Table games tax

Regarding "Table Games on the Table" (Sept. 12): In regard to using table games to increase tax revenue to help with the budget, the Legislature should call the gaming industry's bluff.

David La Torre, spokesman for the Meadows, is ready to install the games immediately but the tax rate would have to be "a lot lower" than the proposed 21 percent of the gross revenue, he says. Why lower and not higher? Because the gaming industry wants more and more profit on their monopoly?

He claims the table games are "incredibly labor intensive" but omits the fact that the servers and dealers will be paid less than minimum wage and will derive most of their income from patrons' tips. I'm a betting man. I bet if the tax rate is 21 percent, the casinos will have table games immediately!

Legislators, do what is right for your constituents, not the gaming industry.

REGE McDONOUGH
Mt. Lebanon