Beshear puts slots on agenda of special session
Gov. Steve Beshear
The legislation, which would approve video lottery terminals or slots at approved racetracks, would increase purses and breeder’s incentives for the horse industry, he said.
“Kentucky’s horse industry — a living, breathing part of our cultural heritage and one of our strongest, most precious commodities abroad — is in a state of crisis,” he said in a news conference. “Some even say it’s dying.”
Beshear said his proposal would level the playing field for Kentucky’s horse industry, noting that Kentucky is losing race dates at Churchill Downs and other tracks are facing closure.
The governor said his administration is continuing to work on legislation, which he hopes will be finalized in a few days. He said it would contain details of how slots, which would be run by the Kentucky Lottery Corp., would be taxed and generate revenue for both the state and industry.
“The legislature, in our judgment, has the authority; now we must determine if we have the will,” he said.
- Jack Brammer
Filed Under: KY General Assembly • State Budget • State Government • Steve Beshear
About the Author: John Stamper is the accountability editor for the Lexington Herald-Leader. A native of Monticello, Ky., he has been with the Herald-Leader in a variety of roles since graduating from Western Kentucky University in 2000. Reach him at jstamper@herald-leader.com
Well, Well . . .
Did you expect anything else. Next the long court battle . . . which is sure to come.
Read my lips::::: “LET THE PEOPLE VOTE”
Steve Beshear, 2008 campaign.
GRAB YOUR ANKLES BOYS….HERE IT COMES!!!
Good… the horse industry deserves a debate on this.
Jim,
It won’t be a long court battle. The constitution is pretty clear on this issue. It does not prohibit expanding the lottery to racetracks. Read the constitution and tell me where it says otherwise.
Glad to see some courage out of the guv. Somebody has to stand up to David Williams sooner or later.
I am for gambling but I am against Slot Machines. Folks a slot machine has worse odds than a lottery ticket. Slot machines is what built Vegas and other gambling destinations. A true smart gambler is not going to waste his/her money on slot machines. The only ones that will be playing these are fixed low income folks. They will be going broke playing slot machines. I would only support expanded gaming if it included tables games. Because I know poor folks will be losing what little they have on stupid slot machines. Put in some Black Jack tables, texas holdem tables and craps tables then I’d be interested. But slots are a waste of money.
Stivers-
Beshear said that we could vote of casino gambling. These VLTs are all that can save the horse business. A vote, lengthy court battle, and the money the horse business would have to fork up in advertising would DESTROY what is left of the horse business.
Look at harness racing. In the 80s there were hundreds of standardbred farms in and around Lexington. Other states saw the golden goose and took them away. The Throughbred industry will be doomed in the same fashion without these slots.
The state gives tax incentives to Toyota, Ford, etc. We encourage new companies to lay groundwork here, but we are willing to run off 100,000 existing jobs?
It’s about time. Kentucky’s money doesn’t need to be going to pay for Indiana’s schools, and Kentucky’s horse farms don’t need to be losing boarding clients to Pennsylvania. Fund the purses and give our state’s biggest industry a chance through video lottery terminals.
Is Greg Stumbo still against slots in his hometown because the folks are too poor to gamble? Some of them have cars you know.
This is great news!!! There is no difference between slots, gambling, race tracks and lottery tickets. We let people drink. We let people smoke. We people eat McDonalds everyday. Freedom of choice, unless the religious right is going to infringe on this too!!!
Americancasinoguide.com has a list of states with casinos. Here are a few close by. Indiana has 11, West Virginia 4, Illinois 9, Florida 20, Louisiana, 20, Missisippi 30, Georgia 2, South Carolina 2. This list is growing every year. I support Steve Beshear. Kentucky horse industry deserves support! The competition is rising. Kentucky must be allowed to compete.
I guess no one read my comment. Anyone gamble out there? I mean come on… slots are a waste…I support gambling..but slots are a sure loser…black jack is the only game at a casino that a player has a chance to win….anyone out there agree with me? Jeez….this is crazy… Slots are sure losers…table games are the only sure winners..I need some comments on this!
One more point I want to make. Standardbred racing is dead in Kentucky. Years ago I went to a standardbred track in Louisville only to learn it was bought out by Churchill Downs and was converted to a simulcasting facility. Last year, I went to the Red Mile in Lexington. I thought I was in a ghost town. It looks obvious to me that harness racing is gone forever in Kentucky. I hate to see the same happen to the rest of the horse industry in Kentucky.
No to Slots…Yes to Black Jack tables, Texas Holdem tables and Craps…anyone else agree??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
SAY NO, i DO NOT WANT TO LOSE MY JOB IN THE THE KENTUCKY HORSE INDUSTRY!!
If Gov. Beshear would try to influence the US legislators to continue using coal as one of Kentucky’s top resources, the coal severance tax would help reduce the budgeting problems and help the horse industry that, for some reason, according to the Governor, only gambling will help to solve. If the demand for coal would go back up, unemployment in several industries would be alleviated and the money would begin to circulate more (more coal produced = more severance tax paid to state). Also, the good old fashioned light bulb, made right here in Kentucky, should be promoted as better for our environment than the new “twisted” bulb, which by the way contains MERCURY! Not good for the environment. Tell me, who will dispose of the new bulb the way the EPA wants us to? Tell me where one of the proper disposal facilities is located. Most people will just drop it in the garbage can where it and the mercury will end up in the landfills and eventually in our water supplies. Not to mention the dangers of it breaking in the trash inside the house. We MUST promote all industries of our state and help our WHOLE state succeed. “Divided we fall…”
[...] Here is a post explaining the issues and what is going on with slots at the race tracks. In another story, Senate president, David Williams says that it would take $4.6 Billion to create $70 million in purses. Obviously this is needed in a recession! [...]
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