let the games begin
Well yesterday was primary day here in the Commonwealth, and it's shaping up to be quite a race for the Governorship. Democrats held Kentucky for about 30 years before Ernie Fletcher showed up, but his scandals and general sneaky-ness have not gone unnoticed. It appears that a former Lieutenant Governor (Steve Beshear) stands a good chance of putting the Democrats back in office here.
The only issues that really concern me in this race are those issues where Kentucky ranks poorly compared with other states. I left Louisiana (49th on most lists) for a state that is 45th or 46th on most lists. Specifically, Kentucky needs better healthcare, better education initiatives, and we need a business climate that welcomes innovation and new industries so we can move away from coal mining and manufacturing. We've got a tiny budget surplus now, but the other big issue is that we need some major "investment capital" to bring the hills and hollers into the 21st century.
This brings me to the one pivotal issue that Kentucky is considering these days, which is gambling. Today, Kentucky law makes a distinction between wagering and gambling. As anyone who has bet on a horse race will tell you, the line between horse handicapping and "games of chance" is so small it's irrelevant. Still, Kentucky thinks that casino gaming would bring a bad element to the state. In reality what's happening is that Kentucky residents drive to Indiana and spend their dollars at Hoosier casinos. Since people are going to gamble anyway, why should Indiana get all the tax benefits?
Statistically, casino gaming has no effect on crime, and Kentucky needs the money. The most logical plans I've seen suggest allowing gaming at horse tracks, since those are the places that already allow wagering. Several of the candidates for governor support this idea, and they are the only candidates who have my attention.
The only issues that really concern me in this race are those issues where Kentucky ranks poorly compared with other states. I left Louisiana (49th on most lists) for a state that is 45th or 46th on most lists. Specifically, Kentucky needs better healthcare, better education initiatives, and we need a business climate that welcomes innovation and new industries so we can move away from coal mining and manufacturing. We've got a tiny budget surplus now, but the other big issue is that we need some major "investment capital" to bring the hills and hollers into the 21st century.
This brings me to the one pivotal issue that Kentucky is considering these days, which is gambling. Today, Kentucky law makes a distinction between wagering and gambling. As anyone who has bet on a horse race will tell you, the line between horse handicapping and "games of chance" is so small it's irrelevant. Still, Kentucky thinks that casino gaming would bring a bad element to the state. In reality what's happening is that Kentucky residents drive to Indiana and spend their dollars at Hoosier casinos. Since people are going to gamble anyway, why should Indiana get all the tax benefits?
Statistically, casino gaming has no effect on crime, and Kentucky needs the money. The most logical plans I've seen suggest allowing gaming at horse tracks, since those are the places that already allow wagering. Several of the candidates for governor support this idea, and they are the only candidates who have my attention.
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