Corbett lottery maneuvers winning no fans in Pa. Legislature

Gov. Tom Corbett’s plans to privatize the Pennsylvania Lottery may be well within the law, but his approach may also be hurting his relationship with state lawmakers.

Just two months ago, the governor was resolving to change the way his administration works with the General Assembly.

“I know we need to communicate better, and I think we are. We’re in that process,” he said during a November interview.

Now some state lawmakers are balking at what they say is a dearth of information from the administration about the lottery deal.

Corbett says evaluating and choosing private bids on the lottery is a role for the executive branch — not something that should require lawmakers’ input.

“So, what you’re saying is the Legislature has the ability to say, we like this bid or don’t? That’s not the way it works,” Corbett said Wednesday. “Any bids that we put out, purchase of cars, purchase of goods and services, and that’s what this is — this is a service.”

Still, lawmakers have protested that the expansion of lottery games planned by British firm Camelot Global Services should only come with legislative approval.

Corbett says he’ll make a final decision on the deal by the end of Thursday — days ahead of a state House hearing scheduled to vet the proposal.