Feb 17, 2013

Corbett addministration extends lottery contract bid

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - A top budget aide to Gov. Tom Corbett says a British firm has extended its bid to manage the $3.5 billion Pennsylvania Lottery while the administration mulls over how it will respond to the state attorney general rejecting the deal.

Executive Deputy Budget Secretary Peter Tartline said the bid from Camelot Global Services that was scheduled to expire Saturday has been extended through Friday.

According to a top aid, Governor Tom Corbett's bid to privatize the lottery is still alive.

Sources say an agreement has been reached between the state and British firm Camelot Global Services to extend the firm's bid to run the Pennsylvania Lottery. The original bid expired on Saturday after new Attorney General Kathleen Kane rejected the contract between the two, citing it unconstitutional.

The original deal between Corbett and Camelot was a 30-year contract that promised to bring in at least $3.5 Billion in revenue for the state. The governor does have the option to challenge Kane's decision in court.

Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane has said she wouldn't approve the 20- to 30-year contract with Camelot because she says elements of it conflict with the state constitution and state lottery law.

Corbett could challenge Kane's decision in court. The contract's legality is also being challenged in court by Democratic lawmakers and the union that represents lottery employees.

No comments:

Post a Comment