Newspaper: Thorns to gaming board junket

From the editorial page of The Pottstown Mercury:

THORNS to Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board officials for taking a trip to Italy and racking up a tab of $32,438 for air fare, hotels and food at a time when state agencies are being scrutinized along with everyone else to find savings. Republican lawmakers this week criticized the gaming board for taking the conference trip after a state ban on travel had been enacted. "The arrogance that board members have shown in their continued out-of-state travel — and at the taxpayers' expense — is indicative of the leadership of the board," said Rep. Mike Vereb of Montgomery County, who was joined by more than a dozen fellow Republicans at a Capitol news conference. Actually, the board does not receive tax money, but Vereb's point about wasteful spending applies nonetheless. The gaming board is still traveling with other people's money, and in these times such extravagance is troublesome.