Pa. governor vetoes changes to gambling law

Martha Raffaele

Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2004 | 9:24 a.m.

HARRISBURG, Pa. -- Gov. Ed Rendell on Tuesday followed through on a threat to veto a bill that would make several changes to Pennsylvania's nearly 5-month-old slot-machine gambling law, saying it "significantly strayed" from its original objectives.

A primary goal of the bill, which passed the House and Senate on Nov. 20 in a flurry of last-minute legislative activity, was to eliminate a provision allowing lawmakers to own up to 1 percent of a gambling interest.

Rendell said he also agreed with provisions that would make any violation of the gambling law a violation of racketeering laws and broaden the gambling oversight powers of the attorney general.

But in his veto message to lawmakers, he said the bill's final form would undermine the ability of a new state gambling commission to implement the law because it has been "inconsistently amended."

As lawmakers rushed to finish their work on Nov. 21, Rendell said he had "deep problems" with provisions such as a dramatically narrowed ban on which public and party officials, and which of their family members, could own an interest in or work for a gambling enterprise.

"We cannot afford to let there be any confusion about our commitment to prevent impropriety," Rendell said in the veto message.

Rendell also opposed a provision to use funds from the portion of gambling revenue aimed at reducing local property taxes to help the Pennsylvania Lottery if its proceeds decline.