Riverboat casinos in Allegheny County

From the beginning of America, each level of government has turned to some form of legalized gambling to fund public operations. In contemporary society, legalized gambling has re-emerged as an acceptable means for state and local governments to collect revenue without having to face the politically sensitive issue of raising taxes. Many states have legalized casino gambling on riverboats to resemble the old "Mississippi riverboat." In the 1995-1996 Pennsylvania General Assembly, several members of the House of Representatives sponsored a bill which would legalize "floating casinos" and allow approximately twenty-five boats to exist throughout the state. In efforts to marshal public support, the riverboat casinos are being presented to Pennsylvania counties under the claims that they will increase tourism, provide jobs, benefit the general welfare, and revitalize the regional economy. An investigation into the total impact of casinos on Allegheny County clearly contradicts the rhetorical marketing of these riverboat casinos. Research suggests the following: (1) casinos will not be a productive supplement to county tourism but will direct money away from existing sites; (2) county employment will decline as jobs are cannibalized by casinos and local businesses are forced to leave due to an unfavorable business climate; (3) the health and welfare of county residents will be compromised as their lives are endangered by the destructive results that gambling has on individuals and families; and (4) Allegheny county will not receive the tax revenues promised but experience an increase in expenditures, far exceeding tax revenues, as the county is forced to deal with the civil consequences of a region infiltrated by gambling. County officials should seriously reconsider the introduction of casinos. The "Golden Nugget" the casinos are reported to provide to Allegheny County will become only a "Mirage."