The Senate today approved legislation providing for the continuation of Local Share Assessments (LSA) from casinos, including Presque Isle Downs & Casino, to support their host communities, according to Senator Dan Laughlin.
House Bill 271, which provides for LSAs and allows new gaming options in the Commonwealth, was returned to the House of Representatives for concurrence on Senate amendments.
Last September, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled that the state’s current LSA provision was unconstitutional and gave the Legislature and Administration until May 26 to find a legislative solution that would meet conditions set by its ruling.
Under House Bill 271, all casinos would pay an annual fee of $10 million. Since the fee structure in the bill is uniform for all casinos regardless of annual net revenue it should meet the conditions set by the Supreme Court ruling, according to Senator Laughlin.
“This is an issue that has wide ranging impacts not only for Erie, but for communities across Pennsylvania that receive LSAs. It was incumbent upon the General Assembly and the Wolf Administration to finalize legislation that will ensure the flow of funding from the casinos to counties and local entities continues unabated. I appreciate the efforts of my colleague Senator Mario Scavello, who as Chairman of the Senate Community, Economic & Recreational Development Committee worked tirelessly to push this bill through the legislative process,” Senator Laughlin said.
“Presque Isle Downs & Casino is a vibrant part of the Erie community and a key attraction for visitors to the region,” Senator Laughlin continued. “However, it does increase the burden on the community’s services and infrastructure. Presque Isle Downs is a good neighbor and has indicated that it will continue its support for the community, but not every community is that fortunate. If we did not meet the court-imposed deadline and casinos were to withhold local share funding, the burden of additional financial costs would fall directly on taxpayers in many communities. That’s what made finding a legally sound solution to this issue a matter of utmost importance. Senate Bill 271 will help our community and allow Presque Isle Downs to invest and grow in the future.”
Contact: Matt Azeles mazeles@pasen.gov