House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda

House of Representatives
Session of 2013 - 2014 Regular Session

Posted:	June 19, 2013 11:27 AM
From:	Representative Margo L. Davidson
To:	All House members
Subject:	Directing Table Games Revenue to Property Tax Relief - Former HB 1623

In the near future, I intend to introduce legislation that would amend Title 4 (Amusements) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, to direct all of the State’s tax revenue derived from table games to be deposited into the Property Tax Relief Fund. Currently, all table games tax revenue is deposited into the State’s General Fund and this will continue until the Secretary of the Budget certifies that the Budget Stabilization Reserve Fund (BSRF) exceeds $750 million. This caveat becomes irrelevant when you consider nearly the entire amount in the BRSF was transferred to the General Fund at the same time this stipulation was created and it is unlikely to meet the statutorily required threshold any time in the near future. I believe it is unsatisfactory for such important legislative policy to be crafted in ways that it will not live up to its public promise. Without my legislation, revenue from table games will continue to vanish into the General Fund at a time when property taxes continue to increase on struggling families that can least afford it. Conversely, my proposal will provide homeowners with additional property tax relief by making more funds available for that singular purpose. Legalized gaming in Pennsylvania was accepted by our citizens on the condition that revenue would be exclusively dedicated to property tax relief. Please join me in supporting legislation that will provide greater relief to our property tax payers.
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Introduced as HB1806