Governor Fletcher brings anti-casino message to Eastern
Fletcher argues casino gambling will harm economy
Finley, Marty
Issue date: 8/30/07 Section: News
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Beshear told Kentuckians he would work to get the current law banning games of chance overturned, while Fletcher has maintained a solid counterpoint stance to the idea of casinos.
This issue hit the doorsteps of Eastern Tuesday evening when Fletcher arrived to discuss his plans for the future of Kentucky at the Perkins building.
The presentation was an open forum allowing Madison County residents and students the opportunity to hear Fletcher's policies and interact with him through comments and questions.
Fletcher discussed the issue, arguing Beshear's claim of an increased economy through casinos is misleading.
"Steve Beshear is gonna pass it," Fletcher said. " I say Nov. 6 makes that a referendum on it. And I say not here, not in my Kentucky home."
Beshear has promised $500 million in revenue from casinos, but Fletcher claimed the state would lose nearly $1.5 billion in the process because most of the money will be shipped out to either Frankfort or the casino owners in Las Vegas. He said approximately two-thirds of the money would go to Vegas.
He also said 75 percent of the money will be diverted income that will be taken away from towns and citizens in Kentucky.
And he said the 25 percent of new income could possibly be taken from savings accounts that would not have been spent under other situations.
Fletcher also said the impact of casinos could gradually reduce the revenue taken in by charitable gaming, which helps charitable organizations and churches throughout Kentucky.
"They promise, what I consider, fool's gold…they promise no cost to Kentucky," he said.
As part of Fletcher's ad campaign, he has been traveling to cities in bordering states with casinos in an effort to find out the effects casino gambling has had.
Fletcher said the ads would run in segments. He presented an interview he conducted with a woman in Waterloo, Ill. who had embezzled $241,000 from a bank she had worked at for 33 years.