As reported by: Post Gazette
Gov. Ed Rendell says he would sign legislation to eliminate the use of slot machine suppliers if the bill contained four other major reforms to the state's 2-year-old casino gambling law.

Mr. Rendell has previously supported Act 71's requirement for using the so-called middleman firms.

But he said yesterday he doesn't want the single issue of suppliers to stand in the way of improving the slots law, which was originally passed in July 2004 and calls for 14 casinos to be created in the state.

"If the Legislature sends that [elimination of suppliers] to me, I will absolutely sign it,'' he told a group of reporters yesterday.

"I don't want that to be an issue that slows up the ability to pass the other [four] things,'' he said. "If they send it to me with the other things, I will sign it.''

There has been growing pressure, especially from Sen. Jane Orie, R-McCandless, to eliminate the requirement for slots suppliers, who would buy machines from manufacturers and resell them to casinos.

Ms. Orie and other critics claim the middlemen are an unnecessary layer of bureaucracy and benefit only politically connected insiders.

But other legislators, mostly Democrats, defend the requirement for supplier firms, saying it will create new Pennsylvania companies and several hundred jobs.

Sens. Orie and John Rafferty, R-Montgomery, have urged GOP leaders to call the Senate back to work on Sept. 5 to make reforms to the slots law, but so far the Senate appears likely to stick with its scheduled return from summer recess on Sept. 19.


Article By: Post Gazette