Corbett Continues Wasteful Lottery Effort

Gov. Corbett continues spinning his wheels trying to ship the Pennsylvania Lottery overseas.

This week, the administration announced that it was again extending its agreement with Camelot Global Services to buy more time to figure out whether to include the General Assembly in the decision making process.

But time isn’t all the governor is buying. 

He’s also buying millions of dollars in legal and consulting services, and he’s buying it with the lottery’s money.

The rising cost of this wheel-spinning had already drawn the attention of state Treasurer Rob. McCord and, this week, Auditor General Eugene DePasquale said he was going to take a close look at whether the legal and consulting fees are an appropriate use of lottery funds.

“I disagree with the Corbett Administration’s decision to extend the Lottery privatization contract, but I respect the governor’s right to make that decision and proceed,” DePasquale said. “My office will carefully scrutinize the $3.4 million already spent on this effort. We will continue to review the entire Lottery privatization process in such a way as it may be helpful to the governor — and therefore the people of Pennsylvania — to make a final decision that is in the best interest of all taxpayers.”

There are indications that, after two years of trying make an end-run around the legislature, the governor now may be willing to admit that lawmakers and the people they represent should have some authority over whether to outsource lottery jobs overseas.

It’s going to be a tough sell considering that Pennsylvania lawmakers have a long list of problems to deal with, and the lottery – one of the most successful and profitable in the nation -- isn’t one of them.

The latest extension of Camelot's bid will expire on Dec. 31, which will mark one year from when AFSCME submitted a better management proposal to the administration than Camelot.

By ignoring that proposal, and concentrating on a risky overseas bid, the administration bares its true intent and puts at risk the money our seniors depend on.

More Fixing Things That Aren’t Broken

To make sure that the health and safety of Pennsylvania homeowners isn’t politicized, the General Assembly created the Uniform Construction Code Review and Advisory Council in 1999.   The idea was to have a panel of experts to advise lawmakers on what updates are needed to construction codes.

It worked pretty well until the Republican majority didn’t get the answer it wanted last year when it came to the RAC’s recommendation on sprinkler requirements.  Since then, the majority and the administration have been tinkering with the RAC to essentially ensure that that this highly complex and highly specialized function remains vulnerable to shifting political winds.

We are expecting the majority to begin moving Senate Bill 1023, along with various amendments, perhaps as soon as this fall.

You can see the bill by clicking here.

Made by PA Labor: Things Go Better with Coke

Next time you’re thirsty, consider buying a Coca-Cola product, which will help support a Pennsylvania-based company that employs local union workers. 

Since 1902, the Philadelphia Coca-Cola Bottling Company, also known as Philly Coke, has operated in its current location on Erie Avenue in Northeast Philadelphia.  Many of Philly Coke’s employees are life-long residents of the Philadelphia region, as well as members of Teamsters Local 830. 

With more than 30 million cases of soft drinks distributed annually and nearly six million patrons served, Philly Coke is among the top five leading distributors of Coca-Cola products in the U.S. and is recognized as the largest bottling complex within North America.