On Tuesday, Penn State and three other public universities in the state announced that the delay in approval of table-games legislature could increase tuition rates as early as January. The state left nearly $700 million out of the budget signed by Governor Rendell in October, and made it contingent on the table-games bill being passed.

In a response to a letter of complaint from the colleges, House Speaker Keith McCall said, “This bill needs to be done right the first time, and, like a college education, cannot be rushed without potentially causing more harm than good to the future.” He stated that he can sympathize with the universities, but that the state needs to make sure table games generate a recurring revenue source.

Is it just me, or is this wrong on SO MANY LEVELS?! We’re in an economic recession right now, gambling should not be the form of revenue we look to to pull us out. Economic recession aside, what kind of state links public university funding with gambling revenues? Seriously? Because they don’t want to “rush things”, or tuition is going to go up? Shouldn’t they be more concerned with getting tuition down in this recession? I’ve never said this before, but right now I am ashamed to be a Pennsylvanian.