Schools leave Rendell hanging on tax plans

Well, Governor Ed Rendell is a bit depressed by the weekend's tally, showing that school districts have rejected the gambling-funds-replace-property-taxes scheme that he helped engineer. It's not that surprising, given the wealth of ambiguities and potential pitfalls built into the legislation (see previous discussion of these reservations here and here), but still a blow for both the gambling promoters (really! it's all for the kids!) and for Rendell's hopes to crow about property tax reductions during his re-election race in two years. There will be further thoughts about tax realignments, and meanwhile Philadelphia's workers get a break on wage taxes, but it's also possible that this setback will color the handling of the appeals case questioning the legislation that legalized PA gambling initially. All to be seen.