Rep. Quigley Votes Against 'Pet Projects' Included in Table Games Bill

State Rep. Tom Quigley (R-146th Dist.) released the following statement regarding his 'No' vote on Senate Bill 711, which would legalize table games in Pennsylvania:

"This legislation is bad public policy for Pennsylvania. Allowing table games will only compound the many problems we have already seen from the slots parlor law and does not include the necessary reforms to ensure that Pennsylvania residents are protected from corruption. The answers to our state’s financial woes do not lie in preying upon the most vulnerable citizens, who are the most likely to suffer from a gambling addiction and who often have lower incomes.

"One aspect I found particularly troublesome were the pet projects written into the language. There are very specific earmarks being funded, which are unfair to the other worthy causes that were left out. It is another example of "pet projects" that we have seen in bills like the federal health care reform legislation. This kind of pork is contrary to good government.

"Speaking of worthy causes, this bill does not include a dime for property tax relief. The majority of the revenue from this bill will go into the General Fund, leaving taxpayers out in the cold. Homeowners are still waiting for the meaningful property tax relief they were promised when slot machines were approved, and their concerns were still not addressed in this legislation. If it were up to me, every dollar of revenue collected would go to offset school property taxes.

"Finally, this is bad public policy because it expands gaming before much-needed reforms are considered. If you have a high rise that has a faulty structural system, you don’t add more floors until you address the safety issues. Without those necessary reforms, Pennsylvania is opening itself up to more cases of corruption involving gaming, when everything could have been avoided by taking up these issues in the proper order."

The controversial table games bill passed the House Wednesday by a vote of 103-89, with mostly Democrats supporting the measure.