Lawmaker says Change the Gaming Board

When Dauphin County District Attorney Ed Marsico announced he was dropping perjury charges against casino owner Louis DeNaples, he made a series of suggestions to improve the Gaming Control Board's operations. Governor Ed Rendell says he supports those reforms, especially a bill making all seven Board members gubernatorial appointees. He says right now the way the board is constructed is flawed. Each legislative caucus has an appointee and the governor has three seats at the table. The Pennsylvania State Treasurer, Secretary of Revenue, and Secretary of Agriculture are non-voting ex-officio members. Rendell says he doubts he'll make another appointment while in office, so the change wouldn't give him any more power. Marsico, a Republican, also wants the state police or Attorney General's office to conduct background searches of potential casino licensees, instead of the Gaming Control Board's investigative unit.