the new regulation.

“Presque Isle Downs is a good neighbor and has indicated that it will continue its support for the community, but not every community is that fortunate,” added Laughlin. “If we did not meet the court-imposed deadline and casinos were to withhold local share funding, the burden of additional financial costs would fall directly on taxpayers in many communities. That’s what made finding a legally sound solution to this issue a matter of utmost importance.”