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Smucker Says Tuition Aid A Worthy Goal, But Adamantly Opposes Video Poker PlanExpanding legalized gambling in Pennsylvania would be a terrible mistake, no matter how attractive the proposed use of the proceeds is, according to state Senator Lloyd Smucker. "I am completely opposed to gambling expansion. It does not matter which form of gambling Governor Rendell wants to legalize next, how the program is structured, or which good cause is in line to get the money. Creating more social and family problems, as more accessible and addictive forms of gambling do, is not the kind of solution most people favor or that Pennsylvania needs," Smucker said. "From a policy standpoint, video poker is a particularly poor choice for a state to make. Pennsylvania should not sink to this level of desperation," he added. "With college costs continuing to rise, I absolutely support finding ways to help improve student access. The governor does not have to make a hard-sell on that point. But we should be looking at more responsible ways to fund a tuition assistance plan. There are better ideas readily available – Senator Jeff Piccola offered a more reasonable alternative recently," Smucker noted. Consistent with his concerns about the negative impact of legalized gambling, Senator Smucker this morning asked Gaming Board members at a Senate budget hearing if they had developed a profile on the players at the slots casinos. "People concerned about gambling want to know if gaming officials are just pretending everything is okay, or if there is a serious effort to judge the extent of the negative impact of gambling."
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