PA Doubtful of Slots Windfall

Pennsylvania approved slots on the idea that the money from the machines would lead to significant breaks on their property taxes. However, the slots are in but residents are not quite as hopeful as they were when they first voted the games in.

It seems that only roughly 1/3rd of the population of Pennsylvania thinks that slots are going to do them any good when it comes to their property taxes, while the rest think that it won’t be a significant change if there is one at all. Researchers have found that they are not planning on getting any real cut from the slots.

They do think that based on the performance of the slots so far that they will be looking at an additional $1 billion by 2012 – but they don’t think that it will mean much for them. They think that the government will keep the money and that very little if any will come back to them in the form of rebates or property tax cuts.

In Philadelphia things seem slightly better with 36% thinking that they will see some change, but still 65% don’t think that they will see any tax cut and if they do it will be too small to matter. Again, they do think that the slots will raise the money, they just don’t think they will see it.

Voters are split on how Governor Ed Rendell has handled the slots business, but they do think that otherwise he does a good job. He has a 52% approval rating, but it is 50/50 as to the slots issue.


 

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