Kentucky Lawmakers Stumbo And Williams React To Gambling Letter

Governor Steve Beshear sent a letter to lawmakers in Kentucky late last week, asking that they reconsider gambling expansion at state racetracks. He claimed that the additional gambling was necessary in order to help bridge budget deficits.

House Speaker Greg Stumbo and Senate President David Williams have responded to the governor's requests, and the answers they gave were not beneficial for pro-gambling expansion groups. Stumbo and Williams both commented on how a budget could be done without the gambling.

Williams, in particular, was harsh when speaking of the letter that Beshear sent last Tuesday. he believes that the governor was posturing, leaving the door open for criticism of any budget cuts. Williams believes that Beshear will bring lawmakers back into session should the gaming expansion not be part of a new budget.

Stumbo has said that a budget can be drawn up without having to make cuts that would cause the closure of schools and state parks. Beshear believes that without the gambling money, legislators will be forced to order some of these type budget cuts.

Beshear started controversy last summer when he attempted to seize the domain names of 141 online gambling sites. He has thus far lost his case in the Kentucky court system, but is still appealing those earlier rulings to the state Supreme Court.

Kentucky racetracks have been struggling since the economic recession hit in the US. Many states have added video gambling machines to their racetracks in order to balance the revenue lost from the recession. That is what Beshear has proposed in Kentucky, but as of yet lawmakers are not on board with the plan.

February 17, 2010
Posted By Terry Goodwin
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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