HispanicBusiness

Gov. Tom Corbett says he is considering holding public hearings on his administration's effort to hire a British firm to manage the state lottery.

Mr. Corbett was asked about the pending bid from Camelot Global Services PA LLC during an afternoon news conference, after opponents of the plan had held their own event this morning calling for more public disclosure on the arrangement before a final decision is made.

The governor said hearings were held in the Legislature, which occurred immediately after the private management search was announced but prior to the Camelot bid being submitted. Pressed on whether a hearing would be held now that a specific proposal is under consideration, Mr. Corbett said that may occur.

"We are probably leaning that way," he told reporters.

Camelot's bid for the 20- to 30-year management contract is scheduled to expire on Dec. 31, but an extension of that bid is under consideration. Camelot submitted the only bid.

Under state law, the lottery's unionized workers must be allowed to present an alternative plan to the bid offered by Camelot.

Officials with AFSCME Council 13, which represents those workers and has sued the administration in an effort to prevent a contract from being awarded, say they have been given until Jan. 8 to offer their own plan.

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