November 30, 2009, 12:20 pm
Lawmakers are inching closer to a long-awaited agreement on casino table-games legislation, say officials in the House Democratic and Senate Republican caucuses.
“Things are closer than they’ve ever been,†said Bob Caton, spokesman for Speaker of the House Keith McCall (D-Carbon).
He said each side has agreed to set the table games license fee at $15 million while levying about a 16 percent tax rate. Casinos will also pay a 1 percent fee to its home county and another 1 percent to its municipality, said Caton, who stressed those figures could change as negotiations continue. The license fee for smaller category three casinos will be less than $15 million.
November 30, 2009, 9:37 am
CIVERA STAYING IN HOUSE FOR NOW
According to an article in the Philadelphia Inquirer, When Rep. Mario Civera (R-Delaware) announced that he was running for Delaware County Council in February, many wondered why he’d leave the state House and the powerful position he held there. Now, having won the county seat, he apparently isn’t leaving the state office – at least not yet. Civera, who is to be sworn in to his council seat on Jan. 4, said through a spokesman this week that he did intend to vacate the House seat he’s held since 1980; he just wouldn’t say when. The delay has touched off protest among county Democrats eying his seat and grumbles from those who want to succeed him as the ranking Republican on the Appropriations Committee. Click here to read the Philadelphia Inquirer article.
RAMALEY TRIAL BEGINS TOMORROW
According to an article in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, nearly three years since word first surfaced of lawmakers giving publicly funded bonuses for campaign work, the first case in the Bonusgate corruption scandal is coming to trial. Former Rep. Sean Ramaley of Beaver County is alleged to have had only a minor role in the corruption scheme,
Continue reading Eye Opener – November 30, 2009
November 30, 2009, 9:32 am
CIVERA STAYING IN HOUSE FOR NOW
According to an article in the Philadelphia Inquirer, When Rep. Mario Civera (R-Delaware) announced that he was running for Delaware County Council in February, many wondered why he’d leave the state House and the powerful position he held there. Now, having won the county seat, he apparently isn’t leaving the state office – at least not yet. Civera, who is to be sworn in to his council seat on Jan. 4, said through a spokesman this week that he did intend to vacate the House seat he’s held since 1980; he just wouldn’t say when. The delay has touched off protest among county Democrats eying his seat and grumbles from those who want to succeed him as the ranking Republican on the Appropriations Committee. Click here to read the Philadelphia Inquirer article.
MCILVAINE SMITH DECIDES NOT TO RUN FOR REELECTION
According to an article in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, the General Assembly’s so-called “reform” class of November 2006 is losing another member. Rep. Barbara McIlvaine Smith, a West Chester Democrat who’s halfway through her second two-year House term, has decided not to seek re-election next year and will leave the Legislature when her
Continue reading Eye Opener – November 30, 2009
