Rendell
Responds to Racing Commission's Decision
Governor Edward G. Rendell today
issued the following statement on the Pennsylvania
Harness Racing Commission's decision regarding
Valley View Downs and Bedford Downs:
"I
have followed the recent actions of the Harness
Racing Commission regarding the license applications
of Valley View Downs and Bedford Downs closely.
My staff and I are reviewing the Adjudication
issued by the commission yesterday and that
review will inform the actions the Administration
takes regarding the final harness track license.
"In
the interim, though, there are several important
points to keep in mind as the commission moves
forward:
"The
commission is an independent agency whose members
are appointed by the Governor with the approval
of the Senate. They are charged with doing what
the commissioners feel is in the best interests
of harness racing in Pennsylvania. The independence
of its members ensures that it will carry out
this mandate free of political influence. In
this case, the commission has made a decision
and has set forth the reasons the commissioners
believe support that decision. It will be for
the applicants -- not me, nor any other elected
official -- to determine the responses to that
decision.
"Some
have suggested that the commission decision
reflects a bias towards locating the final track
license in eastern Pennsylvania. My review of
the commission's decision reflects no such bias.
Given the current locations of racetracks across
the commonwealth, I believe that it is in the
best interest of Pennsylvania that this harness
license be awarded to a location in western
Pennsylvania.
"The
expansion of gaming in Pennsylvania is vitally
important to our ability to deliver property
tax relief and economic development to our citizens.
I have been as great a proponent of moving quickly
with the licensing process as anyone -- yet
I recognize that it is even more important that
we proceed fairly and openly, and that no one
rushes to judgment. I would hope that everyone
interested in the decision of the commission
will proceed deliberately so that the license
can be issued as soon as practicable given the
current circumstances."
The
Rendell Administration is committed to creating
a first-rate public education system, protecting
our most vulnerable citizens and continuing
economic investment to support our communities
and businesses.
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