|
|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
|
House
Democratic Leadership |
|
House Democratic response to Gov. Rendell
HARRISBURG, Oct. 30 – Speaker of the House Keith R. McCall, D-Carbon, and House Majority Leader Todd A. Eachus, D-Luzerne, issued the following statement in response to Gov. Ed Rendell’s call for the legislature to immediately return to session to debate table games legislation.
"We understand the governor's concerns, and we agree that we need to get this legislation passed as soon as possible. But to imply that no progress is being made, or that no work is being done, is simply false.
"This is a complex piece of legislation that requires tremendous attention to detail to make sure we’re going to get it done right the first time. If we wanted to pass this bill immediately we could simply have allowed the casinos to write the bill for us, but our duty to the taxpayers absolutely requires us to make sure the people get the most benefit while we simultaneously enhance our thriving gaming industry.
"Our staff has been working on this legislation continuously since the budget passed, and there has been regular communication at the staff level with our colleagues in the Senate. It’s important to remember that any compromise legislation must generate enough revenue to fund those very hospitals, state-related universities and other institutions that the governor has expressed concerns about."
"We return to session on Monday, November 9, and we hope to have an agreement in place as soon as possible so that we can pass this legislation quickly and finalize these last pieces of the budget."
###