Just in case you were wondering why the average PA home owners hasn’t seen the predicted 25% cut in property taxes then-Governor Rendell said would occur as a result of legalized gambling getting approved in 2004, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette offers up an article to explain why:
In 2004, during the debate over whether to legalize gambling in Pennsylvania, Gov. Ed Rendell predicted that slot machine revenue one day would be able to cut school property taxes by an average of 23 percent.
About 71/2 years and 10 casinos later, many homeowners are still waiting for that day.
While slot machine gambling is delivering promised tax relief, it doesn’t appear that many residents locally are getting close to the 23 percent savings predicted by the former governor — or even the 15 percent to 20 percent estimated when slots gambling was legalized in July 2004.
This year, the average reduction statewide will be $198. It might buy a nice dinner out or a cheap flat screen TV, but chances are it won’t come close to covering a school tax bill.
The Money quote comes from then House Majority leader Rep. Bill DeWeese (D-Waynesburg):
“I don’t have a good excuse.”
They never do.
Is it any wonder the electorate is so angry with the cabal in Harrisburg. How many times can we be lied to, duped and deceived before we say enough already.
The real question is why aren’t we angrier and why do we keep voting the same jokers in?
Read the entire Post article on property taxes and gambling here.
All Rendell ever did was double the daily lottery, implement gambling for his lawyer buddies in Philly who are the real movers behind the gambling in Pa and withdrew the mandatory helmut law, which increased traumatic head injuries 7 fold in Pa. Oh yea, he also reduced education funding and library funding. If you look close behind the scenes you will see that Rendell himself has a 1% stake in casino business in Pa. He is the absolute worst governor Pa ever had, without a doubt!
He also never paid a dime into the Pa employee pension fund, which leaves somebody in the future to either pay up or leaves the retirees without a funded pension. All this and he was still unable to bring the budgets in on time!