Erie City Council seeks gambling funds promise – GoErie.com

Pending state legislation carves out $500,000 annually for the city of Erie from county gambling revenues to fund emergency services and infrastructure projects.

Pending state legislation that would give Erie County government sole authorization over the distribution of the multimillion-dollar local share of gambling money alsocarves out $500,000 annually for the city of Erie to fund emergency services and infrastructure projects.

Erie City Council is poised to ask State Sen. Dan Laughlin to make sure that yearly funding becomes a reality.

City Council on Wednesday night could waive agenda rules and vote on a resolution urging Laughlin, of Millcreek Township, R-49th Dist., and the Pennsylvania Senate "to retain the $500,000 for city capital projects or emergency services in the gaming legislation," according to Councilman Bob Merski, who plans to sponsor the resolution.

Merski said council members want members of the state Senate to make sure the money earmarked for the city remains in the final version of the bill.House Bill 271 was approved by the Pennsylvania House of Representatives on June 7 by a 102-89 vote.

The bill currently sits in a state Senate committee.

"As goes the city, so goes the region, so it makes sense to support capital projects and emergency services in the city," Merski said. "The region's lead assets are all in the city, and this is recognition that city taxpayers have been carrying the weight of these expenses for the whole region.

City Council meets Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. in the Bagnoni Council Chambers at City Hall, 626 State St.

Kevin Flowers can be reached at 870-1693 or by email. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/ETNflowers.

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Erie City Council seeks gambling funds promise - GoErie.com