Senate amends bill on table games

Lawrence Messina and Erik Schelzig

Tuesday, March 29, 2005 | 9:35 a.m.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The Senate earmarked additional revenue from casino-style table games for regional jails on Monday before voting 19-14 to send the House a bill that aims to allow the games at the state's four racetracks.

The Senate also amended the table games bill (Senate Bill 442) to charge each racetrack $125,000 a year to benefit local economic development.

Six Democrats joined eight of the Senate's 13 Republicans to oppose the measure. Sen. Ed Bowman, D-Hancock, did not vote because he works for Mountaineer Race Track and Gaming Resort.

The bill would allow Hancock, Jefferson, Kanawha and Ohio counties to vote on whether to permit table games at their tracks. Supporters argue the games will keep the tracks from losing customers to out-of-state competition.

The tracks have become a major source of revenue for West Virginia's lottery, with their 10,802 video slot machines. Pennsylvania recently legalized slots, and expects them to go online by late 2006. Maryland and Ohio have also debated adding slot machines to their lottery systems.

West Virginia would receive 23.5 percent of table games proceeds under the bill, sending most of it to general revenue. The bill allots smaller shares to race prize purses, the host counties and municipalities, racing workers' pensions and the state's tourism promotion program.

The first of Monday's amendments would shave off 5 percent from general revenue's cut for regional jails, to offset the fees counties pay to house inmates. A number of counties have complained of rising jail fee costs.

"I was somewhat surprised that it was approved," said Sen. Don Caruth, R-Mercer, a co-sponsor. "But the prospect of diverting this money is appealing to many members because the regional jails represent such a tremendous cost to our counties."

The other amendment would dedicate the new fees for the Corridor G, 4-C and Potomac Highlands regional economic development authorities.

The Senate rejected amendments to apply table games proceeds toward lowering taxes on food and gasoline, and to require voters statewide to approve before referendums are held by the racetrack counties.