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Kentucky Teachers Support Gambling Legislation

KENTUCKY – As reported by the Louisville Courier-Journal: "The Jefferson County Teachers Association supports letting Kentucky voters decide whether to allow horse tracks to operate casinos, hoping that gambling revenues would funnel more money to public schools.

"Association President Brent McKim said the state hasn't been providing enough money for schools as required by a 1989 Kentucky Supreme Court ruling that cleared the way for sweeping education reform.

"…The support of the roughly 5,100-member association diversifies a coalition of horse industry interests and business groups in favor of expanded gambling. Supporters say eight casinos in Kentucky would generate about $400 million annually for the state.

"…'The general feeling thus far has been that the biggest piece of the pie must go to education, but we must all sit down and determine the precise details,' said horse breeder Brereton Jones, KEEP chairman and a former Kentucky governor.

"Jones said the percentage of state revenue earmarked for education and other programs should be put into the state constitution by voters. Without that assurance, Jones said, the voters would not pass a gambling amendment…"

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