Incensed Residents Speak Out At Pennsylvania Gaming Board Meeting
As gambling regulators settled a dispute over the area of scope of machine distributors in Philadelphia and eventual handing out of distribution licenses, several Philadelphia residents spoke out during the meeting, calling for a louder citizen voice in matters regarding the slot machines.
Wednesday's meeting ended the long debated issue on whether to allow distributors to operate statewide or in only one of two states. The issue has threatened to postpone the opening of Philadelphia's first slot parlors threatening to derail the start of gambling and property tax relief for possibly more than another year. After resolving the matter, the board granted license approvals for 12 companies, and is considering the applications of 10 more.
Ted Dacker, Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board's chairman said that they are now looking at a three month window that will have racetrack licenses approved in late September, also very likely standalone casino licenses by December.
"We hear different things about each track, " Decker said. "But we're hoping four of the six tracks are going to be up and running, some by the end of this year and a couple the early part of next year." Decker did not associate names with the dates.
"I believe we just took a major step forward for gambling in Pennsylvania, " said Decker. The chairman did not appear at the meeting, but listened in by telephone.
It is still possible for the board's decision to be overruled by the Legislature. The Legislature has been making a push this week against slot suppliers. On Tuesday, the senate passed such a bill, which states that suppliers can be equated to political nepotism, considering the applicants. They were pertaining to several prominent lobbyists who applied, as well as former Lt. Giv. Mark Singel, former Pittsburgh Steelers defensive back J.T. Thomas and former Allegheny County officials.
Suppliers act as middlemen between slot machine manufacturers and casinos. Opposing forces say that they are an unnecessary components of bureaucracy.
The locals who spoke out in the meeting were two Philadephia residents from the Casino Free Philly, an anti-casino group.
According to them, the board has been violating open meetings law by restraining public comment at board meetings. The group was silenced as the meeting went into recess. The group claims that the public has been excluded by the board by also conveniently disclosing only a small portion of documents in the casino applications.
"We have seen only a sliver of what was sent to the Gaming Control Board, " Matt Ruben, one of the protestors said. "Aside from FBI background checks, there's no excuse for not releasing information to the public."
Decker said the board is not obligated to open meetings for public comment.