The political game in Pennsylvania obviously will be played to the last card

.

Governor Ed Rendell has released a list of 995 state jobs involving 21 agencies that he will eliminate Friday (January 8) if the legislature does not end its partisan bickering over the table games bill that has been kicked around for three months in Harrisburg.

Rendell instructed state secretary of administration Naomi Wyatt to let each department head know how many jobs must be deleted in their staffs. Two hundred fifty million in potential state income is at stake, and furlough plans are being completed as the deadline approaches.

House and senate leaders of both parties say they are optimistic they will reach an accord by Rendell’s firing deadline.

With three days left, the leader of the Senate said, “We are not saying at this point that there’s a deal, although we believe we’re on the verge of a final agreement.”

(Harness Tracks of America)