HARRISBURG – Pennsylvania Speaker of the House Rep. Sam Smith (R-Jefferson/Armstrong/Indiana) and House Majority Leader Mike Turzai (R-Allegheny) released the following joint statement regarding the attorney general’s unilateral decision to reject the administration’s contract for outside mangers to run the Pennsylvania Lottery.
“The administration’s interest was always about growing Lottery proceeds to increase funding for programs, thus helping the state serve its expanding senior population. We also realize many may feel this action by the attorney general ‘saves the Lottery.’ However, given that the Lottery has contracted out significant portions of its current operations, and has done so for many years, we hope the attorney general’s decision does not set the current operations back.
“The legislature passed the lottery law in 1971, giving broad powers to the Secretary of Revenue to manage the operations. Right or wrong, it’s the legislative branch of government that should decide if the governor has too much say. Consequently, we expect that the legislature will be reviewing the attorney general’s determination with great interest.”