Beshear says urgency changed his stance on gambling amendment
FRANKFORT — Democrat Steve Beshear, eager to separate his campaign for governor from other candidates, held a news conference in January 2007 to announce his support for changing the state Constitution to allow expanded gambling in Kentucky.
Since taking over as the state’s No. 1 executive later that year, Beshear has pushed for multiple proposals, including a constitutional amendment, that would expand gambling, but has been stymied by the Republican-led Senate.
However, when some key Republicans reversed course earlier this week and said they will file constitutional amendments dealing with expanded gambling, Beshear balked at a proposal he had pushed himself as recently as 19 months ago.
Georgetown Sen. Damon Thayer’s proposal would allow the public to decide whether to allow video lottery terminals at horse racetracks. Senate President David Williams’ proposal would ban such expansions of gambling without a constitutional amendment, which requires voters’ approval.
Beshear, along with Democrats and the horse industry, panned the GOP proposals, saying they came too late for the struggling industry and smacked of politics to get more social conservatives at the polls next year to vote for Republican legislative candidates.
“It’s now a little late to be climbing on board with a smoke screen,” Beshear said Wednesday evening.
The state’s horse industry is deteriorating rapidly and “some of it is going to be gone” by the time voters consider any constitutional amendment in November 2010, he said.
“The Republicans really aren’t willing to go along with it,” Beshear said. “They’re just playing games.”
Beshear spokeswoman Jill Midkiff noted that Williams previously has said he does not think a constitutional amendment is needed to allow slots machines at tracks and that Attorney General Jack Conway issued an opinion with that viewpoint.
If Senate Republicans truly want to help the horse industry, Midkiff said, they will approve a slots bill in January that Beshear backed and the state House approved in June.
If lawmakers try to approve slots through a bill and not a constitutional amendment, “timely litigation is assured,” Thayer said. “Besides, it’s never too late to let the people decide.”
Kent Ostrander, executive director of The Family Foundation, repeated Wednesday that the Lexington-based group would file a lawsuit if the General Assembly expanded gambling without a constitutional amendment that allows the people to vote.
Ostrander praised Williams’ proposed amendment. “Finally there’s a way that ‘we the people’ can vote and set straight those policy makers who have been manipulating the law by saying they can bypass the people and bring slot machines into the Commonwealth with a simple statute.”
Ostrander also criticized Beshear for “changing his tune.”
- Jack Brammer and Ryan Alessi
Filed Under: KY General Assembly • 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
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how many horses does Mr. Ostrander own? Let’s just let Indiana and other neighboring states collect the money that will be spent on gambling. It’s ok to go to Keeneland or the Derby and bet money, but heaven forbid you put a quarter in a slot machine. HELLO…we have a state LOTTO! Idiots….most republicans are such hypocrits.
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I agree that David Williams and his party followers have taken a hypocritical position – if an adult chooses to gamble they will, whether at a track, a casino, a lottery ticket, bingo, etc. We are losing much needed tax revenue to other states – its probably not as much as we’ve been led to believe, but any revenue is revenue. Legalize gambling and alcohol sales, folks are going to spend their money, why pretend the where really matters?
Profit on the backs of weakling souls. Bad Karma.
Its simple. Beshear forgot he supported a constitutional amendment for expanded gambling. Its obvious he is doing that oldie but goodie. “The John Kerry flip flop”!
Beshear should be happy the Repubs are agreeing with him. He could have just said it took them a little longer to agree with his constitutional amendment proposal. But like I said… He forget he proposed it.
Williams tactics are to stall by whatever “political” tools he has available to him. This entire change of heart is nothing more than a strategy to delaying and stalling.
As is typical with the Williams strategy is that there is no plan. He presents the holier-than-though persona for his small county while continually stroking his own ego.
His and his cronies falsehoods and failures to lead this state are finally catching up with him and our current economic crisis, rankings as 1st in the nation on child abuse as shown in recent articles and inability to focus on matters/bills that matter, instead of politically motivated distractions, has kept Kentucky in the lower rankings in comparison to other states in all other endeavors.
We can attempt to blame the Governor for the Senates failures but it is the “long term” body that is continually failing us with poor decision, bad economic policy and other decisions that as of late appear to fill their own pockets.
How dare Williams and Thayer try to implement Governor Beshear’s signature campaign promise! Somebody got trumped.
“Hi…I’m Steve Beshear. I’m for taking any position or pursuing any course of action which screws my Republican adversaries…even if it means reversing my stated position 180 degrees to do so.”
THE TRUTH IS . . . EXTENDED GAMBLING IS A BAD BET.
READ.
Like an addict hooked on drugs, Indiana might be facing severe withdrawal symptoms in the next few months.
Indiana’s drug of choice for the state is revenue generated from gambling ventures such as horse tracks, casinos and lottery tickets.
And like an addict who needs more drugs to maintain the same high, Indiana needs more revenue just to maintain current funding levels. Trouble is, the money is starting to dry up.
State leaders have two alternatives: Learn to live with less revenue, or take steps to continue expanding gambling options for Hoosiers. Neither one is attractive.
Gambling revenue from within the state is falling as Hoosiers weather the recession, and the state is facing competition from beyond its borders as Illinois, Michigan, Ohio and Kentucky are weighing their own gambling options or expanding existing operations.
ENTIRE STORY HERE:
http://www.thestarpress.com/article/20091022/OPINION01/910220334