WILKES-BARRE -- Grants from casino revenue have been used to help fund improvement projects and private businesses, but lawmakers say the money is also helping property owners.
Grants using gaming funds have been used in Luzerne County to try to save a historic hotel, repair a former bank and even help a private business expand.
State Representative Eddie Day Pashinski told Newswatch 16 that most of the revenue is directed to property owners for school property tax relief.
"A lot of folks don`t even know that they`re getting it. In Wilkes-Barre, they`re getting $215 back off of their property tax assessment,” said Pashinski. "The property tax rebate is that $0.34 out of every dollar that goes into the casinos comes back in their homestead category."
Some people who live in Luzerne County said they could use more help.
"Just with school, municipalities all that, it comes almost to $3,000 [in taxes] every year,” said Christina Marcano. “The goal was to help the community, and the community is depreciating."
Pashinski said the tax system in Pennsylvania needs to be reevaluated, but for now, property owners will continue to see relief as long as people continue gambling at casinos in Pennsylvania.
