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PA Table Games Closer to a Reality

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  1. ppyb007 ppyb007 is offline Moderator

    Allentown, PA
    United States

    Posts: 977
    Joined: Jul 06

    Oct 19th, 2009 (10/19/2009 12:57pm)

    Exciting news since the new Bethlehem Sands is 10 minutes away.

    <h1>Rendell sets minimum taxes for table games</h1>
    By Mario Cattabiani

    INQUIRER HARRISBURG BUREAU

    HARRISBURG - Gov. Rendell this morning said he would veto any bill to legalize table games at the state's slot parlors that doesn't produce at least $200 million in new revenue this year.

    And, according to his figures, that means that each casino would have to pay an upfront fee of $15 million to add such games and a tax rate of at least 16 percent on blackjack, poker, roulette and other table games.

    His proposal, he said, is the floor and it will be up to lawmakers to erect the ceiling.

    Rendell said that striking a proper tax rate was a "pretty delicate balance" between raising the most revenue and still making it profitable for casinos to add table games.

    "We don't want to kill the Golden Goose here," Rendell said, noting that other states, notably New Jersey, have a lower tax rate.

    Rendell's figures are between what the state House and Senate have sought to impose. The House has prepared a bill seeking a 34-percent tax rate; the Senate favors 14 percent, with 12 going to the state and 2 going to local municipalities where slots parlors are located.

    The governor made the comments at an unrelated news briefing outside his Capitol office just before he was to meet with legislative leaders on the table games issue.

    He said that he would tell the legislators about his minimum revenue threshold for table games and that he wanted a bill on his desk by the end of the week.

    Table games are the final piece of Pennsylvania's budget puzzle.
  2. Roark21 Roark21 is offline

    PA
    United States

    Posts: 221
    Joined: Aug 07

    Oct 19th, 2009 (10/19/2009 2:19pm) in reply to ppyb007

    this would be soooo sick. I'm about ten mins away from the Sands too and ever since they started talking about building it I've dreamed of having live poker right up the street instead of 2 hours away in AC. Please do the right thing PA, one time!

    oh and one more request Rendell, decriminalize marijuana?? k thanks
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